UNL lecturer enters regents race
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By MELISSA LEE / Lincoln Journal Star
A third candidate has entered the race for the District 1 seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
Don Costello, a UNL computer science and engineering lecturer, has dubbed himself the “education candidate” in the race for the seat, which will be vacated by Regent Charles Wilson of Lincoln.
Costello says his No. 1 priority as a regent would be keeping tuition affordable. If elected, he says he’d fight to freeze tuition at NU for three years, or even work to reallocate existing funds that would allow tuition to drop.
Here's how the ballot for the May 13 primary election is shaping up after Monday’s filing deadline, according to the Secretary of State and Lancaster Election Commissioner's Web sites. The general election is Nov. 4.
For a complete list of races, see the Secretary of State's Web site at www.sos.state.ne.us/elec and the Lancaster Election Commissioner's Web site at www.lancaster.ne.gov/cnty/election.
U.S. SENATE
Republicans
Mike Johanns, Omaha
Pat Flynn, Schuyler
Democrats
Larry Marvin, Fremont
Scott Kleeb, Hastings
James Bryan Wilson, Lincoln
Tony Raimondo, Columbus
Nebraska
Kelly Renee Rosberg, Wausa
Green
Steven R. Larrick, Lincoln
U.S. HOUSE
District 1
Republicans
Jeff Fortenberry, Lincoln
Democrats
Max Yashirin, Lincoln
District 2
Republicans
Lee Terry, Omaha
Steven Laird, Omaha
Democrats
Jim Esch, Omaha
Richard N. Carter, Bellevue
District 3
Republicans
Adrian Smith, Gering
Jeremiah Ellison, Grand Island
Democrats
Jay Stoddard, Grand Island
Paul A. Spatz, Osmond
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
District 2
Republicans
John S. McCollister, Omaha
Democrats
Anne Boyle, Omaha
NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE
District 1
Lavon L. Heidemann, Elk Creek
District 3
Christopher N. Geary, Omaha
Scott Price, Bellevue
Gail Kopplin, Gretna
Bob Twiss, Gretna
District 5
Ben English, Bellevue
Heath Mello, Omaha
Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan, Omaha
District 7
Jeremiah Nordquist, Omaha
Christopher Moles, Omaha
District 9
Gwen Howard, Omaha
District 11
John M. Carter, Omaha
Devin R. Santo, Omaha
Dennis J. Womack, Omaha
Brenda J. Council, Omaha
District 13
Kurt L. Geschwender, Omaha
Tanya Cook, Omaha
Jackie Casey, Omaha
Dave Newell, Omaha
Donna Marie Adams, Omaha
Chris K. Green, Omaha
Ron Geringer, Omaha
District 15
Charlie Janssen, Fremont
Richard B. Register, Fremont
District 17
Douglas R. Garwood, South Sioux City
Robert J. Giese, South Sioux City
Jason V. Bowman, South Sioux City
District 18
Scott Lautenbaugh, Omaha
Carl Lorenzen, Blair
Sean Tyler, Blair
District 19
Mike Flood, Norfolk
Daniel Truman Barrows, Norfolk
District 21
Vern Barrett, Ceresco
James Arthur Jeffers, Raymond
Tami Soper, Lincoln
Ken Haar, Malcom
Justin Larsen, Lincoln
Curtis D. Schell, Lincoln
District 23
Chris Langemeier, Schuyler
District 25
Travis A. Wagner, Lincoln
Kathy Campbell, Lincoln
Brent Smoyer, Lincoln
District 27
Colby Coash, Lincoln
Chuck Stepanek, Lincoln
Dan Marvin, Lincoln
District 29
Tony Fulton, Lincoln
Susan Scott , Lincoln
District 31
Rich Pahls, Omaha
District 33
Dennis Utter, Hastings
Marvin Butch Hughes, Hastings
Chuck Shoemaker, Hastings
District 35
Gregg Neuhaus, Grand Island
Mike Gloor, Grand Island
District 37
Galen Hadley, Kearney
Jim George, Kearney
Mike McShea, Minden
District 39
Beau McCoy, Omaha
Rex J. Moats, Elkhorn
Bob Tingelhoff , Omaha
William C. Pulte, Bennington
District 41
Jerry Peterson, Neligh
Gary A. Rasmussen, Elba
Kate Sullivan, Cedar Rapids
Paul Eurek, Loup City
Jerome Warner, Greeley
District 43
Deb Fischer, Valentine
District 45
Abbie Cornett, Bellevue
District 47
Karl L. Elmshaeuser, Ogallala
Ken Schilz, Ogallala
Bernard G. Fehringer, Sidney
District 49
LeRoy J. Louden, Ellsworth
Scott Bolinger, Alliance
Michael Jacobson, Gordon
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
District 1
Bob Evnen, Lincoln
District 2
Kerry T. Winterer, Omaha
District 3
Jim Scheer , Norfolk
District 4
Rebecca A. Valdez, Omaha
Tim A. Heller, Omaha
NU BOARD OF REGENTS
District 1
