The top 10 Nebraska stories of 2016, as voted by Associated Press newspaper and broadcast members and by AP staffers:
1. DEATH PENALTY: Nebraska voters reinstate the death penalty by overturning the Legislature’s decision last year to abolish capital punishment. The November vote gives state officials a new chance to move forward with executions, but opponents predict Nebraska still will face major hurdles in carrying out the punishment for any of the 10 men on death row.
2. NEBRASKA PUNTER KILLED: The Nebraska football team and its fans are stunned by the death of punter Sam Foltz, who was killed along with former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler in a Wisconsin crash on July 23. Foltz was a beloved teammate, the 2015 All-Big Ten punter and an active community volunteer. Nebraska opponents memorialized Foltz each game, home and away, and the Cornhuskers’ senior day included his parents and a touching video tribute.
3. CABELA’S SALE TO BASS PRO: Cabela’s announced in October that it will sell itself to rival outdoor gear seller Bass Pro for $4.5 billion. That deal is expected to close sometime next year, but it’s not yet clear how many jobs will be lost in Cabela’s hometown of Sidney, where Cabela’s employs about 2,000 people.
4. ALLIGATOR DRAGS TODDLER: The Elkhorn community in western Omaha mourns when the 2-year-old son of a local couple is dragged from a Walt Disney World resort beach in Florida by an alligator and killed.
5. PRISON STAFFING: Despite new steps toward improvement, Nebraska’s prison system continues to struggle with staffing shortages and a persistent lack of mental health and treatment services for inmates.
6. EXONERATED INMATES: Six people who were wrongfully convicted in the 1985 rape and killing of a southeast Nebraska woman are awarded $28.1 million by a federal jury in July. The county has since appealed the lawsuit verdict as officials scramble for ways to pay the award.
7. STATE SENATOR CYBERSEX: Nebraska state Sen. Bill Kintner pays a $1,000 fine but refuses to resign after he admits to having cybersex on a state computer with a woman who later tried to blackmail him. The married, outspoken legislator vows to stay in office despite pressure from Gov. Pete Ricketts and threats of impeachment from some lawmakers.
8. LEGISLATIVE SHAKE-UP: Nearly half a dozen incumbents lose their seats in Nebraska Legislature general election races, an outcome that surprised many longtime observers around the Capitol. Five sitting senators who faced challengers were defeated in the November election, and one appointed state senator lost her seat in the May primary.
9. TOURISM DIRECTOR: The Nebraska Tourism Commission fires its executive director in the wake of a blistering state audit that found questionable spending and a lack of oversight within the agency.
10. BUDGET WOES: Gov. Pete Ricketts orders agencies to restrict their spending as state revenue falls dramatically short of expectations. Ricketts and lawmakers will face a nearly $1 billion projected shortfall for the budget they’re required to balance in next year’s session.
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