A new Walmart Supercenter is opening Wednesday, Jan. 28, following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m.

The new store is located at 201 Pony Express Lane and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The store will provide Ogallala residents with a broad assortment of groceries and merchandise, along with a fuel station and full service pharmacy.

Residents can shop for more than a million additional items online on Walmart.com and pick them up at the new Ogallala Walmart store for free, often as quickly as the same day.

“I’m pleased that Walmart will be in Ogallala, as the store has created approximately 200 jobs and provides a retail option previously not available to us that will help generate greater sales tax revenue for the city,” said Ogallala City Manager Aaron Smith. “Also, last year Walmart gave over $11 million in Nebraska, and we look forward to working with this new store on projects in this community.”

The new store employs approximately 200 full- and part-time associates. Store manager, Christel Armstrong, began her Walmart career in 2002 as an hourly asset protection associate.

“With this new store, we are excited to bring the first Walmart gas station to Nebraska,” said store manager Christel Armstrong. “Whether in the cold of winter or the busy summer when tourists flock to Lake McConaughy, Walmart will provide customers with a convenient and affordable shopping option.”

“This store will have a full-grocery offering, a strong selection of general merchandise, and, through free Site-to-Store delivery from Walmart.com, there will be convenient access to millions of products at Walmart’s everyday low prices,” said Tom Wait, vice president, Walmart real estate strategy and analytics. “I was born and raised in Ogallala, and my folks still live there, so I know how high the cost of living can be for basic grocery items and general merchandise. That’s why I am very excited to be bringing Walmart’s low prices to town. This store will be an amazing addition to the community.”

The store will be giving away prizes during their “A Big Family Welcome” celebration on Saturday, January 31, from Noon-3:00 p.m.  Customers will get a chance to meet Armstrong, and enjoy fun family activities and free food samples while supplies last.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska bill that would eliminate the mandatory waiting time between keno games is again facing opposition in the Legislature.

A lobbying group for Nebraska cities argued in favor of the measure during a legislative hearing Monday, while anti-gambling advocates voiced opposition.

The bill by Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill would remove the minimum five-minute waiting period between games. A similar measure that reduced the waiting period won first-round approval in the Legislature in 2013, but wasn’t passed before the session ended.

The bill would generate an estimated $1.3 million for Nebraska’s general fund and other cash funds over two years. The city of Omaha and the League of Nebraska Municipalities support it, saying keno revenue helps pay for community projects. Opponents say it would feed gambling addictions.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Cigar aficionados are calling on Nebraska lawmakers to exclude cigar bars from the state’s smoking ban.

Advocates argued in a legislative hearing Monday that a recent court ruling robbed cigar shops of the exception they deserve.

The statewide ban has excluded cigar bars, hotel guest rooms and tobacco-only retailers since 2009. In August, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the allowances for cigar bars and tobacco-only retailers amounted to unconstitutional special legislation.

Supporters call cigar smoking a hobby, not an addiction, and tout cigar bars as community gathering places.

Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill, who introduced the bill, says patrons and employees in cigar bars choose the smoky settings and asked the committee to return to the status quo.

A representative for the American Cancer Society testified in opposition.