Summer Blues Preview, Bellevue Abortion Ban Fails, State Sen. Geist Resigns

Read past Reed Moore daily newsletters

Today’s Highlights:

Check out The Reader’s preview of summer blues lineups.
An effort to ban abortion in Bellevue via petition has failed.
State Sen. Suzanne Geist resigns to focus on her campaign for mayor of Lincoln.

ZOOFEST Lineup Rocks

A preview of summer blues festivals and cookin’ club shows.

By B.J. Huchtemann. Published in The Reader.

REED MOORE >>

Around Omaha

An effort to ban abortion in Bellevue via petition has failed. Supporters of the petition submitted just over 7,300 signatures, short of the 7,800 needed to put an issue to a vote. Of the signatures submitted, about 40% were invalid.

With the City Council’s decision to deny Taste of Omaha a liquor license over its decision to host at Elmwood Park again, it’s unclear whether the event will move forward. The city’s parks department director has proposed alternative locations for the event.

OPS is challenging a court order that addresses a miscalculation by the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office. The miscalculation prompted overpayments to OPS and underpayments to four other school districts, including Westside Public Schools.

Since ABC News’ profile of Omaha 360, the city’s violence prevention program, other cities have contacted the Empowerment Network for advice on how to implement similar models. KC360 in Kansas City is the next program to be launched.

The reconstruction of I-480 is nearing completion, with the project expected to wrap up on May 26. There will be closures for lane striping today, April 6, with more a possibility.

Upcoming Events

Until April 4: Voices of Choice
April 6: Joseph Broghammer Opening Reception
April 7: Brian Tait – Also Known As
Until April 7: Jada Messick – I Still Haven’t Found a Therapist
Until April 12: Jing Huang – Visiting Artist in Ceramics

Be sure to get the updated booster shot before heading to any of these events.

Around Nebraska

State Sen. Suzanne Geist resigns from the Legislature to focus on her campaign for mayor of Lincoln. Gov. Jim Pillen will appoint a replacement today, April 6.

Nebraska’s director of economic development, Tony Goins, resigns over questions that he used his position to direct business and agency grants to a cigar lounge in which he’s a majority owner.

The parents of a 14-year-old girl forced to take a job with the JBS meatpacking plant in Grand Island are found guilty of child abuse. Her mother will be under house arrest and then supervised probation, while her stepfather began serving a jail sentence last month.

Felony assault charges against former interim Husker football head coach Mickey Joseph are dismissed. The alleged victim, now a resident of Arizona, said she wouldn’t testify, leading to the dismissal.

Legislature: With the session moving at a snail’s pace, lawmakers are combining bills in order to ensure that more can be accomplished. There has still not been a single bill sent to the governor’s desk.

Local Government

Douglas County is deciding how to spend ARPA funds, deciphering how to best serve the community’s mental health needs, specifically whether to locate a mental health facility next to the county jail. For more info, click here to read the notes on the county’s mental health hearing, held Tuesday, April 4, and read more public comments from the county commissioners meeting.

Upcoming meetings: