6/26/20 • Day 5 of Phase III • Nationwide case trends
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Nebraska’s COVID-19 Response in Data
A collection of different metrics, including daily case increases, daily testing and positive test rate, measuring the state’s pandemic response.
View our guide to local resources at TheReader.com
Good morning,
Today we have stories about measuring Nebraska’s COVID-19 response, the city announcing action items to address diversity and Omaha Public Schools parents and students splitting on whether to require masks this fall.
Your Top Local Stories
Check out an interactive version of this map on our website.
In Omaha
- Mayor Jean Stothert announced action items to improving diversity and inclusion in city government. Those include gathering two diversity advisory committees, one of city employees and one of citizens, hiring a diversity and inclusivity manager and instituting bias training for every city employee.
- Some advocates and community leaders say they’re pleased changes proposed to city policing, but more is needed.
- Prosecutors have set up a special tip line in the investigation of James Scurlock’s death.
- After one day, the investigation into what happened at the 11-Worth Cafe seems to have ended without any criminal charges.
- Parents and students of Omaha Public Schools are split on whether to require wearing masks this fall as the district finalizes its plans for next year.
- The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is reopening even more attractions this weekend.
- This year’s Omaha Rodeo is canceled.
- The Corporate Cup Omaha race canceled its fall event and moved permanently to a spring date.
- Project Harmony is asking Omahans to keep an eye out for kids struggling with mental health or adverse home conditions this summer.
- With public Fourth of July events cancelled, firework stands prepare to sell more stock than usual.
- After a recent semi-truck crash in Florence, residents say the incident is a part of an ongoing issue with high-volume traffic.
Around the State
- Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state’s nonprofits that help with housing and food security will receive $85 million.
- With some states surging in COVID-19 cases, CHI Health says it’s preparing to double its testing capacity by August.
- A prison overcrowding emergency will officially be declared July 1, but officials say not much will change unless they’re able to build a new facility.
- Unlike some athletic departments, the University of Nebraska will not report its individual COVID-19 testing results, instead only giving them to the Lancaster County Health Department where they will be reported with the county aggregate.
- Visitations will resume at Nebraska’s prisons on July 13.
- If you’d like to run in Lincoln’s Good Life Halfsy, you need to act fast because attendance has been capped due to the coronavirus.
- Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park will reopen July 1.
What to do during quarantine?
From our list of things to do during quarantine:
Read The World Without Us.
I read this nonfiction thought experiment when it came out around 2007, and I cannot stop thinking about it now. Premise: author Alan Weisman asks us to envision our Earth’s suddenly “Without Us,” as if the earth’s entire population just evaporated. What happens to our cities, our phones, our dogs?
– Kyle Tonniges
Daily Comic
Omaha, NE 68107