Why We’re Changing Our Event Picks
We don’t want to pull stories to remind readers COVID-19 is serious, especially as we enter our third year of the pandemic.
But that’s the reality.
Editorial from The Reader staff.
Reed Moore’s Daily Rundown
Happy National Bobblehead Day
Today’s news gives a nod to only one New Year’s resolution: Visit the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Douglas County Health Department reports the highest number of positive COVID-19 tests since the pandemic started, Gov. Pete Ricketts and GOP state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan say they’ll use $412 million of excess revenue to cut taxes, and lengthy prison sentences and mandatory minimums are partly responsible for the state’s prison overcrowding crisis, according to a report from the Crime and Justice Institute.
Harper’s Index Facts of the Day
- Portion of U.S. households that say they have faced serious financial difficulties in recent months: 2/5
- That say they have depleted all of their savings since the pandemic started: 1/5
Sources: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Boston)
Reed Moore’s COVID-19 Roundup
As announced in the Wednesday, Dec. 29, bonus newsletter, in light of the Omicron variant, Reed Moore will replace the “Thing To Do” section with a COVID-19 spotlight featuring coronavirus-related content. The Reader believes it’s irresponsible to promote events when hospitals are nearing capacity, some community members refuse to get vaccinated and Omaha still doesn’t have a mask mandate. As cases continue, The Reader won’t promote any events — be they concerts, plays, art-gallery openings or stand-up comedy — that don’t require masks, vaccination and social distancing.
- Check out Reader News Editor Chris Bowling’s Twitter thread about the gravity of COVID-19 in the city, state and country.
- The Douglas County Health Department reports the highest number of positive COVID-19 tests since the start of the pandemic.
- To answer COVID-19 questions, the Omaha World-Herald teams with the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Here’s how to submit your questions.
- As local schools battle coronavirus outbreaks, six teacher unions ask city councils to establish a mask mandate. Here’s their letter.
- Read about how rural communities are working to solve a dearth of testing availability.
For nationwide COVID-19 case
and vaccination trends, click here.
Around Omaha
- Here’s some info on how the city will allocate funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
- Piccolo Pete’s opens in Papillion — but only for takeout until COVID-19 calms down.
- Read about how Omaha attorney Rik Bonness partnered with NFL legend John Madden, who died Dec. 29, to advocate for Type 1 diabetes research.
Around Nebraska
- Dive into developments in the Nebraska Legislature, which launched its session Jan. 5, with reporter Fred Knapp. Next week, legislative debate begins about whether Nebraska should partake in a call for a convention of states to curb federal government control — which has some experts concerned.
- Lengthy prison sentences and mandatory minimums are partly responsible for the state’s prison overcrowding crisis, according to a report from the Crime and Justice Institute. The release of recommendations for improvements gets pushed back, due to at least one state senator’s objections.
- Here’s the latest on the Mead ethanol plant debacle.
- Nebraska’s Taxes: Gov. Pete Ricketts and GOP state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan say they’ll use $412 million of excess revenue to cut taxes, and state Sen. Brett Lindstrom introduces a bill for retirees to stop paying state income taxes on Social Security.
- This is how four state senators want to use federal coronavirus relief money.
The Daily Funny
Comic by Koterba. Support him on Patreon.
To see more daily funnies, click the image.
