TWO DEMOCRATS- MARQUE SNOW, JOHN CAVANAUGH- SQUARE OFF FOR EASTERN OMAHA LEGISLATIVE SEAT

OMAHA- Two democrats will be competing on Nov. 3rd to represent Omaha's legislative District 9. Marque Snow and John Cavanaugh both have strong name recognition. Snow is the president of the OPS board and Cavanaugh comes from a family of politicians. Cavanaugh is an attorney and works as a public defender. Snow is a consultant for the Holland's Children's Institute and Holland Children's Movement.

The candidates have similar views on education, legalizing marijuana and expanding gambling so that the money lost in property tax cuts can be replenished by these other sources. 

Cavanaugh won the primary by 5.5 percentage points, district 9 covers much of Omaha east of 72nd Street. Whoever wins this race will be replacing Sen. Sara Howard, who has reached her term limits. 

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THREE RIVERS HEALTH DEPT. SEES UPTICK IN COVID-19 CASES AFTER LARGE GATHERING, OUTBREAK AT CARE FACILITY

SAUNDERS COUNTY- The Three Rivers Public Health Department is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases since Labor Day weekend, much of these cases seem to come from a large private gathering and an outbreak at a long-term care facility. 

The private gathering had around 200 people in attendance. 28 cases in the county have been tied to that event. Saunders County has had 389 positive cases, 32% of those have been confirmed over the past 2 weeks. Washington County has had 22% of its confirmed cases come in since Labor Day. A majority of those cases were from the outbreak at Crowell Memorial Home in Blair. 

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NEARLY HALF OF NEBRASKA'S COVID-19 DEATHS COME FROM NURSING HOMES; FAST TESTING COULD BE 'GAME CHANGER'

OMAHA- Omaha's St. Joseph Villa nursing home was a safe haven for elderly residents for the beginning of the pandemic. Now, 16 of their residents have died, the second-highest death toll of any nursing home in Nebraska. Nine Nebraska nursing homes have double-digit death tolls. Many family members believe their loved ones would still be here if not for COVID-19. 

Governor Pete Ricketts and other state health officials have rejected calls to release the names of fatalities. Deaths in nursing homes are nearing 200, making up half of the states 400-plus deaths. Five of the nine homes who have reached double-digit deaths are in Douglas County, and one in Grand Island has seen 20 resident deaths. An outbreak in a Perkins County nursing home claimed the lives of more than a third of the home's 26 residents.

The federal government just handed down a mandate that forces nursing home facilities with high rates of COVID-19 to test all staff members at least once a week. A strategy that could be a 'game changer' with new fast testing being provided to 188 of Nebraska's nusing homes- the same technology that has allowed Big Ten football to return in October.

In areas where the percentage of positive cases is above 10%, all homes must test staff twice a week. If it is between 5% to 10%, they have to be tested once a week. 135 of the 188 homes have already received their devices and kits. 

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REP. DON BACON PART OF BIPARTISAN GROUP PUSHING $1.5 TRILLION CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PLAN

WASHINGTON- Leaders of both parties in the House of Representatives have reached a stalemate over pandemic relief. A bipartisan group including Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon offered their own proposal this week. Bacon says the proposal isn't exactly what he would have authored, but it reflects the desires of members on both sides of the aisle. 

The proposal includes $500 billion in aid to state governments, $316 billion in direct support to families/individuals, $100 billion for testing and health care, $120 billion for unemployment programs and $145 billion for schools and child care providers. The proposal was quickly rejected by senior Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Bacon says they will continue to push the effort. 

Sen. Chuch Grassley of Iowa says half a trillion dollars for local aid will be hard to pass with Senate Republicans. He sees it as a bailout for irresponsible state governments. 

Sen. Deb Fischer added, “Without immediate CCC reimbursement, these payments and programs would be significantly delayed, jeopardizing farms” across the country, Fischer said. “In Nebraska there are nearly 46,000 farms and ranches.”

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NEBRASKA STATE PRISON INMATE DIES IN LINCOLN HOSPITAL; FIVE MORE CORRECTIONS STAFF TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

LINCOLN- A prisoner at the state prison in Lincoln died on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19. He had spent two weeks in the hospital. 

The inmate has not yet been named. The man was in his 50s and had several underlying health conditions. A grand jury will conduct an investigation on this case as they must when an inmate dies. A recent surge in cases in corrections departments across the state has forced two state prisons to go under quarantine. 112 corrections staff members have tested positive for the virus since the beginning. 82 new cases among inmates at the Nebraska State Penitentiary have been reported. 

