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HERE’S YOUR RUNDOWN
Happy Summer Solstice
Reed Moore feels like singing this: “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”
Today’s news:
- Black, Hispanic and Native American Nebraskans are over-represented in traffic stops and searches throughout the state, a 10/11 Now investigation finds.
- Omaha city officials have approved more tax-increment financing, or TIF, applications in the first half of 2022 than they did in all of 2021.
- The Republican Party opens a Hispanic Community Center in South Omaha, a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood credited with helping Joe Biden win in the Omaha-area 2nd Congressional District.
REED MOORE’S FEATURED STORY
The Bard and Diversity, Too
A year ago, Nebraska Shakespeare reeled from pressure to disrupt hidebound traditions and to more boldly embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. As if being on the wrong side of a cultural reckoning wasn’t bad enough, its signature Shakespeare on the Green festival in Elmwood Park became a casualty of COVID-19 in 2020 — and of staff, board and volunteer departures in 2021.
Thus, the embattled organization found itself the subject of criticism while stuck in a void. Amidst this storm entered new Artistic Director Tyrone Beasley.
By Leo Adam Biga. Published in The Reader.
REED MOORE >>
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COVID-19 UPDATE
‘Rona roundup:
How many Americans have long-term effects from COVID? Nebraskans will help answer this question through UNMC’s participation in a $450 million national study of COVID’s long-term impact, the Nebraska Examiner reports. OneWorld is preparing staff to administer COVID-19 vaccines to kids 6 and under as the community health center awaits 600 doses of Pfizer and Moderna shots this week.
If you’re not yet up to date on COVID vaccines, visit vaccines.gov to make your appointment today. To order more at-home COVID tests, visit CovidTests.gov.
By the numbers:
AROUND OMAHA
- Upward of $105 million in tax-increment financing, or TIF, has been approved so far in 2022, exceeding the total in all of 2021, the Omaha World-Herald reports. To take a deeper look at how Omaha has used this financing tool in local developments, revisit The Reader’s story on TIF by news editor Chris Bowling.
- The Republican Party opens a Hispanic Community Center in South Omaha, seeking to attract traditionally Democratic voters. “The Republican Party can open as many ‘community centers’ as they want – Hispanic voters will never forget their cruelty,” said Nebraska Democratic Party LatinX Caucus Chair Zachary Mora James.
- Omaha Permaculture is turning more than 8 acres of vacant land into both its future headquarters and a resource hub for Omahans to learn about sustainable practices.
- Seventeen-year-old a’Ron Burns opens Roll-N-Sweetz, a rolled ice cream shop in North Omaha he hopes will serve as both a sweet and safe spot for his community.
AROUND NEBRASKA
- Black, Hispanic and Native American Nebraskans are over-represented in traffic stops and searches, according to a 10/11 Now investigation. The disparity is the highest for Black drivers who make up 8.3% of traffic stops in 2021 but represent only 4.9% of the state population.
- States including Nebraska will receive hundreds of millions of dollars over the next five years to remove and replace ‘‘time bomb’’ lead pipes. But first water utilities have to find the lead pipes.
- City clerks have stolen money from 17 Nebraska towns, the Flatwater Free Press reports.
- With temperatures nearing triple digits, the Nebraska Humane Society says here’s how to protect your pets and keep them cool.
- Erik Larson, the author of bestselling historical nonfiction, including “The Devil in the White City,” discusses heroism and history with Tom Knoblauch on 91.5 KIOS-FM’s Riverside Chats.
REED MOORE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Board of County Commissioners meets today, June 21. Click here to catch up on important Omaha government happenings, and keep an eye out for reporter Anton Johnson’s rundown of the meeting in the Wednesday, June 22, edition of Reed Moore. The City Council isn’t meeting this week.
FACTS OF THE DAY
From Harper’s Index
- Percentage by which white Catholics are more likely than Black
ones to say opposing abortion is essential to their faith: 23 - By which Black Catholics are more likely than white ones to
say sermons should touch on political issues: 189 - By which Black Catholics are more likely to say churches
should help the needy: 38
Source: Pew Research Center (Washington)
DAILY FUNNY
To see the full funny by Jen Sorensen, plus more
daily funnies, click the image or the link below.