Good morning, Lincoln.

New 2026 Nebraska Rural Poll shows 55% of rural Nebraskans have used AI tools (up from 27% in 2024), with younger and higher-income residents leading adoption, many wanting to learn about privacy, accuracy and bias, and a webinar set for noon CST Nov.

18.

October is Cooperative Month with the theme "built for this moment," and Rocky Weber of the Nebraska Cooperative Council says farmer-owned co-ops operate in about 400 rural locations, employ roughly 5,000 people (about $435 million payroll), returned $61 million in cash last year, and reinvested $327 million.

Lincoln Sports Foundation unveiled four new volleyball courts Wednesday at the Lincoln Sports Complex with help from donors and a $1 million Lancaster County Visitors Promotion Fund grant.

Construction on lobby renovations will begin Dec. 1 with a May completion goal to double guest capacity, and ALLO Fiber will provide free Wi-Fi + service.

A new WalletHub study ranks Nebraska the nation's best state for job searching, citing second place in job-market strength, fourth in employment growth, fifth-shortest commutes, 11th in job opportunities per capita, and about a 3% unemployment rate (Lincoln ranked 69th, Omaha 74th).

UNL has launched a national search for its next chancellor and will hold public listening sessions Nov.

12-13 to gather input for the leadership profile. Sessions include a student meeting 4 to 5 p.m. Nov. 12 in Swanson Auditorium and faculty-staff sessions starting 11 a.m. Nov. 13 at the unions.

Lincoln North Star beat Elkhorn North and Lincoln Southwest beat Millard South in four-set district title matches Wednesday, sending North Star to its third straight state tournament and Southwest to its seventh.

The NSAA state tournaments begin Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Pinnacle Bank Arena and the Devaney Center.

Several area teams won sub-district volleyball titles and will play in district finals on Oct.

31 at regional sites, with winners advancing to the state tournament; matchups include Kearney Catholic vs. Valentine (at Kearney Catholic) and Lincoln Lutheran vs. Ogallala (at Lincoln).