Americans are experiencing pain at the pump and sticker shock at the store. Prices continue to soar.

Baseball is America’s pastime. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a hot dog in the stands, hearing the sound of a home run, or watching your favorite player beat the tag at home. Every year in June, Nebraskans look forward to the sights, sounds, and thrills of this beloved game when Omaha hosts the College World Series.

For the past few months, I’ve been fielding questions about the baby formula crisis. Make no mistake, the shortage of baby formula is indeed a crisis.

Two hundred forty-six years ago, our Founding Fathers bravely defied the most powerful nation on earth and put pen to paper to assert an eternal, self-evident truth: All men are created equal. We are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights that no government can justly take away. This recognition is what makes our country so unique. What unites us as Americans is neither religion, ancestry, nor language. Rather, it’s our shared commitment to the truth of equal human dignity. Every Independence Day, we honor the men and women who started the great American experiment all those years ago. And we celebrate the triumph of the principles we hold dear. America is at its best when we honor our founding principles; our greatest suffering and division have come from neglecting them.

Well, getting older has its rewards but also has its problems. At a recent visit to the orthopedist to check out a continuing hip problem, they discovered I had a high blood pressure reading - too high. So, after visiting with the specialist and deciding to get an MRI and try to find the cause of hip pain, the nurse took another blood pressure.

I always enjoy visiting with Nebraskans and seeing the exciting developments happening across our state. As part of a recent state work period, I had the chance to spend the day in Hastings and participate in a series of business tours. In this week’s column, I’d like to tell you a little bit about what I saw that day.

Summer is just around the corner and warm days outside in the sunshine will soon be here. This is the perfect time to remember the importance of Summer is just around the corner and warm days outside in the sunshine will soon be here.

Mental illness is a national public health issue that affects Nebraska as well. During my time as Governor, we’ve made mental health a priority and have rolled out several programs to identify mental illness and get Nebraska’s students, veterans, and other the care they need.

Your cell phone number is tied to countless aspects of your daily life. If you are like me, you have had the same number for a decade or more. Your family and friends all know how to reach you at that number. If you change it, you could lose contact with dozens of loved ones and many other people who need to contact you for crucial needs – like your bank, healthcare provider, employer, or your children’s school. Would you panic if you had to change your number all of a sudden?

With the storm approaching, my wife texted me after work to come home right away. Within minutes, after I left the clinic, she called me again to tell me NOT to come home and to seek shelter immediately. At first, I thought I could make it home, but then the wall of wind hit, and a tree fell onto the road in front of me. I turned around and another tree blocked the way. Then it got so dark. It was disorienting and I turned on my windshield wipers using the fluid to try to clear the dust and mud off my windshield. That did not help. Thankfully, I made it safely to a friend’s house.