Gov. Pillen, Senators and Agency Leaders Part of Lexington Leaders Meeting & Big Mac Announcement

(LEXINGTON & OGALLALA, NE) -- Accompanied by state senators Teresa Ibach and Paul Strommen, Governor Jim Pillen made stops in central and western Nebraska on Thursday. The trip was two-fold: a visit to Lexington for an update in the aftermath of the closure of Tyson Foods and to award funding for road surfacing projects that will benefit Lake McConaughy.

The first stop for the group was in Lexington, where they were joined by Department of Labor Commissioner Katie Thurber and representatives from the Lexington School Board, Lexington City Council, Lexington Regional Health Center, Lexington Community Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce. During the meeting, Gov. Pillen told attendees that he continues to have conversations with Tyson leadership concerning the future of the beef processing facility. Community leaders shared information about some of the challenges and needs they have noted since Tyson ceased operations at its plant in January, affecting more than 3,000 workers.  

Gov. Pillen and Commissioner Thurber reiterated state resources that continue to be available to those workers, especially unemployment and Medicaid benefits. The state has a dedicated hotline (308-407-1517) that is available with language support for anyone with questions about unemployment insurance, job placement, job search, training, and connections to services provided through the Department of Health and Human Services.

“This remains a full team effort to assist Lexington during this time,” said Gov. Pillen. “We want to make sure that communication is getting to the right people and that they have the tools they need to support their community. The feedback we receive is invaluable, as it helps us to seek out new avenues of help and potential partnerships or philanthropic sources that could play a role in this recovery.”

Meeting representatives shared their continued optimism about the ability of their community to move forward, despite the impact of the closure. In fact, they say many of the people they have talked to want to remain in Lexington. Representatives from Central Community College shared that they have been engaged in retraining displaced workers and there are plans to initiate additional programs in the future.

Later in the afternoon, Gov. Pillen and the team were joined by Game and Parks Director Tim McCoy at the edge of Lake McConaughy to sign a program statement that promises $16 million in appropriations to the agency for infrastructure development. The funding will permit surfacing projects to get underway on the south side of Lake McConaughy.

Currently, those roads are narrow and difficult to navigate by pickup trucks and vehicles hauling large boats and campers. Over time, traffic has continued to increase, as those roads provide access to an area of the lake where people can offload their boats, even when water levels are low.  The funded upgrades will provide improved and much safer travel and access to boat ramps and campgrounds, including when planned yearlong construction on Kingsly Dam takes place.

“These funds represent an investment in a major tourist destination for our state. Keith County attracts visitors from across the state and beyond. This is an opportunity to spur tourism, economic growth and create convenience for those who enjoy boating, fishing and recreating at Big Mac,” said Gov. Pillen.

It’s expected the 10-mile paving project will be completed in December 2028.