8/20/20 • Day 60 of Phase III • Nationwide case trends
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Not Now, But When? Protesters Dismayed But Undeterred as City Council Rejects Defunding Police
After the Omaha City Council rejected a budget amendment to divest $2 million from the Omaha Police Department toward community resources, protesters say they’re upset by the loss, but it’s still a step forward.
View our guide to local resources at TheReader.com
Good morning,
Today we have stories about protesters responding to the city’s rejection of a budget amendment that would have divested $2 million from the Omaha Police Department, officials battling for a South Omaha testing site to stay open and a local health official weighing in on why the question of “When to close schools?” is complicated.
Your Top Local Stories
In Omaha
- Though schools coming back means uncertainty for many, return to a normal schedule has bolstered one Omaha family.
- What’s your risk of getting COVID-19 outdoors? The Omaha World-Herald asked experts to weigh in.
- A testing site that’s serviced the zip code hit hardest by the pandemic is closing this week due to staffing shortages. Officials battling for the South Omaha site to stay open say the site’s essential for meatpacking and food processing workers who still face serious risks of COVID-19 infection.
- Mayor Jean Stothert said she doesn’t want to take funds from Omaha’s cash reserve for community programs, as the city council amended the 2021 budget to do. Stother said expected CARES Act dollars will still leave the city $15 million in the hole and it can’t afford to take more than that from its rainy day fund.
- A mailer from a company in Missouri calling for voters to cast their ballot by mail is causing confusion.
- There’s no single plan for whether to close schools if COVID-19 gets much worse. An official at the health department said it comes down to providing school officials with the best information and letting them make their own decisions.
- COVID-19 test results are getting delayed on their way to county health officials.
Around the State
- Ernie Chambers is leaving the Nebraska Legislature (again) after decades as its unrelenting watchdog and provocateur.
- Terrell McKinney, a candidate for the Legislature in District 11 in North Omaha, said he didn’t request to appear in front of the state pardons board. Nevertheless, his name appeared on its agenda.
What to do during quarantine?
Dripped And Draped
6105 Maple Street
Opening a business is a risk and a challenge in any climate, but these entrepreneurs decided that not only did Omaha need a new take on coffee, sweets, and style, but that even an international crisis couldn’t slow their growth. Having opened their doors at the peak of pandemic, the team set to work creating a safe environment to serve their specialty teas. Come for the Turmeric Latte, stay for the incredible energy.
Daily Comic
Omaha, NE 68107