Vivian Strong 51 Years Later, 11-Worth Investigation, Ricketts Goes Low with Counties and More Top Local News for Thursday, June 25

• Remembering Vivian Strong, 51 years later.
• Councilman Ben Gray has flipped his position on rentable electric scooters, saying he will now vote to bring them back to Omaha after casting the deciding vote against them last week.
• The Omaha Police Department has updated its use of force policy, banning knee-to-neck maneuvers.
• Protesters have taken to gathering outside U.S. Senate candidate Chris Janicek’s cupcake business, calling for him to leave the race after several claims of misconduct.
• The Oriental Trading Company employee who found a noose on his chair earlier this week said he still fears for his safety.
• Mayor Jean Stothert said the city will open an investigation into what happened at the 11-Worth Cafe where after two days of protests, the owner of the decades-old business closed her doors. Stothert said she doesn’t want to see the place close and will look into pressing misdemeanor charges against protesters if possible.
• The Douglas County Treasurer is opening its doors next week to limited service.
• A firefighter was hospitalized yesterday after fighting a blaze on 24th and Lake streets.
• The July 3 fireworks show at Werner Park stands as the only official Independence Day celebration in the city.
• Three OneWorld pharmacy workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
• A new program at Bellevue University aims to help kids transition from middle school to high school, addressing in particular the “COVID slide,” or loss of information due to the pandemic and canceling of schools.
• The city released new road closures due to construction along the ORBT bus route.

Around the State

• Of the $1.25 billion Nebraska received in CARES Act money, Ricketts only allotted $100 million for counties, less than a fourth of the federally suggested amount.
• In a rare moment of public comment, Nebraska AG Doug Peterson released a statement denouncing the call to defund the police, but said work needs to be done to rebuild trust.
• In addition to EBT, the federal government is now providing food assistance through an additional pandemic EBT program.
• CHI Health officials said Nebraska’s daily caseload is set to spike in August; however, they expect fewer hospitalizations.
• Thousands of federal immigration workers in Nebraska face furloughs if Congress doesn’t bolster their budget.
• U.S. Senate Democrats shot down a Republican-backed police reform bill, saying it doesn’t go far enough. U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse said his Democratic colleagues are just trying to score political points.