Read past Reed Moore daily newsletters
HERE’S YOUR RUNDOWN
Happy National Scrabble Day
Reed Moore once scored 96 points with “quiz” starting on a double-letter square and ending on a triple-word square.
Today’s news: A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the city’s “tiny homes” projects, a 9-year-old Westside student makes her nationwide, prime-time debut in the season finale of the hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” and the Legislature passes bills related to major water projects, including Gov. Pete Ricketts’ controversial Colorado canal.
Editor’s note from Reed Moore’s feature story on April 12: The print version of this story misidentified data showing “more than 10,000” OPS students who missed 20% or more of the school year. Data shows more than 8,000 OPS students missed 20% or more of the school year. This error has been corrected online.
REED MOORE’S FEATURED STORY
Some In-Need Nebraskans Banned From Food, Family Assistance
Because she went to prison on drug charges, Melinda Jacobs can’t get help accessing everyday necessities — even though she’s sober, pregnant and struggling to find work.
By Leah Cates. Published in The Reader.
COVID-19 UPDATE
‘Rona roundup:
Take a deep dive into how we’ll know whether the CDC’s new coronavirus guidelines are holding up against “their first test” with this Vox story, and click here to see the latest in cases and vaccination rates on a national scale. Also, CHI Health is launching a program to quell its staffing shortage.
By the numbers:
AROUND OMAHA
- “Save Yates”: A former elementary school gets $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding.
- Here’s what the three candidates competing for the District 18 seat say about education — a major priority for all of them.
- A shortage of trains causes service problems and delays for freight railroads, including Union Pacific, which is based in Omaha.
- Professional wrestler Super Tryby retires following a 38-year career. Read about Tryby and his retirement in Spanish on Mundo Latino. A farewell event will be held in Omaha on April 30.
- A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the city’s “tiny homes” projects, intended to give those experiencing homelessness their own homes. Don’t have an Omaha World-Herald subscription? Read about the houses on KMTV.
- A 9-year-old Westside student makes her nationwide, prime-time debut in the season finale of the hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary.”
- Nebraska brothers spend 105 days in the custody of the Taliban, according to WOWT. Now the brothers, who were doing humanitarian work when the Taliban took them, are released.
AROUND NEBRASKA
- Latest in the Legislature: The Legislature passes almost 100 bills on April 12, including a bill that would give $335 million to support North O, South O and other underserved parts of the state, and bills related to major water projects: A 4,000-acre lake between the Big O and Lincoln and Gov. Pete Ricketts’ controversial Colorado canal. Meanwhile, the Legislature unanimously rejects Ricketts’ appointment for a member of the Nebraska Brand Committee in what the Nebraska Examiner calls a rare move.
- Some parts of the state report wind gusts around 75 mph as a storm rips through eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, causing Douglas County 911 to sound emergency sirens. Read more about the storm from CNN, or check out pictures from the weather event on KOLN.
- Confused about the avian flu outbreak? Nebraska Today has you covered with FAQs.
REED MOORE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners allocates funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Omaha City Council approves the upcoming Charter Study Convention.
Read local government reporter Anton Johnson’s full article for The Reader here.
FACT OF THE DAY
From Harper’s Index
Percentage by which men are more likely than
women to spread airborne pathogens: 34
Source: John Volckens, Colorado State University (Fort Collins, Colo.)
DAILY FUNNY
Comic by Koterba. Support him on Patreon.