Top Journal Star photos and videos for April 2026
City Council member Sändra Washington, left, peruses a book alongside Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, right, on one of the city's new bookmobiles Tuesday outside Eiseley Branch Library Branch Library. Lincoln City Libraries rolled out two new bookmobiles, replacing an aging bus and expanding service to neighborhoods, schools and community events across the city and county.
Rep. Mike Flood presented his congressional report to the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce at the Wilderness Ridge Golf Club on Tuesday.
Nebraska celebrates with outfielder Mac Moyer (17) after his home run on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Haymarket Park in Lincoln. Nebraska beat Penn State 8-7 to win game one of the weekend series.
Jonathan Pfeiffer hangs "Wizard of Oz"-themed decor Friday at Parrish Studios as part of a promotion businesses in the Parrish Project are putting on to lure visitors during Project O Street roadwork. Pfieffer's son, Gabriel, recently moved into a studio in the building.
Justice in Action members Danielle Parrish, left, and Michael Kocher line up marshmallow Peeps during an event highlighting the cost of jail overcrowding in front of the County-City Building on Wednesday. Each Peep represented one person who could be in a diversion program but instead is in jail.
Holding a large wooden cross, Christ Lincoln pastor Aaron Hutton (right) leads prayer with church members April Hickox (center), 9-year-old Taylor Pickett (center-left) and Michael Hickox (left) at the base of the Nebraska State Capitol on Friday on K Street. A rotating group of members carried the 8-foot walnut cross, weighing about 60 pounds, through Lincoln in observance of Good Friday and to commemorate the crucifixion of Christ. “It’s a gentle reminder of God’s incredible grace,” Hutton said.
Kate Pulec, who took care of DT for a few summers, gives him a kiss during a birthday and "retirement" celebration for the 30-year old horse at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's East Campus Animal Science Complex on Tuesday. DT was donated to UNL in 2008 and became "probably the number one teacher" of riders on UNL's equestrian team.
Pius X's Lucas Newton (7) goes up to celebrates a homerun with Anthony Iburg (12) as huis other teammates gather to join in during the ninth inning at the Sandhills Global Youth Baseball Complex on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Lincoln.
Lincoln's Urban Design Committee reviewed designs for the city's new main library and encouraged the project team to try to obtain a higher environmental rating.
Balloons, playing cards, cookies and cupcakes decorated Gate 6 of Lincoln Airport, as over 100 passengers on Breeze Airways' maiden voyage to Las Vegas and Orange County prepared for takeoff.
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh secured a surprise funding boost to help advance a plan to expand free school meals to thousands of Nebraska students.
After hours of debate, Nebraska lawmakers failed to advance a bill focused on dyslexia screening and third-grade reading benchmarks. Here’s what stalled it.
National and local experts will gather at the IBEW Local 265 Labor Union Hall Saturday to discuss Nebraska's microplastic pollution problem — and what can be done to solve it.
"At this point in time, Mr. Massa is no threat to anybody," attorney Sandy Pollack said. "I think his days of breaking the law are over."
CenterPointe official says overdose trends can come in waves tied to drug supply changes.
On Thursday, a 71-year-old Lincoln man reported receiving a call from a male caller who identified himself as Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow.
Earlier this month, a Lincoln middle school student was approached by a man with a knife, police say.
A task force search, which included the basement of a government-funded organization and a Waverly home, allegedly turned up over 2 pounds of meth and a “make-shift steroid lab.”
The Lancaster County Department of Corrections must reinstate an employee fired for speeding 27 mph over the speed limit and give him back pay, following a judge's recent ruling.
A Lincoln couple is searching for answers after their 8-month-old son suddenly died last month.
The Big Event, a day of coordinated service organized by the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, celebrated its 20th anniversary as hundreds of volunteers cleaned up Lincoln.
A 72-year-old Wahoo woman was arrested in Lincoln after police say she assaulted her husband and another woman with a hammer inside an RV.
Senators, lobbyists and other Capitol observers said the effort to balance the state's $646 million budget deficit was the biggest achievement of the 2026 session.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.
Inflation increased by 3.3% from March 2025 to March 2026, the Consumer Price Index's all items index found, with the food index increasing 2.7% over the last year.
A Lincoln woman accused of kicking in her ex-boyfriend's door and shooting him at his home last year has been brought back to Nebraska from Florida to face charges.
