Read past Reed Moore daily newsletters
Today’s news:
- Part 2 of “The Downward Spiral,” a series on Omaha’s mental health and criminal justice systems.
- All of Omaha’s living mayors are on board with the proposed streetcar.
- A United Airlines flight is forced to make an a emergency landing in Nebraska.
The Downward Spiral: How Omaha’s Criminal and Mental Health Systems Break Down — And Ways We Could Fix Them
This is the second installment in a series from The Reader about how Omaha’s mental health and criminal justice systems fail some of our most vulnerable community members — and ways we could make them better. (Read the first installment.)
By Chris Bowling. Published in The Reader.
AROUND OMAHA
Former mayors PJ Morgan, Hal Daub, Mike Fahey and Jim Suttle join with Mayor Jean Stothert to pen a World-Herald column in support of the streetcar. News Channel Nebraska reports that the move crosses party lines: Morgan, Daub, and Stothert are Republicans; Fahey and Suttle are Democrats.
State Sens. Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne host a town hall of about 75 attendees. Most attendees challenged the process by which funds from the Economic Recovery Act, about $225 million, are set to be distributed across North and South Omaha. While the list of awardees is not final, the money is expected to be distributed in the late summer.
Omaha gets $34.3 million in federal funding to help with lead cleanup on Omaha’s Superfund site. The EPA is awarding $29.9 million for testing and cleanup of soil, while HUD is providing $4.4 million to address lead paint in homes.
The North Omaha Business Improvement District receives about $9 million to make improvements to the North 24th Street Corridor. LaVonya Goodwin, the executive director of the BID, says this is the first phase of a $53 million plan to improve the 2.3-mile stretch from Meredith Avenue to Cuming Street.
The Henry Doorly Zoo is spending $21 million on redesigning the Hubbard Orangutan Forest. Zoo staff says it hopes to showcase more of what orangutans do in the wild with this redesign. Work is expected to begin in September, with opening targeted for May 2024.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Feb. 7-12: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
- Feb. 10-11: Omaha Symphony Romeo & Juliet
- Feb. 13: Bead Bash
- Feb. 19: STRFKR with Das Kope
- Feb. 21-25: Omaha Fashion Week Spring 2023 Season
- Feb. 23: Live @ LOW END | C. Spencer Yeh
- Feb. 23: Unsane with Violenteer and Big Water
- Feb. 24: The Simon & Garfunkel Story
- Feb. 24-25: NETWAR 41.0
- Feb. 27: Trixie and Katya Live
Be sure to get the updated booster shot before heading to any of these events.
AROUND NEBRASKA
A United Airlines flight makes an emergency landing at the Lincoln Airport. The Chicago-to-Las Vegas flight lost the use of one of its engines west of Lincoln, which prompted the landing. Another plane was sent to pick up the 326 passengers and complete the trip.
Gov. Jim Pillen’s plan to reform the valuation of agricultural land gets a cold reception, including from farm groups. Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, says the bill “isn’t ready for prime time” and that more work needs to be done to ensure farmers and ranchers aren’t seeing tax increases.
A record $29 million was spent during the governor’s race last year, thanks primarily to the presence of Charles Herbster, who self-funded his campaign, and Sen. Pete Ricketts, who spent millions attacking the opponents of his endorsed candidate, Gov. Jim Pillen. Meanwhile, most races for the Legislature attracted over $100,000 in spending, with four races alone reaching a total of $2 million.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- City Council: The Omaha City Council will vote on an amendment to the labor agreement with the Omaha Police Officers Association to update the section on health care coverage for retirees. The City Council will also vote on an updated agreement with Front Porch Investments for distributing COVID relief funds.
- Juvenile Justice Update: The Douglas County Board of Commissioners will receive an update on the Douglas County Justice Center building and a report on data from the Youth Center.
- ARPA: The County Board will consider $117,000 in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for a Black maternal health program in North Omaha, as well as $51,000 for a suicide prevention program at Elkhorn Public Schools.
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, Feb. 7, 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
Chances that a U.S. college graduate with a journalism
degree regrets this choice of major: 9 in 10
Source: ZipRecruiter (Santa Monica, Calif.)
DAILY FUNNY
Comic by Jeffrey Koterba. Support him on Patreon.
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