EXECUTIVE ORDER ALLOWS TAKEOUT FOR MIXED DRINKS WITH LIDS

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts issued a new executive order Thursday that will allow restaurants and bars to provide mixed drinks with lids for takeout. The executive order comes as bars and restaurants have been shuttered to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Ricketts' action ordered the Liquor Control Commission to temporarily change an existing law that mandated that alcohol be sold in its original package as a way of providing relief for struggling restaurants and bars.

“Our restaurants and bars have been some of the hardest hit businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ricketts said. “I've signed an executive order to help them by allowing takeout for pre-made cocktails and other alcoholic beverages as long as they are sealed with a lid.”

View the article HERE

LINCOLN COUNCIL TO CONSIDER 'ARENA TAX' DEFERMENT FOR BARS, RESTAURANTS TO BOLSTER CASH FLOW IN HARD TIMES

LINCOLN- Restaurant and bar owners in Lincoln could put off making their occupation tax payments to the city while they adapt to restricted operations and reduced revenue stemming from the pandemic.

The proposal by City Councilwoman Tammy Ward suspends the payment of the 2% occupation tax collected after March 1 to June 25, without penalty or interest. 

Ward looked into what could be done to help bars and restaurants after hearing from a Haymarket restaurant owner who had seen sales fall 90% after the spread of the coronavirus led city officials to recommend social distancing. That owner told Ward he was already falling behind on remitting occupation taxes to the city, so she crafted her proposed ordinance to provide these businesses with slightly more cash flow at a time when owners and managers are weighing which bills to pay and how long to keep on employees, she said. 

View the article HERE

OMAHA POLICE OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER TEST POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS

OMAHA - An Omaha police officer and Omaha firefighter have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, city officials said Thursday.

The officer, who is not being identified by The World-Herald, said Thursday on his Facebook page that he will be treated at the Nebraska Medical Center while battling COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

The officer had recently traveled to Hawaii. Police Chief Todd Schmaderer has ordered any officer who traveled to self-quarantine for two weeks.

View the article HERE

COLLEGES DONATE LEFTOVER MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA HOSPITALS, HEALTH CENTERS

LINCOLN - With no college students in the biology and chemistry labs for the remainder of the semester, there's also no demand for gloves, masks and hand sanitizer.

Where there is demand, however, are the local hospitals and health clinics where doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are on the front lines against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nebraska Wesleyan University and Southeast Community College donated their remaining caches of personal protective equipment and cleaning products this week as testing and treatment of the novel coronavirus continues to expand in the state.

View the article HERE

NEBRASKA IS 'AHEAD OF THE CURVE' IN SLOWING THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS, RICKETTS SAYS

LINCOLN — Nebraska is “well ahead of the curve” in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday, while encouraging Nebraskans to continue to practice “social distancing” and other preventive measures.

“We have a plan, we’re working our plan and will continue to work our plan,” Ricketts said at his daily update with news media at the State Capitol. 

The governor said that Nebraska’s plan of attack against the virus was developed in conjunction with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which has national experts on pandemics, and that the spread of coronavirus in Nebraska has been slower than in states like New York. The state’s plan, he said, does not include shelter-in-place orders, like those placed on residents of California, Illinois and other states, and restrictions should get no worse than those imposed in the Omaha area, which have led to the closure of restaurant dining rooms and bars.

Still, Ricketts wouldn’t predict when things might return to normal.

View the article HERE

NEBRASKA SEES A 'TIDAL WAVE' OF UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

LINCOLN - Unemployment claims skyrocketed in Nebraska last week, mirroring an unprecedented surge across the U.S. There were 15,668 initial unemployment claims filed in the state for the week ending March 21. That was a more than 1,800% increase from the 799 claims the previous week.

The number of claims was nearly four times bigger than the previous record for weekly claims, which occurred in January 2010, said Labor Commissioner John Albin, who referred to the number of claims as a "tidal wave."

