03/18/21 • Nebraska vaccine data • Nationwide case trends
The Painful Truth About Being Pregnant and Black in Nebraska
Black infants in Nebraska are twice as likely to die during birth than white babies. Nebraska has the second-highest difference between white and Black babies’ death rates in the nation. Meanwhile,Black mothers face more fatal outcomes.
Reed Moore’s Daily Rundown
Good Afternoon,
Today we have stories about the Douglas County health director and Omaha police chief both planning their retirement, a new COVID-19 strain arriving in Omaha, and PETA calling out Gov. Pete Ricketts.
Around Omaha
- Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour announces she is retiring in June after serving in the position for 18 years. She says the “department is strong” following a year of battling COVID-19.
- Two cases of a Brazilian COVID-19 variant strain called P.1 are reported in Omaha, and medical experts say the strain could be more infectious and make people more severely ill.
- Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer announces his intention to retire within the next five years, and he will receive a pension of nearly $15,000 per month.
- A surge of hate crimes against Asian Americans is reported across the country, and the Anti-Defamation League is concerned about an attack on the Nebraska Chinese Center.
- The Omaha Police Department activates its behavioral health and wellness unit to assist in cases of mental health crises.
- Pastor Portia Cavitt from North Omaha expresses frustration with unequal COVID-19 vaccine access for Black residents, who have a much lower rate of vaccination than white residents.
Around Nebraska
- A Nebraska man died two weeks after receiving his first COVID-19 vaccine dose, but the CDC determined that the vaccine did not contribute to his death.
- Animal-rights group PETA is promising to put up a billboard calling out Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts for declaring March 20 as “Meat on the Menu Day.”
- Nebraska joins a group of 21 Republican attorneys general in questioning a provision of the American Rescue Plan that bars states from using funds to offset tax cuts.
Reed Moore’s Things To Do In The Spring
Support Black-Owned Bookstores
Aframerican Book Store
3226 Lake St., Omaha
Marshall Taylor, who passed away last year at age 83, opened the doors to the Aframerican Book Store in 1990. For 30 years, this independent, black-owned bookstore has been a vital source for learning about cultural, historical, social and political subjects related to black folks that are otherwise largely missing from Omaha and America at large.
But Aframerican Book Store is more than a place to find incredible reads. It is a hub for uplifting Omaha in a broader sense by diving into the tough and beautiful subjects, increasingly relevant in the modern American climate.
What’s more, there’s nothing more timeless than reading a good book under a tree or on a porch in the spring. So, get a great book, in person or online, from the essential catalog to elevate your mind and city this spring.
The Daily Funny
