Brad von Gillern & Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek | Nebraska’s District 4 Rematch

Two candidates. The same questions. One episode to compare their answers.

Sen. Brad von Gillern and challenger Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek join The Dan Parsons Show in separate interviews about Nebraska’s Legislative District 4, covering parts of West Omaha and Elkhorn.

In this installment of our Road to the Legislature series, hear both candidates discuss:
• Property taxes, affordability and Nebraska’s budget shortfall
• State contracts, transparency and legislative oversight
• Legislative changes to voter-approved measures on medical cannabis, paid sick leave and minimum wage
• Services for Nebraskans with developmental disabilities
• Their experience, priorities and what distinguishes them from their opponent

Von Gillern makes his case for another term, while Maxwell-Ostdiek explains why she believes the district needs a change. Hear their answers and make your own decision before Election Day, November 3.

Subscribe to The Dan Parsons Show for more conversations with Nebraska’s candidates. Support local journalism by becoming a Friend of Dan at https://www.patreon.com/TheDanParsonsShow

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$1 Million for Public Records. Can DHHS Prove Its Estimate?

$1 Million for Public Records. Can DHHS Prove Its Estimate?

Oct 21, 2026 |

$1 million and a 50-year wait for public records? Attorney Daniel Gutman explains why he believes a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling in the Flatwater Free Press case provides a path to challenge DHHS’s estimate, and requires the agency to justify its numbers.

Watch the full interview with Gutman and parent Curt Safranek on YouTube @danparsonsshow or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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Nearly $1 Million. A 50-Year Wait. Nebraska Father Sues DHHS for Records.

Nearly $1 Million. A 50-Year Wait. Nebraska Father Sues DHHS for Records.

Oct 20, 2026 |

Curt Safranek wanted answers about Nebraska’s developmental disability services. DHHS responded to his public records request with an estimate of nearly $1 million—and a completion date in 2076.
Even after he narrowed the request, the estimate remained nearly half a million dollars, with a 25-year wait.

Safranek and his attorney, Daniel Gutman, join Dan Parsons to discuss the lawsuit, the services Curt’s 24-year-old son Will depends on, and why families are demanding transparency.

The records concern communications surrounding a proposed $420,000 consulting contract to review Nebraska’s controversial interRAI assessment system. Safranek explains his concerns about the review’s independence, while Gutman outlines their challenge to the state’s cost and time estimates.

What does accountability look like—and what happens to families while they wait?

Subscribe to The Dan Parsons Show for Nebraska news, politics and conversations beyond the headlines.

Support local journalism. Become a Friend of Dan:
https://www.patreon.com/TheDanParsonsShow
#Nebraska #DHHS #PublicRecords #DevelopmentalDisabilities #TheDanParsonsShow

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