Student Intern

Registration open for 5th annual Nebraska Women Veterans Symposium in Kearney. Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs Aug 12, 2026 | 9:43 AM The Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs (NDVA) is hosting its fifth annual Nebraska Women Veterans Symposium at the Holiday Inn in Kearney on Sept. 19-20, (Courtesy) KEARNEY - The Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs (NDVA) is hosting its fifth annual Nebraska Women Veterans Symposium at the Holiday Inn in Kearney on Sept. 19-20. The two-day event is free for attendees, with space for up to 200 women veterans to attend and participate in networking, listening sessions, presentations, special activities, and more. It is open to women veterans, active duty, Reserves, and National Guard members. "I am so humbled to be in our fifth year of bringing together Nebraska's women veterans and to see the continued success of this outreach event," said NDVA Women Veterans Coordinator Erin Colson. The symposium will include a wide range of presenters and topics, including an overview of benefits and services available to veterans and their families through the state of Nebraska and NDVA. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Nebraska Western-Iowa Healthcare System will present on healthcare and eligibility. Other VA presenters will include representatives from the VA Women Veterans Program, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), and VA Whole Health. Other topics will include alcohol and substance abuse prevention, PTSD/Trauma, and suicide prevention. Attendees will have opportunities to participate in activities hosted by New Century Art Guild, MOVE Program, and more, and the Hanes Mobile Military Museum will have a display of military uniforms. "We want to be there for every veteran in the state, and targeted outreach events like this ensure we're meeting veterans where they are," said NDVA Director John Hilgert. "With over 100 outreach events each year, our team has made incredible strides in seeking out Nebraska's veterans and their families to ensure they know we're here to serve them." Event attendees are also invited to participate in the "Landscapes of Service" art display. This art display, unique to this year's symposium, is intended to allow artists within the women veteran community to meet up with each other while exploring the personal or abstract connection to the concept of service between themselves, others, and country. Anyone interested in submitting artwork must be able to attend this year's symposium where it will be on display for the entire weekend. More information, including submission rules and guidelines, is available at veterans.nebraska.gov/womenveterans. Registration is for the Nebraska Women Veterans Symposium is available at veterans.nebraska.gov/womenveterans. Registration is open until the date of the event or when all 200 spots are filled. For questions about the event, please contact NDVA Women Veterans Coordinator Erin Colson at [email protected] or 402-420-4337. Financial support for this year's symposium has come from Overhouse, Right at Home, VFW Foundation, and Wounded Warriors Family Support. NDVA's mission is to honor Nebraska veterans and their families by providing excellent service, assistance, and care. Its state service office helps veterans identify and access federal benefits, such as disability compensation and healthcare through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and state benefits, such as Nebraska Veterans Aid, tuition waivers, and more. Its four state veterans' homes offer high quality assisted living and skilled nursing care to veterans and eligible family members across the state. And its cemetery system ensures eligible veterans receive an honorable final resting place maintained to the highest national standards. To learn more about NDVA and how it serves Nebraska's veterans and their families, please visit veterans.nebraska.gov.

Nebraska Democrats, Working Families Party sue 'Working People Party' Suit similar to GOP challenge to new 'America First Party' LINCOLN - The Nebraska Democratic Party and the national Working Families Party have sued Nebraska's Working People Party to block it from the fall ballot. The two objecting parties are asking Lancaster District Court Judge Darla Ideus to stop Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen from officially recognizing the party, and to declare that the party's name is breaking state law because it is meant to confuse voters. "The name of the 'Working People Party' is clearly designed to draw a false association with independent U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn, who is supported by the Nebraska Democratic Party's leadership and likely to receive overwhelming support from the party's members in his challenge to the Republican incumbent U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts. Osborn has framed his campaign around giving 'working people a seat at the table,'" the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit filed Monday cites state law that says the secretary of state can reject a candidate's filing if the state's top election official determines that someone is not a "good-faith candidate" or is trying to cause confusion for voters. The law also says objections to party names can be considered. A lawsuit filed last week by the Nebraska Republican Party suing the America First Party also cites that law. State Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb has accused U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts of being behind the effort to establish the Nebraska Working People Party. Republicans objected to efforts to establish the America First Party, pointing to Omaha Tribe Attorney General John Cartier's connection to Legal Marijuana Now Senate candidate Mike Marvin. The sponsor of the Nebraska Working People Party effort is registered Democrat Robin Richards, according to paperwork submitted to the Secretary of State's Office. She lost as a write-in candidate in Legislative District 12 earlier this year. That district is in south-central Douglas County and includes Ralston and parts of Omaha. Following her loss, Richards endorsed incumbent Republican state Sen. Merv Riepe for the general election. Working Families Party is a progressive party based in New York that focuses on working-class issues. The lawsuit says, "The Working Families Party has worked for decades to build a reputation and brand based around its name. Although it does not currently maintain a chapter in Nebraska, the Working Families Party supports candidates aligned with its values and deliberately avoids diverting votes from those candidates in States like Nebraska." A Working Families Party representative told Nebraska Public Media earlier this year that it was considering legal action against the Nebraska Working People Party. The lawsuit from the Democratic Party adds to litigation in this Nebraska midterm cycle. Another lawsuit seeks to force Nebraska Democrats to find a replacement for their Senate nominee, Cindy Burbank, who dropped out. Burbank had previously sued to get back on the primary ballot after Evnen removed her for not being a "good faith" candidate. The state Secretary of State's Office announced last week that both new political parties had met the petition signature threshold. If the parties meet the deadline to submit organization documents, they must name candidates for the Nov. 3 general election by Sept. 1. It's unclear which races will see candidates from these two new parties, but most of the political drama has centered on the Senate race between Osborn and incumbent Republican Ricketts. The attorneys for the Democrats and the Working Families Party plan to request that their case be heard at the same time as the Republican lawsuit. A hearing in the Republican suit has been rescheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday. Judge Ideus granted a new emergency injunction stopping certification of the America First Party through Aug. 20.