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HERE’S YOUR RUNDOWN
Happy National Watermelon Day
Reed Moore keeps planting the seeds but doesn’t understand why Mother Earth never bears fruit.
Today’s news:
- Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert is out of Omaha about one out of every four days and misses major events like fires and floods.
- The Omaha City Council approve funds to hire a consultant on diversity, continuing a push for equity and inclusion that started in the summer of 2020.
- Native advocates are taking their fight to stop a Lincoln housing development to the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals.
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REED MOORE’S FEATURED STORY
An Opening and Two Unmissable Events
This week in Omaha dining: Jojo’s Diner opens downtown, Italian-themed dinner with local wine and gourmet meals to help reduce food waste.
By Sara Locke. Published in The Reader.
The Reed Moore newsletter is supported by:
COVID-19 UPDATE
‘Rona roundup:
- As districts prepare to bring students back to school this fall, Dr. David Quimby, an infectious disease expert with CHI Health, recommends kids get vaccinated.
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 covid.gov/tests
By the numbers:
AROUND OMAHA
- Mayor Jean Stothert spends nearly a quarter of the last year outside the city she runs, missing a total of 84 days.
- A 255-unit, market-rate apartment complex is set to take the spot of a former indoor waterpark at 72nd and Grover streets.
- The City of Omaha will hire a diversity consultant with a $131,000 annual salary.
- Candidates for Douglas County sheriff square off in a Tuesday night debate on topics such as recruitment, retention and public safety.
- Hot, dry weather has MUD asking Omahans to conserve water as demand rises.
- OPS hosts a grand opening for Forest Station Elementary, one of four schools it is opening this month.
- Thrift store closures across the metro have some residents concerned about access to fewer affordable goods.
- OPS is making progress on filling positions, but hasn’t closed the gap with the 2022-2023 school year weeks away.
- The Gene Leahy Mall is hosting free family-friendly movie nights starting this Friday.
AROUND NEBRASKA
- Firefighters hope they’re nearing the end of battling a wildfire that charred 150,000 acres of land south of Goering.
- Native American advocates are taking their fight over a housing development to Lincoln’s zoning board, hoping to reverse an April decision by the Lincoln City Council.
- The Omaha Tribe receives a $671,000 grant to build three hydroponic greenhouses on its land.
- A UNL-developed robot capable of operating on astronauts in space is set for a zero-gravity test in 2024.
- A UNO study finds good social connections are a top reason former inmates lead a crime-free life.
- Ongoing research at UNL shows a promising future using seeds and vegetable oils in the production of fuels, lubricants and other bioproducts.
- UNL ditches required COVID-19 testing, although the university will continue to offer walk-up testing on the City and East Campuses with no appointment necessary.
- A Kansas amendment to remove abortion rights from its constitution fails, signaling a split between politics and the public as Nebraska eyes its own fight on reproductive health rights.
REED MOORE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Omaha City Council met Tuesday to approve an agreement with the National League of Cities to provide consultation on diversity and inclusion in city government. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners also met to receive a presentation on the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
FACTS OF THE DAY
From Harper’s Index
Percentage by which Democrats are more likely than Republicans to carry a lucky charm at all times : 75
Source: YouGov (NYC)
DAILY FUNNY
To see more comics by Jeff Koterba, click the image or the link below.