Southeast Nebraska speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Jun. 26, 2026
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Lincoln Journal Star.
- Updated
I had a stroke last Monday (6-15) night around 7 p.m. The rest of the evening was somewhat of a blur, but everyone involved, from the paramedics to the nurses at the ICU unit at Bryan East, were very competent, efficient and polite. The speed with which my situation was dealt with I'm sure is responsible for lack of serious permanent damage from the stroke. Although I hope to never see any of them again (on a have-to basis), I'm grateful they were there for me when really needed. So, to all involved — Lincoln Fire and Rescue, Bryan emergency doctors and personnel, Bryan ICU nurses and doctors and everyone else involved with my care, thank you for all you did and do on a daily basis. Good city to survive a medical emergency!
Bill Westlund, Lincoln
- Updated
Sen. Ricketts knows international trade is essential to the profitability of Nebraska agriculture and growing our state’s economy. Many of his policies and efforts, as Nebraska’s governor and now as our U.S. senator, focus on expanding trade opportunities for our farmers and ranchers.
As governor, he worked to strengthen Nebraska agriculture’s economic success through relationships with our trade partners including Mexico and Canada, Nebraska’s top two markets. He supported strengthening ties with these key markets and those efforts have paid off. Today, Mexico and Canada continue to be critical destinations for Nebraska-grown beef, corn, soybeans, pork and other products.
- Updated
I was amused by Ted Larson's letter "Lessons from Sweden" (LJS, June 24), advocating for national health care for the US and comparing it to Sweden's health care system. What he forgot to mention is that nothing is free. The average Swede pays 32% of their income in tax, plus if they make an above-average living, you can add another 22%! I lived in Europe for 25 years and was in the 42% tax bracket — and you do wait for medical treatment — depending of course on the diagnosis. Then you pay 19% VAT tax (like sales tax) on everything you buy, plus over $7 a gallon of gas, but what you have left is yours to enjoy. National Health has benefits, but for the USA, not so much - unless you like to pay taxes!
James Hoke, Lincoln
- Updated
Young teenagers face employment discrimination because they do not have work experience, and state law restricts what they can do. You can’t treat young teenagers as full adults. They are minors. Everyone seems to know this until it comes to the Nebraska minimum wage.
Self-checkout used to be rare in Nebraska, and teenage cashiers were common until voters passed a flat minimum wage law in 2014. Within a year, many places added self-checkout stands, and these are now ubiquitous. But alcohol has to be checked out by a cashier, and the cashier must be 19 years old. No more teenage cashiers was what minimum wage did. But the voters did not notice and again voted to raise the minimum wage in 2024.
- Updated
Nebraskans are living under the misimpression that we live in a democracy. Though our country and our state claim it. In a democracy, the voter, especially in statewide politics, votes their desires for their fellow Nebraskans, and the voters allegedly get what they vote for.
Nebraskans voted for medical cannabis. It's being held up by conservative state government. Nebraskans voted for an increased minimum wage. It's being held up and attacked actively by the attorney general because he, like so many in government are business owners or are close to the business community. And not the labor community. It's disgusting, cowardly and frankly un-American that we as Huskers voted to pay people more at base level as costs go up for everything, yet the business community with its political pull keeps wages suppressed.
- Updated
I agree with Jessica Corman (June 18 Journal Star) that we need to build safe trail connections and that city officials should do more to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.
For decades, citizens have lobbied for a safe crossing at 10th and High streets, which would finally connect the Boosalis and Bison trails and provide better access to Van Dorn Park and businesses south of it. In the past six years there have been two fatalities at this busy and dangerous intersection. A user-activated traffic signal should be installed. The Nebraska Parkway corridor from Van Dorn Street to 14th, which cuts through a business district and past a park, should be calmed. It’s no longer a state highway, so why are we still treating it like one?
- Updated
I read with great interest former state Sen. Julie Slama’s editorial regarding universal health care systems.
I found it to be untrue. Totally misinformed. Why?
- Updated
We hold up our Christian beginnings in praise of who we are as a country. Yet we, one of the richest countries, cut food aid for the hungry here and overseas. Yet we cut medical assistance for our citizens and other countries. Yet we incarcerate a higher percentage of our citizens than most other countries. Yet we continue to use the death penalty when most countries have abolished it. Indeed, extremely few countries still use the death penalty. Yet we increase our already high military spending while citing the need to cut human aid for budgetary reasons. With our Christian beginnings, we should be so much better than this.
Bill Cross, Lincoln
- Updated
I remember the ride vividly. Just a quick, easy ride to shake out the legs. Down the Rock Island Trail and back via the Tierra Williamsburg/SouthPointe Trail. Entirely off-road but for a few road crossings. At the 27th Street crossing, I waited for the light to turn red and the white man to flash. But, it was not safe to cross. Instead, someone driving a large SUV was driving (speeding) south on 27th, oblivious to the red light. I was already in the road and they were not slowing down. The grill of the SUV was inches from me when the driver finally stopped. So, instead of broken bones, I was full of endorphins. (Endorphins that I let out using many expletives). I think of this incident every time I hear about yet another cyclist, runner, or walker hit (and killed) in our city. I thought of it yesterday when I learned of a cyclist who was sideswiped (hit?) by a truck — a cyclist whose body is currently full of broken bones. When are we, as drivers, going to take responsibility for the vehicles we drive? And, importantly, when are traffic engineers and city planners going to take responsibility for the roads they build? Let us capitalize on the amazing trails we have and build safe connections that acknowledge the potential for mistakes, on roads and crossing roads, so these injuries and fatalities can be a thing of the past.
