Stothert Supports Mask Mandate, Wind Storm Leaves Many Without Power, Day Cares Worried for the Future and More Top Local News for Tuesday, August 11

• A group of leaders from several major Omaha businesses sent a letter to the city council expressing their support of a mask mandate.
• Omaha Public Power District classified yesterday morning’s wind storm as one of the 10 worst in the utility’s history after 57,000 customers lost power.
• The Millard Public Schools superintendent says he is considering switching the district’s high schools to a hybrid model of in-person and remote learning this fall.
• Papillion-La Vista teachers protested the school district’s reopening plan outside of the school administration building a day before their classrooms reopen to 90% of students.
• The Twin Creek Cinema drive-in movie theater will project a recorded Metallica concert on Aug. 29.
• Although commercial air travel has taken a hit during the pandemic, an Omaha private jet base has seen a large increase in customers.
• The Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo is encouraging anyone with fallen tree branches from yesterday’s storm to donate them to the zoo animals.
• Parents of a child with special needs are concerned remote learning will not work for their son and are urging Omaha Public Schools to make an exception to their plan for the fall.

Around the State

• The Big 10 Conference has not announced its plan for college sports, but Husker football coaches and players say that no matter what the conference decides they will try to play this fall.
• Parents will no longer receive state or federal subsidies for childcare if their child is enrolled in remote learning, which concerns many local childcare providers.
• Governor Pete Ricketts said the Whitehouse Coronavirus Task Force was using bad data when it classified Nebraska in the red zone for coronavirus positivity rates.
• Lincoln Public Schools is moving forward with in-person learning plans even after three teachers tested positive for COVID-19