The funds will repair Interstate 180 bridges spanning Interstate 80 both northbound and southbound, and will replace the Adams Street bridge over I-180 and U.S. 6 over I-180.
A long-awaited plan to revive University Place is moving ahead, with streetscape upgrades, facade work and public spaces planned along North 48th Street.
LPS board members are set to vote on pay increases for administrators and technicians later this month.
Two new docks and improved access are coming to Holmes Lake as part of a long-running effort to boost fishing.
Two Nebraska men serving time at the Nebraska State Pen have filed a lawsuit challenging a ban on certain Indigenous faith practices that went into effect in February.
Customers could see about $15 returned to them.
A man allegedly killed a dog after tying it to his truck bumper and dragging it, according to Lincoln Animal Control.
The attorney for a Lincoln man accused of killing his half-brother and his pregnant wife in January has asked a judge to find sections of Nebraska's death penalty statutes unconstitutional.
At Lincoln's SouthPointe Pavilions, several vendors could be seen Tuesday removing their merchandise from the store.
A Lincoln man has been sentenced to 31- to 61-years in prison for putting his hand around a 14-year-old girl's neck and punching her mom in an incident last July.
Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird also broke the news that the still under construction 8.5-acre park that encompasses the skatepark will be called Canopy Yard.
A new Federal Election Commission complaint filed Tuesday alleges a PAC affiliated with independent U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn illegally paid 23 individuals working on his campaign.
Police responded to an early Wednesday alarm at Romantix at 3247 S. 10th St.
A Palmer woman is in critical condition after her husband accidentally ran her over with a trailer on Interstate 80 south of Waverly, deputies say.
Jon Hendricks, who prosecutes revocations as a special assistant attorney general, said an internal affairs investigation began in September after an officer reported unwanted touching by Jonathan Sears.
Police are searching for a possible suspect after a Lincoln construction shop reported a piece of equipment worth $21,000 missing.
Gov. Jim Pillen said the 33-vote rule to overcome a filibuster in the Legislature is too steep and that bringing it down to 30 votes "would be more representative."
The Nebraska State Employee Insurance Program, which covers as many as 28,000 people total, saw its fund balance drop from $83 million in 2022 to $7 million last year.
The jury of seven men and five women got the case just before 10 a.m. Wednesday and returned with not guilty verdicts just after 3 p.m.
Michel Mikaya, 35, could get up to 50 years in prison at his sentencing in the case involving the death of 27-year-old Jimmy Saka.
A 43-year-old Lincoln man has been charged after allegedly strangling a 41-year-old woman until she lost consciousness.
Equality Before the Law said it would speak out against federal overreach, political pressure, and a lack of accountability among agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
A federal lawsuit led Nebraska prison officials to lift a 60-day ban on Indigenous religious practices just before a court hearing was set to begin.
As Project O Street kicks into gear, the city is taking steps to help support local businesses.
A 44-year-old Lincoln man is facing two felony charges after allegedly threatening his neighbor with a gun Wednesday morning.
A Lincoln man faces 10 felonies after deputies found a gun and nearly a pound of meth during a traffic stop — and say he tried to bribe his way out.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen allowed a bill increasing security measures at the Capitol to pass without his signature and issued five vetoes Thursday.
The crash occurred around 11:35 p.m. at the intersection of North 17th Street and Antelope Valley Parkway.
“While disappointing, we now have clarity from our state’s highest court on when the state is required to bargain,” said Justin Hubly, executive director of NAPE.
"Ms. Johnson, you were a bus driver. You had children on that bus, you consumed alcohol and you blew a .221," the judge said.
From exploring state parks to displaying historical art pieces, the state will be honoring the Great Plains' history long before Nebraska was officially on the map.
Commissioner Rick Vest said he grouped the requesters into three categories — family, sports and arts — and his proposal had about the same amount of money going toward each.
Teams of high school students from across Nebraska raced their hand-built go-karts around the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's tractor testing track Saturday.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue crews responded to a fire at a Havelock trailer court on Saturday afternoon.
The Nebraska Legislature failed to override four of Gov. Jim Pillen's vetoes Friday on the final day of session.
A 27-year-old is in jail after allegedly running a not-so-secret party spot that ignored fire codes and red tags.
After years of sharing the stories of the Holocaust with his peers in Taylor, Nebraska, Hector Estrada was surprised to learn that he earned a national award for his efforts.
“We are deeply honored to be named Nebraska’s Small Business Persons of the Year."
