The Cornhusker State is the best place in the world to live, work, and raise a family. That’s not just something we say—it’s reflected in national data. On a per capita basis, Nebraska welcomes more babies into the world each year than almost any other state.

On Wednesday of this week we Legislature by swearing in eight new senators. Only five of them are truly new, as we are welcoming back three veterans who have chosen to return for another term. As always, committee chair elections provide a little drama for the first day. Hopefully this year that will be kept to a minimum. There are a few contested races as I am writing this, but anyone can self-nominate from the floor to be chairman of any committee, so all races could be contested. I am hopeful that does not happen because I am currently running unopposed for Chairman of the Executive Committee. There are nine members on the Executive Committee, three positions are elected by the entire body of the Legislature: the Speaker, the Chairman and Vice Chairman. The remaining six members of the Executive Committee are elected from their respective caucuses. The three caucuses are roughly the same as our Congressional districts. This ensures that representation from across the state is on the Executive Committee.

Did you know that the Air Force is in the weather business? In fact, some of the most advanced weather forecasting equipment in the world belongs to the U.S. Air Force, and it’s based right here in Nebraska.

There are a number of ways that one could bid farewell to 2020. “Thanks for the memories...

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, many are going to be glad to have 2020 in the history books. It’s not been easy to endure the pandemic, but I’m inspired by the way Nebraskans have pulled together to fight the virus. Even though it’s been a tough year, Nebraskans have shown great resilience as a state, and we’ve made vital contributions to the nation’s response to the global pandemic.

When I teach medical students, I always remind them that we will see people on the very best days of their lives and the very worst days of their lives. As a result, we see every range our patients and feel every range of emotion ourselves. This is especially true when giving someone a diagnosis of cancer. Telling someone they have cancer is a daunting mission. Often, the patient suspects something serious when they are asked to come into the clinic to review results in person instead of getting a letter or phone call.

By now, we’ve all heard the good news about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Each of them is roughly 95-percent effective against COVID-19, and they have both been approved by the FDA.

Christmas and New Year’s Day are welcome opportunities to slow down, connect with loved and look forward to 2021. As we approach the year’s end, I am thankful for the many sacrifices Nebraskans have made in 2020. Despite many difficulties, our state’s residents have displayed inspiring strength and compassion during the pandemic.

Depending on where you live, it looks like we may not have a “picture perfect” white Christmas this year. It seems fitting given the many things about 2020 which were not what we imagined, let alone “perfect.”

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you as we wrap up this very difficult and strange year. Hopefully the year ahead is a better one. The new year and another session of the Unicameral Legislature will be upon us soon. Just as many of our holiday celebrations will look different this year, this upcoming session will look different from past sessions.