Read past Reed Moore daily newsletters
HERE’S YOUR RUNDOWN
Happy National Static Electricity Day
Reed Moore thinks rubbing a balloon on your hair and then sticking it to something should be an Olympic sport.
Today’s news:
- Read the first story in The Reader’s three-part series on Omaha’s mental health and criminal justice systems.
- The planned revitalization project in Bellevue loses a developer.
- Researchers find more answers at the Genoa U.S. Industrial School.
Trapped Between Mental Health and Criminal Justice Systems, Omaha Families Struggle
This is the first story in a three-part series from The Reader about Omaha’s mental health and criminal justice systems: how they work, when they fail and what we can do to make them better.
By Chris Bowling. Published in The Reader.
The Reed Moore newsletter is supported by:
AROUND OMAHA
- Perry Reid Construction backs out of the Bellevue revitalization project, citing market conditions. Mercury Builders and Contractors, another part of the development team, says it will continue to support the effort.
- Mayor Jean Stothert appoints Gerald Kuhn as the City of Omaha’s Director of Human Rights and Relations. Kuhn has held the position temporarily since July when the city conducted a national search to fill the role.
- The Douglas County Health Department finds contaminated spices are a significant source of lead poisoning to children. Medical testing of Afghan refugees helped DCHD trace the issue back to spices.
- Mayor Jean Stothert’s office says it has suspended more than $300,000 in city funding for PACE, the youth sports nonprofit subject to a federal investigation.
- The bridge repairs along 42nd Street are placing a damper on nearby businesses, owners say. An auto shop and convenience store closed its doors just three months after construction began in October, and others say business has slowed down significantly.
- Construction begins today, Jan. 9, on a bypass of downtown Blair from the south side. The project intends to reduce the amount of tractor-trailers passing through downtown and aims to be done in August.
AROUND NEBRASKA
- Researchers continue to find more answers on the site of the Genoa U.S. Industrial School. State Archaeologist Dave Williams says data from radar surveys suggests the presence of graves, although the evidence isn’t conclusive.
- Nebraska policymakers and experts are calling for the construction of 35,000 affordable housing units in the next five years. The plan, which has been nearly a year in the making, doesn’t include any price tags for funding, but one leader expects some money to be allocated during the current legislative session.
- Legislature: Committee assignments are expected to dominate debate today, Jan. 9. New bills continue to be introduced, including dark money disclosures, capping insulin costs and much more.
- Ben Sasse made his resignation from the U.S. Senate official Sunday, Jan. 8. In a final exit interview with the World-Herald, he shares his thoughts on the relationship between him and former President Donald Trump.
REED MOORE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Parks Projects: The Omaha City Council will vote on allocating COVID relief funds to parks projects, including about $25,000 to improve the Dreamland Park Fountain and $293,000 to remodel restrooms and concessions at Lynch Park. The city previously set aside $10 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds for improvements to parks.
- Corrections Update: The Douglas County Board of Commissioners will receive a monthly update on the corrections department, which continues to experience high overtime costs due to staffing issues.
Every week, Anton Johnson picks noteworthy agenda items from the Omaha City Council and Douglas County Board of Commissioners. See the full City Council and Board of Commissioners agendas for Tuesday, Jan. 10, and tune in here to the Board of Commissioners at 9 a.m. and City Council at 2 p.m.
FACT OF THE DAY
From Harper’s Index
Percentage increase since 2019 in Google
searches for plausible reasons to skip work: 824
Source: Frank Recruitment Group (NYC)
DAILY FUNNY
Comic by Jeffrey Koterba. Support him on Patreon.
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