Tim Clare, Lincoln
Don Costello, Lincoln
Earl Scudder, Lincoln
District 2
Howard Hawks, Omaha
SCC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
District 1
Carl R. Humphrey, Waverly
District 2
Kathy Boellstorff, Johnson
District 3
Robert J. Feit, Pickrell
Duncan Hsu, Lincoln
District 4
Ruth M. Johnson, Lincoln
Edward C. Price, Lincoln
District 5
Helen E. Griffin, Lincoln
District at-large
Jim Garver, Lincoln
LANCASTER COUNTY BOARD
District 2
Republican
Larry Hudkins, Malcolm
Democrat
Barbara Baier, Lincoln
District 4
Republican
Bernie Heier, Walton
Democrat
Nancy L. Intermill, Lincoln
CITY OFFICES
Hickman City Council
(3 positions)
Douglas K. Hanson (Dem), Hickman
Steve N. Noren (Rep), Hickman
Phil Goering (Dem), Hickman
Randy L. Flodman (NP), Hickman
Andrew Sherwood (Rep), Hickman
Brent A. Swails (Rep), Hickman
Leon J. TenHulzen (NP), Hickman
Joshua Hicks (Rep), Hickman
Waverly Mayor
Gregory A. Dudley (Rep), Waverly
John F. Hestermann (Rep), Waverly
Michael Werner (NP), Waverly
Waverly City Council (2 positions)
Chad Neuhalfen (Rep), Waverly
Tina M. Sondgeroth (Rep), Waverly
Brent J. Cooper (Dem), Waverly
Kyle Bassinger (Dem), Waverly
Joe Dalton (Rep), Waverly
Curtis A. Harris (Dem), Waverly
Jay Eastep (NP), Waverly
NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICTS
Lower Platte South
Sub District 1
Don Jacobson (NP), Lincoln
Sub District 3
Larry Swanson (Dem), Lincoln
Sub District 4
Phyllis Hergenrader (Dem), Lincoln
Sub District 5
Dan Schlitt (Dem), Lincoln
Greg Osborn (Rep), Lincoln
District 6
Doug Samuelson (Dem), Lincoln
Edward C. Prince (Rep), Lincoln
Sub District 7
William Russell Barger (Rep), Lincoln
Sub District 8
Larry Hall (Rep), Lincoln
Sub District 9
Larry D. Zimmerman (Rep), Lincoln
Sub District 10
Ken Reitan (Dem), Lincoln
Nemaha, Sub District 1
Charles P. Starr (NP), Bennet
Steven D. Sugden (Rep), Douglas
NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT
Subdivision 1
Paul J. Liess (Rep), Lincoln
Dennis L. Rasmussen (Rep), Lincoln
Subdivision 2
Glen R. Schmieding (Rep), Lincoln
Mary A. Harding (Dem), Lincoln
Richard L. Newcomer (Rep), Lincoln
Sam Peterson (Rep), Lincoln
LANCASTER COUNTY BOARDS OF EDUCATION
Waverly, District 145
Ward 1 (2-year term)
Dennis L. Francke (Dem), Lincoln
Ward 2 (4-year term)
Alan K. Retzlaff (Rep), Walton
Ward 4 (4-year term)
Marcia R. Herring (Rep), Waverly
Andy Grosshans (Rep), Waverly
Ward 6 (4-year term)
Dale E. Rolofson (Rep), Greenwood
Matthew K. Schernikau (Rep), Lincoln
Malcolm, District 148
(3 at-large positions)
Keith Groeling (Rep), Malcolm
Cheryl Linder (NP), Lincoln
Craig Vanderkolk (Dem), Malcolm
Norris, District 160
Ward 1
Jim Kruger (Rep), Lincoln
Ward 3
Tony Glenn (Rep), Hickman
Ward 5
Larry Grosshans (Rep), Firth
“We have a tuition and debt situation where education is being priced out of the market,” he said. “We’re going to create a two-class society: There will be those families who can afford to send their kids to college and there will be those who can’t.”
His dream of a tuition freeze is likely to be popular among at least some students and families. NU has handed down steady tuition increases in the past decade, including four consecutive years of double-digit hikes.
Most recently, regents in June approved a 6 percent tuition increase for the current academic year.
The numbers can’t keep rising, Costello said.
“Nebraska needs to compete and if we want to compete, we have to get these kids through school with an affordable education,” he said.
As regent, Costello also says he’d work to improve distance learning at NU.
Costello, a New York native, has lived in Nebraska for 40 years and is a 28-year veteran at NU. He earned degrees from Manhattan College in New York and the University of Notre Dame and did Ph.D. work at NU.
Six of his seven children earned degrees from NU.
“Nebraska as a state has been terrific to me,” he said.
Lincoln attorneys Tim Clare and Earl Scudder already are in the race to represent District 1, which covers most of Lancaster County. Wilson has held the seat since 1990.
Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.
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