Additionally, five more Nebraska Department of Corrections staffers have tested positive for COVID-19. Four of the cases come from the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln, the fifth case comes from the Diagnostic Evaluation Center in Lincoln. All staff members have been identified and are self-isolating. These additional cases bring the total number of staff members testing positive for the virus to 132. 64 prison staffers have recovered. 

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STATE OF NEBRASKA, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA WON'T TAKE PART IN TEMPORARY PAYROLL TAX CUT

LINCOLN- Both state and University of Nebraska employees will not be participating in President Trump's offer to defer payroll taxes for the remainder of the year. This option came from an executive order signed by the President that allows employers to choose to defer paying Social Security taxes for the rest of the year as a way to provide economic relief from the pandemic. State employees pay 6.2% of their wages into Social Security and is then matched by the state.

 Taking part in this program would mean employees would be taking substantially lower pay in early 2021. Employees will also not have the ability to opt into the program. The University is following the state's lead. Other states led by GOP governors have also opted out of this program. 

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UNMC LEADERS UPDATE LEGISLATORS ON COVID-19

OMAHA- UNMC leaders held a zoom briefing on COVID-19 Wednesday morning, discussing both national and statewide statistics. 

James Lawler, MD, executive director of international programs and innovation at the Global Center for Health Security and, Angela Vasa, director of quarantine and isolation services and Chris Kratochvil, MD, associate vice chancellor for clinical research conducted the briefing. 

Key points presented by Dr. Lawler included that while nebraska has done well limiting deaths related to COVID-19, they are increasing compared to other states; children are likely seeing COVID-19 rates equal or higher than adults; While Nebraska saw a decline of cases through August, cases are increasing following school reopenings; and experts are working diligently towards a vaccine hopefully int he late spring of 2021, which may require two doses per person. Kratochvil spoke about UNMC leadership in research on a COVID-19 vaccine. 

"We are pleased that legislators continue to see UNMC as a trusted resource on developments pertaining to the pandemic," said Bob Bartee, vice chancellor for external relations. "We see this as a valuable role for UNMC to perform during these challenging times."

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FORMER STATE SEN. RAY AGUILAR CHALLENGES SEN. DAN QUICK FOR OLD SEAT IN GRAND ISLAND

GRAND ISLAND-  The Grand Island area’s legislative race will give voters a choice between two widely known local names: Democratic incumbent State Sen. Dan Quick and Republican Ray Aguilar, a former state senator. 

Quick was elected in 2016 over Republican Gregg Neuhaus by a margin of fewer than 100 votes to represent District 35, which includes the city of Grand Island. Aguilar, 73, served in the Legislature from 1999 to 2008. He is the latest lawmaker trying to return after being term-limited.

Quick, a 63-year-old retired welder for the Platte Generating Station and former president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers chapter 1597, said he got into politics through his union background because he saw it as a way to improve the lives of those in his community. While in the Legislature, he said, he has worked to improve education and juvenile detention programs in Nebraska. 

Quick has a fundraising advantage over Aguilar. According to the most recent campaign finance filings from mid-June, Quick had spent almost $100,000 and had about $64,000 in cash on hand. Aguilar had spent almost $50,000, with $4,700 remaining.

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NEBRASKA NOW HAS LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN U.S.

LINCOLN- Nebraska's unemployment rate dropped to 4% in August, giving the state the lowest rate in the nation. According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, the rate is down from a revised rate of 4.9% in July but up from a rate of 3.1% in August 2019. Nebraska's rate was slightly lower than Utah's (4.1%) and Idaho's (4.2%) The state with the next-lowest rate was South Dakota at 4.8%.Nebraska’s employment-to-population rate of 66.8% in August also was top in the U.S.

“The last time Nebraska’s rate was at this level was in March of this year, which was the start of the pandemic,” Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin said in a news release. “The drop in the unemployment rate correlates with a decline in continued unemployment claims, so it appears that Nebraska is still on a path to economic recovery.”

While continuing claims in the state have declined significantly, down about 60% in the past two months, they are still well above pre-pandemic levels.