View the article HERE

$71 MILLION FRAUD CASE IN SOUTH DAKOTA PUTS HARSH SPOTLIGHT ON ORGANIC SUPPLY CHAIN

LINCOLN - A $71 million fraud case in South Dakota is the latest blow to the organic supply chain. Federal prosecutors in February accused Kent Duane Anderson, a Rapid City businessman, of passing off conventional grain and seed as organic for more than five years.Anderson pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

The case is the second large-scale organic fraud case in the Midwest to attract federal prosecution in less than a year and comes amid ongoing concern over fraudulent organic imports. The South Dakota case is frustrating but unfortunately not a surprise, said Erin Heitkamp, a vice president at Pipeline Foods, a Minneapolis-based organic supply-chain company. Her firm has reported concerns, often about middlemen such as Anderson buying and selling grain from a desk, to certifiers and government regulators.

“There will likely be more investigations and prosecutions,” Heitkamp said. “I expect to see more and more shoes drop over time.”

View the article HERE

LAWMAKERS QUICKLY ADVANCE $83.6 MILLION EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO HELP BATTLE CORONAVIRUS

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers advanced an $83.6 million emergency appropriation to battle the novel coronavirus Monday with no dissent and virtually no debate.

The 44-0 vote on the appropriation came after State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman, urged his colleagues to show unity in support of the state.

“It’s our turn to lay down our partisan politics and pass the bill,” he said.

View the article HERE

CORNHUSKER HOTEL LATEST IN LINCOLN TO CLOSE

LINCOLN-  Marcus Hotels & Resorts on Tuesday announced it will close a number of hotels it owns temporarily, including the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln.Marcus said the closures will start this week, although it did not give an exact day.

"The lodging industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic. In light of these challenges and our current business levels, we have made the difficult decision to close a select number of properties across our portfolio,” Michael R. Evans, president of Marcus Hotels & Resorts, said in a news release.

 Graduate, Kindler hotels closed indefinitely; others weighing their options

“Our sincere hope is that these closures will not be for an extended period of time and that our dedicated teams will all be back together again very soon and welcoming guests to our hotels," he said.

Read more by clicking HERE

CHIEF JUSTICE: COURTS CAN'T PUT MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS IN NEBRASKA DURING PANDEMIC

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Supreme Court lacks the authority to halt evictions amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Chief Justice Mike Heavican said in a news release Monday. 

Late last week, organizations began calling on Heavican and the court to temporarily suspend evictions so people were not being kicked out of their homes as public health officials urged people to stay home. In the release, Heavican said he is mindful of the difficulties presented to some people. State law requires the court to hold an eviction hearing between 10 and 14 days after a tenant has received their eviction notice, the chief justice said.

"The Supreme Court cannot, nor can the Chief Justice, in the guise of an administrative order, order otherwise," Heavican said. 

Read more by clicking HERE

ST. ELIZABETH TURNING 6TH FLOOR INTO COVID-19 WARD

LINCOLN- CHI St. Elizabeth is preparing for a potential surge of COVID-19 patients by turning its sixth floor into an isolation ward for those with the illness. The floor will have up to 40 beds to house patients with the novel coronavirus who are sick enough to be in the hospital but who don't need to be in intensive care.

"The idea for this unit is to act as a backup plan in the event that we get a lot of COVID-19 patients," said Derek Vance, president of CHI St. Elizabeth and CHI Nebraska Heart.

Vance said the plan was formulated over the past several weeks in consultation with Gov. Pete Ricketts. St. Elizabeth is one of two CHI Health hospitals that will host a short-term unit. The other is CHI Midlands in Papillion.

Read more by clicking HERE

BRYAN'S FIRST DAY OF DRIVE-THRU TESTING GOES 'VERY SMOOTHLY'

Lincoln's first attempt at a drive-thru coronavirus testing clinic seemed to go smoother than many others around the country.

Bryan Health began the clinic at 2 p.m. Tuesday at its LifePointe location south of 27th Street and Pine Lake Road. An hour into it, things were orderly, with about four or five cars waiting in the registration line, said Edgar Bumanis, director of public relations and marketing at Bryan Health. After registration, cars pulled underneath large tents so that nurses in full protective gear could collect specimens for a battery of tests without the patients getting out of their vehicles. 

Bumanis said Bryan tested 54 people in the drive-thru clinic Tuesday, which is about the number it estimated it could handle.

