Author

Paul Hammel
Nebraska Examiner Senior Reporter Paul Hammel has covered the Nebraska Legislature and Nebraska state government for decades. He started his career reporting for the Omaha Sun and was named editor of the Papillion Times in 1982. He later worked as a sports enterprise reporter at the Lincoln Journal-Star. He joined the Omaha World-Herald in 1990, working as a legislative reporter, then roving state reporter and finally Lincoln bureau chief. Paul has won awards from organizations including Great Plains Journalism, the Associated Press and Suburban Newspapers of America. A native of Ralston, Nebraska, he is vice president of the John G. Neihardt Foundation and secretary of the Nebraska Hop Growers.
Foes of CO2 pipelines mount billboard, magazine protest at ethanol conference
By: Paul Hammel - June 13, 2023
LINCOLN, Nebraska — Attendees at an ethanol conference this week in Omaha were greeted by an electronic billboard and a sarcastic magazine panning plans for carbon dioxide pipelines to criss-cross the Midwest to carry the greenhouse gas to sequester sites. Carbon pipelines are risky and largely unregulated, according to Bold Alliance founder and director Jane […]
Landowner battles against pipelines vary by state
By: Jared Strong and Paul Hammel - May 12, 2023
Sprawling Midwestern pipelines that would carry captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and other facilities would change little when they cross state lines. The proposals would be constructed the same way in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas – with carbon steel pipe ranging from 4 to 24 inches in diameter with operating pressures […]
Omaha lawyer named to sort out complex Lincoln estate in $40 million bank fraud case
By: Paul Hammel - January 12, 2023
LINCOLN, Neb. — With 12 lawyers looking on, a Lancaster County judge on Wednesday approved the appointment of an attorney to sort out the tangled estate of deceased Lincoln businessman Aaron Marshbanks. “This is a unique case, which is probably an understatement,” said Brandon Tomjack, who represents Midstates Bank of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Since Marshbanks, […]
Court hearing involving huge bank fraud case is postponed; former investor hoping funds remain
By: Paul Hammel - January 7, 2023
LINCOLN, Neb. — The first court hearing associated with what has been labeled one of the state’s largest bank fraud cases in history has been postponed to Tuesday. State banking officials were scheduled to argue in court Thursday for an injunction against a financial adviser, Jesse Hill of Hickman, to freeze his accounts and prevent […]
Iowa bank’s lawsuit claims financial statements were fabricated as part of loan scheme
By: Paul Hammel - December 12, 2022
LINCOLN, Neb. — An Iowa bank, one of the many victims in a purported bank fraud case, is asking for an emergency court hearing and the appointment of a special investigator to determine whether the estate of a Lincoln businessman has sufficient funds to pay back at least $44 million in loans. Midstates Bank of Council […]
Pottawattamie County sheriff says jail changes made after ‘tragic’ 2018 case
By: Paul Hammel - September 15, 2022
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA — Pottawattamie County Sheriff Andy Brown said this week that reviewing and improving jail medical care has been a top priority following a 2018 incident in which a county inmate had to have both legs amputated. Brown said the case of inmate Kevin Pittillo was tragic and that since he took office […]
Nebraska senator pledges to introduce bill to legalize medical marijuana
By: Paul Hammel - August 23, 2022
Nebraska state Sen. Jen Day pledged Tuesday to introduce a bill in the 2023 legislative session to legalize medical marijuana. The pledge by Day comes one day after a petition drive to allow Nebraska voters to decide whether to legalize marijuana as medicine fell short of qualifying for the November ballot. The senator said the […]
Stockholders sue Costco officials over alleged mistreatment of chickens grown too big
By: Paul Hammel - June 15, 2022
A lawsuit claims that Costco is in violation of Iowa and Nebraska livestock welfare laws by breeding chickens that “unnaturally” grow too fast, become so fat they can’t stand up to reach food or water and end up dying. Two Costco shareholders filed the lawsuit this week in Washington State, where Costco is based, against […]