Jessica Corman, Lincoln
- Updated
I see we have turned baseball — America's favorite pastime — into gay pride events. People who are gay should be welcomed into stadiums without regard to their lifestyle, but forcing players to demonstrate support for that lifestyle is ludicrous.
Celebrate your homosexuality all you want, but don't force everyone to condone it or participate in your celebrations. I applaud those few players who stood firm in their Christian faith, and am disappointed in those who didn't have the courage to do so.
- Updated
Last year the county assessor increased the value of my nearly 75-year-old home (with no remodeling done to it) by 20% in one year. This increased the taxes due this year by 10% over last year. I appealed to no avail. The independent property appraiser or judge hired to look into and handle valuation protests for the county didn't even bother to address my original complaint, which is the disparity in valuations of like homes on the same street and in the same neighborhood. They just send you a form letter saying your valuation decrease request is denied. I have serious doubts about how hard these independent judges are looking into the fairness of property valuations. Just this month I got a letter from the county assessor informing me my property valuation is going up another 5% for this year.
I keep hearing about how the governor, Legislature, and casino tax revenue are adding more money to the property tax relief fund each year, but I don't see this helping me that much. If my property taxes go down one year, they are right back up and then some the next year because of over-inflated home values and the unwillingness of local government entities to lower their mil levy much, if at all, to try to offset these inflated home values.
- Updated
In a recent Local View, Julie Slama blasts Canada’s socialized healthcare, claiming “three out of every five patients in Canada are forced to wait a month or more just to see a specialist for an initial consultation.”
How do we compare in the United States? According to the 2025 Survey on Physician Appointment Wait Times by AMN Healthcare: “The average wait time for a new patient appointment is 31 days.” Waits are 32.7 for cardiology, 36.5 for dermatology, 40 for gastroenterology, and 41.8 days for OB-GYN.
- Updated
I am ashamed.
Immigrants, legal or not, are being shipped off to impoverished African countries, some with conflicts raging. Many are immigrants who cannot be returned to their home countries. If they go home, they will be imprisoned or worse. Some carrying scars as proof of that abuse.
- Updated
Imagine if Kamala was president.
No Iran War.
More like this...
I had a stroke last Monday (6-15) night around 7 p.m. The rest of the evening was somewhat of a blur, but everyone involved, from the paramedics to the nurses at the ICU unit at Bryan East, were very competent, efficient and polite. The speed with which my situation was dealt with I'm sure is responsible for lack of serious permanent damage from the stroke. Although I hope to never see any of them again (on a have-to basis), I'm grateful they were there for me when really needed. So, to all involved — Lincoln Fire and Rescue, Bryan emergency doctors and personnel, Bryan ICU nurses and doctors and everyone else involved with my care, thank you for all you did and do on a daily basis. Good city to survive a medical emergency!
Bill Westlund, Lincoln
Sen. Ricketts knows international trade is essential to the profitability of Nebraska agriculture and growing our state’s economy. Many of his policies and efforts, as Nebraska’s governor and now as our U.S. senator, focus on expanding trade opportunities for our farmers and ranchers.
As governor, he worked to strengthen Nebraska agriculture’s economic success through relationships with our trade partners including Mexico and Canada, Nebraska’s top two markets. He supported strengthening ties with these key markets and those efforts have paid off. Today, Mexico and Canada continue to be critical destinations for Nebraska-grown beef, corn, soybeans, pork and other products.
I was amused by Ted Larson's letter "Lessons from Sweden" (LJS, June 24), advocating for national health care for the US and comparing it to Sweden's health care system. What he forgot to mention is that nothing is free. The average Swede pays 32% of their income in tax, plus if they make an above-average living, you can add another 22%! I lived in Europe for 25 years and was in the 42% tax bracket — and you do wait for medical treatment — depending of course on the diagnosis. Then you pay 19% VAT tax (like sales tax) on everything you buy, plus over $7 a gallon of gas, but what you have left is yours to enjoy. National Health has benefits, but for the USA, not so much - unless you like to pay taxes!
James Hoke, Lincoln
Young teenagers face employment discrimination because they do not have work experience, and state law restricts what they can do. You can’t treat young teenagers as full adults. They are minors. Everyone seems to know this until it comes to the Nebraska minimum wage.
Self-checkout used to be rare in Nebraska, and teenage cashiers were common until voters passed a flat minimum wage law in 2014. Within a year, many places added self-checkout stands, and these are now ubiquitous. But alcohol has to be checked out by a cashier, and the cashier must be 19 years old. No more teenage cashiers was what minimum wage did. But the voters did not notice and again voted to raise the minimum wage in 2024.
