(Originally published March 1, 2022)
Oscar, May I Air a Winner?
A review of the disrespected Academy Award–nominated shorts.
By Ryan Syrek, published in The Reader.
Before you head to the theater to watch these shorts, check out Film Streams’ COVID-19 policy. Not comfortable going indoors due to the pandemic? Just use this review as a cheat sheet.
Reed Moore’s Daily Rundown
Happy Fat Tuesday
Today’s news wouldn’t think of celebrating Mardi Gras without a bunch of colorful beads and a King Cake: Sen. Ben Sasse’s bio on his personal Twitter account is in solidarity with Ukraine — and it contains profanity, COVID-19 cases reach a seven-month low in Nebraska but hospitals and health care workers continue to struggle, and before he was laid off, Randy Essex, former executive editor at the Omaha World-Herald, planned to publish a column about the value of local journalism and an email that seemed to be asking the Omaha World-Herald to cover a Fox News headline — now you can read a modified version of the column.
Harper’s Index Facts of the Day
- Estimated number of U.S. households that acquired a cat or dog during the pandemic: 23,000,000
- Factor by which the number of dog training services offered via Zoom increased during the pandemic: 2
Sources: 1. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NYC); 2. Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (NYC)
Reed Moore’s COVID-19 Roundup
As announced in the Wednesday, Dec. 29, bonus newsletter, in light of the Omicron variant, Reed Moore will replace the “Thing To Do” section with a COVID-19 spotlight featuring coronavirus-related content. The Reader believes it’s irresponsible to promote events when hospitals are nearing capacity and some community members refuse to get vaccinated. As cases continue, The Reader won’t promote any events — be they concerts, plays, art-gallery openings or stand-up comedy — that don’t require
masks, vaccination and social distancing.
- Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to drop in the state, with Douglas County moving out of the red zone, and the number of COVID-19 cases in Nebraska reaches a seven-month low — but hospitals and health care workers continue to struggle, according to hospital leaders, who remain ready in case of another surge.
- Wondering what COVID-19 case rates and mask recommendations look like throughout the U.S.? This map from the CDC tells you.
- Gov. Pete Ricketts signs COVID-19 vaccination exemption legislation.
5.9% of Douglas County residents are partially vaccinated.
For nationwide COVID-19 case
and vaccination trends, click here.
Around Omaha
- Learn about Lt. Vernon Baker, the Black WWII hero from Clarinda, Iowa, who has ties to Boys Town and is featured in a graphic novel series spotlighting Medal of Honor recipients.
- Randy Essex, former executive editor at the Omaha World-Herald, planned to publish a column about the value of local journalism and an email that seemed to be asking the Omaha World-Herald to cover a Fox News headline. But before he could publish it in the Omaha World-Herald, Essex was laid off. Now you can read a modified version of the column here. (In case you missed it, Reed Moore about Lee Enterprises’ controversial decision to lay off two of the Omaha World-Herald‘s top editors for budget cuts — while handing out $3 million in bonuses to top executives and board members, according to the Omaha World-Herald guild.)
- Jim Schultze, who had been U.S. Rep. Don Bacon’s only challenger in the 2nd Congressional District House race, drops out. But Bacon has a new challenger: Commercial roofing salesman Steve Kuehl.
Around Nebraska
- Latest in the Legislature: State tax revenue is expected to surge, according to the Associated Press, and state senators talk spending and potential tax cuts. Senators also discuss support for students from low-income families, $1,000 bonuses for public school teachers and staff, mental health first aid training in schools, privacy bills, the number of gambling casinos allowed in Nebraska, selling lottery tickets via vending machines, whether to let craft breweries sell beer directly to retailers, prevention of catalytic converter thefts, and what to do with 200 old wind turbine blades in a Sydney field.
- Sen. Ben Sasse’s bio on his personal Twitter account is in solidarity with Ukraine — and it contains profanity.
- 3 News Now takes a look at Black Nebraskans’ disproportionately high incarceration rates.
- Nebraska Public Media takes a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the infamous AltEn ethanol plant in Mead.
- Ronald Roskens, the University of Nebraska’s longest-serving president and former University of Nebraska at Omaha chancellor, dies at 89.
This Week in Your Local Government:
Follow Anton for Local Government News
The City Council and Board of Commissioners are meeting today, and reporter Anton Johnson is sitting in on the City Council meeting.
Follow Anton at @AntonIsWriting for live tweets, and to catch up on important Omaha government happenings. Tune in here to the Omaha City Council at 2 p.m.
The Daily Funny
Click the image to see the full comic by Jen Sorensen, plus more daily funnies.
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