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HERE’S YOUR RUNDOWN
Happy National Animal Crackers Day
Reed Moore says the best way to get through this Tax Day is to munch a bunch of miniature zoo and circus creatures.
Today’s news: U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo pens a letter to Gov. Pete Ricketts pushing him to take advantage of $120 million in federal rental assistance, take a deep dive into Metro Transit’s draft plan, which could give low-income neighborhoods access to 54% more jobs within a 30-minute commute, and Tom Ricketts — Chicago Cubs chairman and brother of Gov. Pete Ricketts — no longer leads a bid to buy Chelsea FC, an English soccer club owned by a Russian oligarch, after Chelsea fans raise concerns about Islamophobic comments made three years ago by Pete and Tom’s father, Joe.
REED MOORE’S FEATURED STORY
Building ‘The Good Life’ For All Nebraskans, Not Just Some
In this episode of Reader Radio — The Reader’s original podcast — Report for America Corps member Bridget Fogarty sits down with Cammy Watkins and Maggie Wood, co-executive directors of Inclusive Communities, an Omaha-based nonprofit doing advocacy and education work around diversity and equity.
Podcast produced by Bridget Fogarty. Music by Jon Rix.
COVID-19 UPDATE
‘Rona roundup:
As coronavirus cases once again rise across the country, Omaha pharmacies carry Pfizer’s antiviral pill, Paxlovid, which can help people who’ve contracted COVID-19. And Nomi Health starts virtual health services to assist individuals battling long COVID.
By the numbers:
AROUND OMAHA
- Take a deep dive into Metro Transit’s draft plan, developed via input from over 1,000 community participants. The plan, which could give low-income neighborhoods access to 54% more jobs within a 30-minute commute, places equity front and center, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
- On The Radio: Report for America Corps member Bridget Fogarty chats with 1st Sky Omaha’s Paul Beeee and Buddi3 Da Gawd, and congressional candidate Alisha Shelton sits down with Riverside Chat’s Tom Knoblauch.
- The Common Senses Festival, a collaboration between Autism Action Partnership and KANEKO, looks at human senses with an eye for accessibility.
- Benson First Friday Omaha, which got $56,815 in American Rescue Plan Act money, according to KETV, is seeking volunteers.
AROUND NEBRASKA
- Tom Ricketts — Chicago Cubs chairman and brother of Gov. Pete Ricketts — no longer leads a bid to buy Chelsea FC, an English soccer club owned by a Russian oligarch, according to the Nebraska Examiner. After Chelsea fans raise concerns about Islamophobic comments made three years ago by Pete and Tom’s father, Joe, who spearheaded the family’s purchase of the Cubs, the Ricketts drop their bid.
- “That need clearly exists in Nebraska”: U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo pens a letter to Gov. Pete Ricketts pushing him to take advantage of the $120 million in federal rental assistance Congress has for Nebraska.
- “[Gov. Pete Ricketts] says he loves Nebraskans, that Nebraskans are wonderful, but he’s cut off our food”: Nebraska leads the nation in pulling back on food assistance for in-need people, according to the Associated Press.
- The Harvard Law School Religious Freedom Clinic joins forces with the ACLU of Nebraska on behalf of a Lakota family in a suit against Cody-Kilgore Unified Schools. In spring 2020, a school employee allegedly cut children’s hair without parental permission — and against Lakota tradition — as reported by The Reader’s Chris Bowling.
- In Case You Missed It: The National Association of Drug Court Professionals designates two Lancaster County courts as national mentor courts.
REED MOORE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The City Council and Douglas County Board of Commissioners are not meeting this week.
FACTS OF THE DAY
From Harper’s Index
- Percentage by which U.S. military spending has increased since the withdrawal from Afghanistan: 5
- Percentage of Afghans who are expected to be living in poverty in August: 97
Sources: 1. Senate Armed Services Committee; 2. UNDP Afghanistan (Kabul)
DAILY FUNNY
Comic by Koterba. Support him on Patreon.