Nebraska agency director resigns amid COVID grant questions

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development resigned Wednesday, a day after a news report revealed a business he owns received pandemic relief grants from the agency he headed. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen announced Anthony Goins’ resignation in a news release that gave no reason for the move. But Goins was the focus of a story Tuesday by the Nebraska Examiner that said his agency gave two $12,000 small business grants to the Lincoln cigar bar in which Goins has majority ownership. The department confirmed Wednesday that the grants, which came from federal CARES…