Thursday, May 7
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Filling Ernie’s Shoes And A Moment for North Omaha
As seven people vie for the spot as District 11’s state senator, voters will make the ultimate decision on their community’s direction.
Gladys Harrison, a candidate for Nebraska’s 2nd District, wants “real people” to have a seat at the table and she says everyone needs to feel the sting.
View our guide to local resources at TheReader.com
Good morning,
Today we have stories about COVID-19 vaccine trials starting in Omaha, the race to contain the virus by adding more contract tracers and how a UNMC model will help officials plan reopenings around specific data.
Your top local stories
Check out an interactive version of this map on our website.
In Omaha
- A North Omaha youth program has adapted to the pandemic without letting kids fall through the cracks.
- An Omaha-area company is participating in trial runs of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- The North Omaha summer internship program Step Up is looking for more employers to give its kids jobs.
- Progress continues on ORBT, which would connect West Omaha and downtown with faster bus travel along Dodge Street.
- While the pandemic’s caused some economic hardship, TD Ameritrade said stock market volatility has pushed it to look at hiring 275 more people.
- Mayor Jean Stothert proposed annexing eight West Omaha neighborhoods that would add about 2,100 people to the city.
- Nebraska Furniture Mart has reopened its location in Omaha with some precautions.
- After a delayed start, the Omaha Farmers’ Market will reopen June 6 with limited products, socially distanced stands and precautions placed on customers as well as vendors.
Around the State
- As the country calls for 180,000 contact tracers nationwide, Nebraska, which has 200 now, has set a goal of having 1,000 people chasing the virus.
- Expert says Nebraskans shouldn’t worry about “murder hornets,” the newest invasive species that poses harm to bee populations.
- Some Nebraskans have joined more than 300,000 others in signing up for an antibody test to see if they’re immune to COVID-19.
- After delayed starts due to the coronavirus, a program to get more Nebraskans to travel around the state will start on June 1.
- A model developed by UNMC is helping state and local leaders make real-time decisions about how COVID-19 is affecting their community.
- Grand Island Mayor Roger Steele called on the nation’s ag secretary to personally visit the town devastated by COVID-19. He didn’t respond to Steele, but did issue letters saying the USDA has to partner with OSHA and the CDC on safety standards as plants reopen or continue operating. Steele said that’s a good sign.
- Gov. Ricketts to hold daily press briefing today
What to do during quarantine?
From our list of things to do during quarantine:
Artist Relief
Amplify Arts is asking for community support so they can continue ramping up distributions of micro grant awards to those artists who need funding. They are also working with Mid-America Arts Alliance to develop a survey to better understand how far this impact reaches.
What’s happening in the United States?
Some States See 25% Unemployment as Rates Increase
- New numbers released by the Department of Labor show 33 million people have applied for unemployment benefits in the last seven weeks. About 77% believe they will return to their old job.
- Many states reopening do not have a “downward trajectory” in cases suggested by the White House in its reopening guidelines. However, those guidelines are ultimately non-binding and governors have made their own decisions.
- As he winds down his pandemic response team, the president has turned his focus to economic recovery. However, experts say we’re still far from over the coronavirus.
A Tale of Two Cities: Lockdown and Denial
- In New Mexico, two mayors in nearby cities had wildly different takes on how to approach the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s happening across the world?
Disrupting Natural World Will Lead to New Pandemics, Scientists Say
- As new research points to bats as the likely original carrier of COVID-19, scientists say deforestation and other habitat destruction will push these animals into closer contact with humans. Once that happens, disease can spread more quickly.
Check out more coverage online at TheReader.com
The Omaha Reader
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