Thursday, June 4 • 4 Days Under New DHM • At Least 26 Days to Go
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An Imperfect Tool: Inside The Messy, Human Science of Contact Tracing
As Douglas County, and much of the country, reopens, the best tool public health has to quell COVID-19’s spread lies in the hands of those who pick up the phone, ask questions and slowly build a comprehensive picture of the virus in their community.
View our guide to local resources at TheReader.com
Good morning,
Today we have stories about the messy, human fight against the coronavirus, Mayor Jean Stothert’s decision to lift Omaha’s curfew and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine saying he will ask for a grand jury review of James Scurlock’s death.
Your Top Local Stories
Check out an interactive version of this map on our website.
In Omaha
- After a peaceful Tuesday night, Mayor Jean Stothert lifted the city’s curfew.
- The sixth night of protests ended peacefully and without any arrests.
- County Attorney Don Kleine relented to protesters, saying he would petition the district court to appoint a special prosecutor and grand jury to review the death of James Scurlock. However, Kleine said additional evidence he’s seen has only reinforced his own decision. Scurlock’s family said there’s still a long road ahead for them.
- Curious what a grand jury review even means? You’re not alone. KMTV explained the significance.
- A photo of a 7-year-old Omaha girl, standing on a pickup bed and raising her fist in the air, went viral after U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris shared it on Instagram.
- Stothert apologized for calling a woman a troll hiding behind symbols on Facebook. The woman’s name on social media uses letters from the Korean alphabet.
- State Sen. Ernie Chambers, of Omaha, met with protesters outside City Hall to commend their efforts and ask that they continue protesting peacefully.
- House candidate Kara Eastman is no longer associated with a UNO student who used racially offensive language on social media.
- Black community members gathered for a rally in North Omaha to show unity and call for change.
- Pastor Jarrod Parker and Gov. Pete Ricketts have buried the hatchet after the North Omaha faith leader walked out of a meeting with the governor on Monday after Ricketts referred to the black gathering as “you people.”
- Old Market businesses will return to normal hours now that the curfew has been lifted.
- A new business improvement district will look at revitalizing North 24th Street, a popular corridor in North Omaha that still shows scars from race riots in the ’60s.
- Omaha leaders, like many across the country, are blaming “outside agitators” for stirring unrest in the city.
- City buses will start collecting fares again on June 15.
- As the country sees more apparent and widespread shows of police force, many still don’t understand what rules apply to deploying pepper bullets, tear gas and other crowd control measures.
Around the State
- UNL is developing a protein that could be used in advanced cases of COVID-19.
- The Lincoln Police Department has announced a new initiative called “Hold Cops Accountable,” which would allow citizens to voice their concerns and complaints at a monthly meeting.
- A state-run psychiatric center in Lincoln has seen an outbreak of COVID-19 frustrating employees who feel the facility’s leaders didn’t do enough to protect patients and staff.
What to do during quarantine?
From our list of things to do during quarantine:
Omaha’s NPR Station
KIOS.org has blues on Mondays 1-3 p.m. and jazz in those blocks the rest of the week, plus evening jazz programming, free and locally programmed. If you like Americana/Roots, try Sun Radio out of Austin, TX, another free service at sunradio.com with a downloadable app.
What’s Happening In The United States?
- A medical examiner confirmed that the 47-year-old from Minneapolis, who died after police knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, did have the coronavirus. It did not lead to his death, however.
Minnesota AG Elevates Charges and Arrests Three Other Officers
- All four officers present during Floyd’s death are now in custody. Derek Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, now faces second-degree murder while the other three officers face aiding and abetting murder charges.
Trump Trying to Divide The Country, Former Defense Secretary Says
- The president’s own defense secretary until January 2019 said he is appalled by Trump’s leadership and ideas like invoking the Insurrection Act to position active military against U.S. citizens.
What’s Happening Across The World?
COVID-19 Cases Multiplying at Fastest Pace Yet
- As the coronavirus reaches new places, it’s also spreading even faster, topping 100,000 new cases in one day.