Universities have always been a home for the world’s great arguments. Professors and students are supposed to debate the issues of the moment, gaining understanding of the other side’s views, refining and strengthening their positions, and learning how to solve problems. Argument thrives in a culture of openness, and maintaining that culture ought to be paramount for universities, as well as any institution that wants to shape public policy or debate.

In a recent study led by the University of Nebraska, alarming findings highlight the imminent threat to food production posed by the depletion of groundwater, particularly in the High Plains Aquifer—the largest in the United States. The study reveals a direct correlation between aquifer depletion and diminishing crop yields, emphasizing the urgent need for policymakers, resource managers, and growers to reevaluate their approach to water usage.

I wonder if State Senator Loren Lippincott of Central City was ever taught the definition of irony.

When COVID-19 hit, it made sense and it was necessary, to identify a way to feed kids in need that didn’t require person-to-person interaction. The federally funded Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) was born from that era. It has now morphed into the Summer EBT program – one that front loads money onto cards for the purchase of $40 of groceries per child per month, capping at $120 per recipient.