Daily Minute

Mayor proposes $8 million budget increase; backup plans in place for Lincoln Bold; two Huskers' futures are uncertain.

The Daily Minute is the Journal Star's morning news briefing where you can get the latest news in about a minute each weekday. Previous Daily Minute videos are archived here.

Good morning, Lincoln. Here are this morning's top headlines.

With an estimated 23% jump in property valuations in Lancaster County -- well over the anticipated increase city officials used to build their biennial budget last year, the mayor wants to add $8 million to the 2023-24 general fund budget.

The addition would, among other things, help pay for higher wages for firefighters, increase wages to better attract lifeguards in the summer and hire a person to recruit police, fire and summer workers.

The mayor would also increase funding to the new senior center at Victory Park and for the new park in the south Haymarket. And the mayor wants to give $6 million back to the taxpayers by lowering the city’s tax rate.

The City Council must approve the budget changes.

A second feasibility study hasn’t scrapped plans for a 22-story mixed-use building in downtown Lincoln, but it has caused developers to draw up a plan with at least four contingencies.

Changes in everything from the interest rates to fluctuations with building materials like steel and cement to soaring rental prices in Lincoln could cause the Lincoln Bold project to be altered.

The original plan is to build a 254-foot-tall building, which would include 36,000 square feet of office space and 70 luxury apartment units.

And, the futures of two Nebraska athletes are uncertain after one entered the transfer portal and the other was charged in a gambling investigation.

Myles Farmer, a two-year starter on the football team, entered the transfer portal just two days after coach Matt Rhule announced he was suspended indefinitely.

Ahron Ulis, a guard on the basketball team, was charged with "tampering with records" in a scheme that allegedly allowed him to place over 1,800 sports bets on college sporting events while attending Iowa.

That’s it for Thursday, August 3. Stay in the know with Lincoln’s longest-standing news source at JournalStar.com., we’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Hayden Coleman successfully pole vaults over the rope during the pole vault event at the Cornhusker State Games Track and Field event at Lincoln High on, Saturday, July 22, 2023, in Lincoln.

Workers cut into a water tower next to General Dynamics at 4300 Industrial Ave. on Tuesday in Lincoln.

Thomas Fernandez and his sister, Cora, play on top of a log pile while other attendees to the farm take part in a press conference on Monday at Shadow Brook Farm, where Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and local officials announced a plan to make Lincoln’s food system more resilient.

Carpet Land's Mason Gaines dives to third base during an American Legion A-5 Area Tournament game against UBT on Sunday, July 16, 2023, at Den Hartog Field.

Nebraska's Jeff Sims signs an autograph for Elliot Christensen of Lincoln, 12, Sunday at Hawks Championship Center.

Nicole Kolbas poses for a portrait Wednesday at Woodland Hills Golf Course in Eagle. Kolbas is the 2023 Journal Star girls athlete of the year.

Penny Putney pulls back as Romeo, an alpaca from Lincoln Alpaca Picnics, as he attempts to take a green bean from her during an encounter event on Wednesday at Charles H. Gere Branch Library. Alpacas don't have teeth in the top front of their mouths, which gives them the appearance of having an underbite.

Grant Schirmer (left), who plays the role of Carl Hanratty, and Bede Fulton, who plays Frank Abagnale Jr., wait for their cue to take the stage during a dress rehearsal for "Catch Me If You Can" on Tuesday at Pinewood Bowl in Lincoln.

Speed Skaters compete in the Mens 300m race during the NSC 35 ultimate inline skating competition at Speedway Sports Complex on, Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Lincoln.

Teams compete in knee deep water at the annual Beat Breast Cancer Mud Volleyball Tournament on Saturday in Prague.

Marlina Bowdery poses for a photo with pictures of her late son Timothy Montgomery, who also went by the name Timothy Wallace, Friday in Lincoln. She started an online group for grieving mothers after his death.

Reflected in a mirror, Francis Vigan walks on a treadmill with the assistance of physical therapy assistant Wendy Kyser on Friday at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. Vigan, a 34-year-old bodybuilder, has been recovering after a rare spinal cord stroke during a workout paralyzed him from the waist down.

Charlie Musselwhite sings the blues out to the crowd during the ZooFest music festival outside of the Zoo Bar at 136 N 14th St. on Thursday in Lincoln.

A BNSF train cruises along the tracks past Memorial Stadium as seen from the Haymarket pedestrian bridge on Thursday, July 6, 2023, outside of Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

City workers cut into a large tree branch that had fallen due to the storm on July 4th in front of Bethany Christian Church on the corner of N Cotner Blvd. and Aylesworth Ave, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Lincoln.

Kids ride specially decorated bikes down South Sixth Street during Seward's 155th annual Fourth of July celebration on Tuesday. The city — known as Nebraska's Fourth of July City — draws thousands to its annual celebration.

Eleven-year-old Beau Taylor of Austin, Texas, tries to blow the biggest bubble at a contest during Seward's 155th annual Fourth of July celebration on Tuesday. He was the winner in the contest.

Fireworks erupt leaving sparks falling during the firework show at the annual Uncle Sam Jam, Independence Day Celebration at Oak Lake Park on, Monday, July 3, 2023, in Lincoln.

Steve Novak, lead singer for Soul Dawg performs during the annual Uncle Sam Jam, Independence Day Celebration at Oak Lake Park on, Monday, July 3, 2023, in Lincoln.

Liam Dotson (left) is lifted out of the water by Brother Paul Holmes during a Jehovah's Witnesses' baptism Saturday in a swimming pool on the floor of Pinnacle Bank Arena. After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, more than 5,200 members of the denomination came to Lincoln for their annual convention, which ends Sunday.

The Swiftdogs Zach St. Pierre wears the sorting hat from the Harry Potter series as he celebrates a home run against the Sioux City Explorers on Friday at Haymarket Park. The Lincoln Saltdogs became the "Swiftdogs" for one night, as tickets to a Taylor Swift concert were up for grabs to all ticketholders.

Zoo Bar owner Pete Watters, who has worked at the club since 1987, said while it became famous for blues, there was always bluegrass, country, reggae and rock ‘n’ roll.

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Mayor proposes $8 million budget increase; backup plans in place for Lincoln Bold; two Huskers' futures are uncertain.