Read more by clicking HERE

WEIGHING ONE DISEASE AGAINST ANOTHER: RECOVERY DOORS CLOSE (AND OPEN) IN LINCOLN

The Meeting Place’s board of directors was torn when it met last week. The volunteers knew the role they play in the 12-step recovery community: Every month, up to 4,000 people battled their addictions — to alcohol, drugs, sex, overeating — in 58 weekly meetings at the former church on North 28th Street.

“We recognize that meetings can save lives,” said Bill Ganzel, the board chair. “Getting into the program, whatever the addiction is — going to meetings, seeing other people, working the steps, getting sober — it can literally save lives.”

And as churches started canceling the meetings they hosted to limit the threat of the coronavirus, the Meeting Place became even more important. A large and long-standing Alcoholics Anonymous group from St. Paul United Methodist Church moved over. A vets-only group followed. But temporarily closing the Meeting Place, which had been open since 1990, was painful. Ganzel called it one of the toughest decisions he’s had to make.

The board invested in a conference-call system, and encouraged meetings to continue by phone.

Read more by clicking HERE

DAWSON COUNTY WOMAN IS NEBRASKA'S NEWEST CORONAVIRUS CASE

LINCOLN- Nebraska's newest case of the coronavirus involves a Dawson County woman in her 40s, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

The woman traveled recently, so her case may be related to that. She is self-isolating at home, health officials said. Dawson County stretches along Interstate 80 and includes the cities of Lexington, Cozad and Gothenburg.

Nebraska now has 51 known cases. Iowa had 90 confirmed cases as of Sunday night, including two in Pottawattamie County. 

Read more by clicking HERE

RALSTON HIGH STAFF MEMBER TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; NO STUDENTS BELIEVED TO BE AT RISK

RALSTON- A staff member at Ralston High School has tested positive for COVID-19, according to district spokesman Jim Frederick.Officials with the Ralston Public Schools received confirmation Monday afternoon, Frederick said. The staff member began having symptoms on March 16, he said.

Classes were not in session at the time. Students were last in the building March 12. The district has been closed to students since then. In a letter Monday to families of students, district officials said Douglas County Health Department officials believe no Ralston High School students are at risk because school has not been in session. 

The employee had direct contact with a limited number of staff members in only certain areas of the school, district officials said. Those employees have been notified.

Read more on our website by clicking HERE

NEBRASKA HAS FAR TO GO IN VIRUS FIGHT, FACES HUGE HOSPITAL BED SHORTFALL

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts says Nebraska is “well ahead of the curve” in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump says Nebraska is one of the states that’s been “very lightly affected” by the outbreak that’s crippling the economy.But others who have tried to plot out the future course of the virus are urging patience and are waiting for more tests and more data. There’s plenty of reason for concern — the Legislative Research Office, as well as a Lincoln doctor, have produced projections that, among other things, raise questions about the state’s capacity to handle a surge of cases.

If half or more of Nebraskans contract COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and if 5% to 10% of the sick require hospitalization — as some health organizations have projected — perhaps 100,000 hospital beds will be needed in Nebraska, a state with about 7,000 such beds.

“I think we’ve been more lightly affected, but the real answer is we don’t know yet because we haven’t done enough testing,” said Dr. Bob Rauner of Lincoln, the chief medical director for a network of 58 independent medical clinics in Nebraska.

Read more by clicking HERE

GOVERNOR RICKETTS PRESS CONFERENCE: 10 PERSON LIMIT IN PUBLIC VENUES, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT CHANGES, SCHOOL CLOSURES

This afternoon Governor Pete Ricketts held a press conference focusing on state actions towards preparing for, and reducing the spread of COVID-19, otherwise known as the CoronaVirus. 

As released by the CDC earlier today, Nebraska's government is following suit in limiting gatherings to 10 people or less, including employees. This includes businesses (child care, movie theaters, restaurants, bars, gyms, etc), as well as personal gatherings in homes. This is subject to change, but should be expected to last at least the next two weeks. 

Additionally, the state is waiving regulations for unemployment and will not require recipients to be looking for work, and have eliminated the waiting period. This will take effect on March 22nd, and continue through May 2nd. SNAP and ADC will be adjusted as needed to help those in need.

All schools, both public and private, across Nebraska will be closed by the end of this week. This closure can be expected to last 6-8 weeks, but continued review by the state as well as districts will be in place. 

View the article HERE