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BIDEN TARGETS NEBRASKA LATINOS WITH CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER HUERTA; TRUMP COURTS THEM, TOO

OMAHA- One of Obama's key speakers in defining the 'blue dot' in Omaha in 2008 was Dolores Huerta. Huerta is a civil rights leader that is credited with the catchphrase 'Yes we can,' which became a huge line in the Obama administration. Now, she is working with Senator Tony Vargas to reach Latino voters for Biden. Her visit came just a day after Donald Trump Jr. visited western Iowa and Omaha. The Trump campaign has been polling better in 2020 than in 2016 and the credit seems to be going to his focus on prosperous jobs. 

The 2nd Congressional District in Omaha has become a huge focus of both presidential campaigns. Vargas and Huerta believe the Latino community would be better off if Biden becomes the president.

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IT'S ABOUT JUSTICE': WHITE BAR OWNDER IS CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER IN JAMES SCURLOCK SHOOTING

OMAHA- After a summer of turmoil in Omaha, a white bar owner was indicted by a grand jury for the shooting death of James Scurlock, a 22-year-old black man during protests on May 30. The grand jury rejected the decision of Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine that said Gardner was acting in self-defense. Now, Gardner faces 95 years in prison for manslaughter, first-degree assault, making terroristic threats and weapon use. 

It is unknown whether this indictment will restore a sense or order or create a more chaotic city. Special Prosecutor Fred Franklin said his view of the case was completely changed after the grand jury hearing. He has originally come to the same conclusion as Kleine. 

Senator Justin Wayne has been acting as the Scurlock family's attorney and will continue to fight for the family throughout the entire process. 

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CHILD WELFARE CASELOADS STILL TOO HIGH, YRTC SYSTEM TOO UNSTABLE IN NEBRASKA, REPORT FINDS

LINCOLN- This year's annual report on child welfare shows some improvement along with a number of issues for children and families in Nebraska. The Inspector General for Child Welfare Jennifer Carter said the Department of Health and Human Services has not met the caseload requirement for the caseworkers that are responsible for keeping mistreated children safe. This statue was passed in 2012 in hopes to help worker burnout and turnover that relate to poorer outcomes for Nebraskan children. 

Another huge issue within the state is the suicide attempt rate for youth involved in the system. This issue trickles into home placements and more. Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers are also receiving a lot of attention for the the crises they have experienced in the past year. In the fiscal year of July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 the inspector general's office received 403 total intakes, 198 critical incident reports, 179 complaints, 19 requests for information and seven grievances from the findings of DHHS. Of the almost 200 critical incident reports, almost 50 of those were sexual abuse claims and 25 suicide attempts. 

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LINCOLN LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT SEES HIGH-SPENDING, HARD-FOUGHT ELECTION BATTLE

LINCOLN- The outcome of the election in south-central Lincoln's legislative district could determine whether Republicans add a numerical edge to the Legislature in a key swing district. District 29 is almost perfectly split between Republicans and Democrats with a sizable number of independents. The seat has been held by Senator Kate Bolz for eight years. Bolz who has reached her term limit is now running for U.S. Congress against Representative Jeff Fortenberry. 

Jacob Campbell garnered 32% of the vote in a six-way race in the primary election. Campbell has previously worked for the Nebraska child welfare system, UNL and most recently as a legislative aide to Senator Ben Hansen of Blair. His opponent, Eliot Boster collected 27% of the vote and now holds the fundraising edge. Bostar was a special advisor to the New York Governor's Office and recently revived Conservation Nebraska, a non-profit working to help the environment. Campbell's largest donor is the Republican State Leadership Committee at $20,000. Bostar's most notable donor is Nebraskans for Common Ground at $80,000. 

Bostar's top priorities are education, jobs, the environment, health care and taxes. Campbell says he will be focusing on healthcare, education and economic recovery. On hot-button issues, the two candidates could not be more opposite. 

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SALES TAX REVENUES DRIVE NEBRASKA'S TAX COLLECTIONS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED FOR AUGUST

LINCOLN- Nebraska collected $68 million more in net tax revenue than original projections for the month of August. These revenues reflect the state's economic growth despite the pandemic. The biggest leap came from sales taxes, with receipts totaling almost $40 million. Individual income tax collections also came in at 10.1% above the forecast. However, corporate income tax revenues were 57.1% below expectations. 

"It's indicating that Nebraska is weathering the pandemic well," said Lydia Brasch, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Department of Revenue.

