10/21/21 • Nebraska vaccine data • Nationwide case trends
A One-Two Punch
Both Bob’s Donuts and Swartz’s Deli are closing.
Food announcement by Sara Locke. Published in The Reader.
Reed Moore’s Daily Rundown
Happy ‘Back to the Future’ Day
Join today’s news by throwing on your Nikes, popping in a VHS tape and revving up your DeLorean: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry pleads not guilty, Union Pacific battles its labor unions over a coronavirus vaccination mandate, and a homeless encampment north of downtown Omaha illuminates the necessity of housing services.
Harper’s Index Facts of the Day
- Percentage change in Icelandic workers’ output after they began working five fewer hours per week: 0
- Percentage decrease last year in the hours worked by the average European: 4.5
- By the average American: 0.6
Sources: 1. Alda (Reykjavík, Iceland); 2 & 3. Daniel S. Hamermesh, Barnard College (NYC)
Around Omaha
- Dave Pantos, Legal Aid of Nebraska’s former director, is hoping to become the Democratic nominee for Douglas County attorney. Pantos has worked on the campaigns of Kara Eastman and RJ Neary, former congressional and mayoral candidates, respectively.
- “We’re dependent upon donations and the goodwill of other people’s hearts”: A homeless encampment north of downtown Omaha that police want gone shines a light on the necessity of housing services.
- Union Pacific, a railroad company based in Omaha, battles its labor unions over a coronavirus vaccination mandate. The company, which is requiring all employees to get the jab by Dec. 8, and the unions, which say Union Pacific should have negotiated with them first, are suing each other.
- The 2020 TV adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club is an award-winning hit on Netflix — and the show’s creator hails from Omaha. Read 3 News Now’s exclusive interview with Rachel Shukert.
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln architecture students are transforming a box trunk into a mobile stage with state-of-the-art performance capabilities. Local nonprofit CEO Jessica Scheuerman conceived of the idea as venues were shutting down in 2020, due to COVID-19.
- Read about Unbound Konnect, a community resource for minority parents, caregivers and families of kids with autism.
- “Unless you are completely serious about adopting an animal, please don’t”: At the start of the pandemic, lots of people were adopting pets — and now they don’t want them anymore, according to the Nebraska Humane Society.
Around Nebraska
- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry pleads not guilty to concealing facts and lying to federal investigators looking into allegedly illegal campaign contributions. The Republican representative also resigns from his committee assignments.
- Following sexual assault allegations at campus fraternities, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will hold a Greek Summit for “candid conversations” with more than 300 people involved in Greek life.
- “[It’s like] sitting under a diamond mine”: Astrotourism could draw travelers to Nebraska.
- Flatwater Free Press announces the first members of its reporting staff: Natalia Alamdari and Yanqi Xu. The Reader publishes work from Flatwater Free Press (the state’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom), so you might be reading their work before too long.
Reed Moore’s Thing To Do:
Mutual Benefit
It’s a win-win for artists, community and venue at the annual
Bemis Benefit Art Auction + Concert, says art writer Michael Krainak.
Published in The Reader.
As the delta variant spreads through the community, remember to get fully vaccinated and mask up — even if you’re fully vaxxed — before going to art shows.
Find more art content here, and check out local guides on our Things To Do page.
The Daily Funny
Click the image to see the full comic from Doonesbury.
