Our office is constantly working with the Nebraska Department of Transportation and private companies on improving and expanding roads in Legislative District 32. I am happy to report that one such project came to fruition recently and was celebrated with a ribbon cutting where I was honored to be invited and participate. A new mile of pavement on Southwest 42nd Street, between West Hallam Road and Pella Road, opened late last month. The new stretch is located adjacent to the Monolith facility, located north of the Village of Hallam. Lancaster County Engineering was awarded a grant for the project from the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Economic Opportunity Program (EOP), which was created as part of the Transportation Innovation Act. The remaining costs for the project were split between Lancaster County Engineering Department and Monolith. Lancaster County Engineering designed this section with asphalt to include a 28-foot surface with 4-foot turf shoulders. This 10-inch asphalt slab has a 12-inch stabilized lime base. New culvert pipes have also been installed at two locations. Rumble strips have been added to the edges of the pavement to notify drivers that they are about to leave the road. It is great to see another successful public private partnership and a smooth road!

As always during the first weekend of August, I attended Czech Days in Wilber, one of the most fun events of the year! My campaign team and I marched in the parade and handed out candy. During and after the parade, I enjoyed visiting with constituents in Sokol Hall and on Main Street. I also attended a lunch before the parade to meet with Czech queens and dignitaries as well as the Czech leadership in Wilber and greater Nebraska. This year, I learned more about a proposed Czech brewery that will be run by Wilber residents. The group has been working with Alpha Brewing in Lincoln to identify brewing equipment and with consultants from the Czech Republic who specialize in setting up authentic Czech breweries. I look forward to a pint of Czech beer when it opens! And Czech Days wouldn’t be complete without eating some delicious homemade kolaches as well as all of the local and Nebraska vendors who brave the heat and humidity to give the festival its unique atmosphere. Na zdravi!

Finally, the application process is now open for the Legislative Page Program to any Nebraska college student who is interested. Pages are selected in the fall each year to work for the upcoming legislative session, beginning the following January. Pages run errands, deliver messages, photocopy materials, assist the presiding officer, set up and staff committee hearings, and perform other duties as assigned. The deadline for submitting page applications with letters of recommendation for the 2023 legislative session will be Friday, October 7 at 5:00 p.m. The page selection committee will meet in October to select individuals for page positions. For further information, go to: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/unicampages/ or contact the Office of the Clerk of the Legislature at (402) 471-2271 or unicampages@leg.ne.gov. Feel free to contact my office at 471-2711 or tbrandt@leg.ne.gov if you have any questions or for help with the application process.