Nebraskans are living under the misimpression that we live in a democracy. Though our country and our state claim it. In a democracy, the voter, especially in statewide politics, votes their desires for their fellow Nebraskans, and the voters allegedly get what they vote for.
Nebraskans voted for medical cannabis. It's being held up by conservative state government. Nebraskans voted for an increased minimum wage. It's being held up and attacked actively by the attorney general because he, like so many in government are business owners or are close to the business community. And not the labor community. It's disgusting, cowardly and frankly un-American that we as Huskers voted to pay people more at base level as costs go up for everything, yet the business community with its political pull keeps wages suppressed.
I agree with Jessica Corman (June 18 Journal Star) that we need to build safe trail connections and that city officials should do more to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.
For decades, citizens have lobbied for a safe crossing at 10th and High streets, which would finally connect the Boosalis and Bison trails and provide better access to Van Dorn Park and businesses south of it. In the past six years there have been two fatalities at this busy and dangerous intersection. A user-activated traffic signal should be installed. The Nebraska Parkway corridor from Van Dorn Street to 14th, which cuts through a business district and past a park, should be calmed. It’s no longer a state highway, so why are we still treating it like one?
I read with great interest former state Sen. Julie Slama’s editorial regarding universal health care systems.
I found it to be untrue. Totally misinformed. Why?
We hold up our Christian beginnings in praise of who we are as a country. Yet we, one of the richest countries, cut food aid for the hungry here and overseas. Yet we cut medical assistance for our citizens and other countries. Yet we incarcerate a higher percentage of our citizens than most other countries. Yet we continue to use the death penalty when most countries have abolished it. Indeed, extremely few countries still use the death penalty. Yet we increase our already high military spending while citing the need to cut human aid for budgetary reasons. With our Christian beginnings, we should be so much better than this.
Bill Cross, Lincoln
I remember the ride vividly. Just a quick, easy ride to shake out the legs. Down the Rock Island Trail and back via the Tierra Williamsburg/SouthPointe Trail. Entirely off-road but for a few road crossings. At the 27th Street crossing, I waited for the light to turn red and the white man to flash. But, it was not safe to cross. Instead, someone driving a large SUV was driving (speeding) south on 27th, oblivious to the red light. I was already in the road and they were not slowing down. The grill of the SUV was inches from me when the driver finally stopped. So, instead of broken bones, I was full of endorphins. (Endorphins that I let out using many expletives). I think of this incident every time I hear about yet another cyclist, runner, or walker hit (and killed) in our city. I thought of it yesterday when I learned of a cyclist who was sideswiped (hit?) by a truck — a cyclist whose body is currently full of broken bones. When are we, as drivers, going to take responsibility for the vehicles we drive? And, importantly, when are traffic engineers and city planners going to take responsibility for the roads they build? Let us capitalize on the amazing trails we have and build safe connections that acknowledge the potential for mistakes, on roads and crossing roads, so these injuries and fatalities can be a thing of the past.
Jessica Corman, Lincoln
I see we have turned baseball — America's favorite pastime — into gay pride events. People who are gay should be welcomed into stadiums without regard to their lifestyle, but forcing players to demonstrate support for that lifestyle is ludicrous.
Celebrate your homosexuality all you want, but don't force everyone to condone it or participate in your celebrations. I applaud those few players who stood firm in their Christian faith, and am disappointed in those who didn't have the courage to do so.
Last year the county assessor increased the value of my nearly 75-year-old home (with no remodeling done to it) by 20% in one year. This increased the taxes due this year by 10% over last year. I appealed to no avail. The independent property appraiser or judge hired to look into and handle valuation protests for the county didn't even bother to address my original complaint, which is the disparity in valuations of like homes on the same street and in the same neighborhood. They just send you a form letter saying your valuation decrease request is denied. I have serious doubts about how hard these independent judges are looking into the fairness of property valuations. Just this month I got a letter from the county assessor informing me my property valuation is going up another 5% for this year.
I keep hearing about how the governor, Legislature, and casino tax revenue are adding more money to the property tax relief fund each year, but I don't see this helping me that much. If my property taxes go down one year, they are right back up and then some the next year because of over-inflated home values and the unwillingness of local government entities to lower their mil levy much, if at all, to try to offset these inflated home values.
In a recent Local View, Julie Slama blasts Canada’s socialized healthcare, claiming “three out of every five patients in Canada are forced to wait a month or more just to see a specialist for an initial consultation.”
How do we compare in the United States? According to the 2025 Survey on Physician Appointment Wait Times by AMN Healthcare: “The average wait time for a new patient appointment is 31 days.” Waits are 32.7 for cardiology, 36.5 for dermatology, 40 for gastroenterology, and 41.8 days for OB-GYN.
I am ashamed.
Immigrants, legal or not, are being shipped off to impoverished African countries, some with conflicts raging. Many are immigrants who cannot be returned to their home countries. If they go home, they will be imprisoned or worse. Some carrying scars as proof of that abuse.
Imagine if Kamala was president.
No Iran War.
More like this...
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