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NEBRASKA'S PROPERTY TAX CREDIT DROPS SLIGHTLY DUE TO INCREASE IN VALUATIONS

LINCOLN- Lowering local property taxes was a top priority for the governor and state lawmakers this year. The Nebraska Department of Revenue announced the property tax credit for 2020 will be lower than this previous year. The credit will amount to $102.21 for each $100,000 of valuation on a home or business. The credit for agricultural land will be $122.64 for each $100,000 in valuation. This is about a $2 decrease of each figure from the property taxes paid in 2020. 

The state has a new state income tax credit that will further defray the property tax bills of Nebraskans, however this will not come to fruition for three to five years if the economy continues to grow. It will provide $125 million in income tax credits or less than half of the current devotion to property tax credits. 

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PELOSI: HOUSE WILL 'STAY HERE UNTIL WE HAVE A BILL' FOR MORE VIRUS AID

WASHINGTON-  Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said on Tuesday that the House would not leave for the November elections without acting on an additional round of stimulus to prop up the virus-ravaged economy, responding to growing concern among rank-and-file lawmakers over the prospect of returning home to face voters without doing so.

“We have to stay here until we have a bill,” Ms. Pelosi privately told lawmakers on a conference call on Tuesday morning, according to two people familiar with the remarks who disclosed them on condition of anonymity.

Her vow came just before a bipartisan group of 50 centrist lawmakers was planning to present a $1.5 trillion stimulus plan, making a last-ditch effort to revive stalled talks between top Democrats and the White House. However, members of the caucus have noted privately that the measure has little chance of moving forward. 

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ISRAEL TO ENTER LOCKDOWN AGAIN AS SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 SURGES

TEL AVIV-  Israel will be locked down for at least three weeks, starting on Friday and continuing over the Jewish high holy days, the first significant country to re-enter closure, after failing to curb a second wave of the coronavirus. 

Nearly all Israelis will be restricted to within less than half-a-mile of their homes, and all non-essential businesses will be closed said Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, as new infections per capita hovered near the worst levels globally. Some organizations that do not deal with customers will be allowed to stay open. 

Cases have surged past 4,000 a day over the last week, and nearly one in ten of all tests show evidence of infection. The cases are a dramatic increase from the 20 a day in April when the nation emerged from their 45-day lockdown. 

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WITH CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS EASING ACROSS STATE, RICKETTS SAYS IT'S TIME TO RETURN TO A MORE NORMAL LIFE

LINCOLN- Lincoln and Lancaster County stood alone Monday in their control restrictions while the rest of the state moved into a more relaxed phase. The governor does not believe the county still needs to be in Phase 3 but recognizes the county has the ability to use special action and remain independent. He urges Nebraskans to continue to social distance and wear masks in public. The next step is Phase 4 which would only limit crowds to 75% capacity. Lancaster County has reported higher numbers of coronavirus than any other county in the state over the past 2 weeks. 

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MORE TEST SITES, NO AGE OR HIGH-RISK REQUIREMENTS MEAN MORE PEOPLE CAN GET TESTED FOR COVID-19 THROUGH TEST NEBRASKA

KEARNEY- It is now easier than ever to get tested for the virus in Kearney. Prior age or high-risk requirements to get tested are now gone, and anyone who needs a test can get one. This allows people to get tested without having to travel to nearby city's to get a test. Although positive case numbers are down, but hospitalizations are on the rise in Two Rivers. 

Prior to these Test Nebraska sites going up, people in Two Rivers were only able to get tested at private medical offices, who barely had enough tests to matter. With the increase in testing, there was a sharp rise in cases, but the cases are beginning to decrease. 

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UNL RESEARCHERS PITCHED A RAPID COVID-19 TEST AS UNIVERSITY SIGNED ON WITH Test Nebraska

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Athletic Department announced Thursday that they have received 1,200 rapid antigen tests, making it possible to tell athletes if they have the virus within an hour. The rest of the university relies on the $27 million coronavirus testing program to provide free tests to students. 

Over the summer, UNL officials heard about a saliva-based rapid test that only requires students to spit in a plastic tube which makes the process much less invasive. This test can be processed by equipment that is commonly found in all university testing labs. The University of Colorado-Boulder said they could administer these tests for less than $5. 

If UNL could harness all equipment necessary for these tests, they could yield 1,000 tests per day, which is five times the capacity for Test Nebraska. UNL has not received the 'go-ahead' from experts, UNMC and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department do not recommend this type of testing. 

UNL students account for half of the new cases in Lancaster County since classes resumed in August.

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