SCHOOLS TAP COLLEGE STUDENTS, ADMINISTRATORS TO FILL IN FOR SICK, QUARANTINING TEACHERS

OMAHA- Leaders from the Nebraska State Education Association adopted a resolution that aimed at pushing the governor to take a a more aggressive approach to the pandemic. They are calling on the governor to impose mask mandates, limit outdoor gatherings and temporarily close bars. They also want a lower density of students in the classroom and in cafeterias, when masks are off, especially. 

Nebraska schools are now in an all-hands-on-deck situation with administrators covering classrooms and college students substitute teaching during their winter break. Teaching students are being recruited to work after Thanksgiving during the extended winter break many colleges have. The Principal at Pine Creek Elementary in Bennington, NE has been subbing a few times a week, which is leaving her to do all duties of a principal at night.  

Finding substitute teachers is a seemingly impossible task right now, especially if the school is on hybrid learning. COVID-19 has only worsened the problem that schools have been speaking about for years now. If schools want to stay open, they need more teachers. Districts have now been forced to work with college students to get the license to substitute teach. This helps college students build their resume while being paid and it helps the schools out during this high-pressure time.

“They [college students] now can literally work every day until they come back to the university, which is a good two months,” said Sara Skretta, certification officer at UNL. 

Read the full articles HERE and HERE

EDITORIAL: RICKETTS MUST ORDER A STATEWIDE MASK MANDATE TO HELP US GET THROUGH WINTER

OMAHA WORLD HERALD- The cries for help from healthcare workers has sparked a new conversation about the importance of a mask mandate-- especially with the winter coming fast. It is now eight months into this pandemic and cases are at unprecedented levels. 10 Nebraskans a day are dying with this virus and a quarter of total deaths have come within the last month. 

As the governor continues to refuse to mandate masks, he is watching as towns and cities take it into their own hands. Governors from Utah, North Dakota and Iowa that had once opposed mandates, now have them. 37 states currently have a mask mandate of some form.  Science says masks work, they may not be foolproof, but they can save a close family member from getting the virus and passing away too early because of it. 

A mask mandate says our leaders are serious and will no longer abet resistance by disregarding medical advice and health workers’ pleas.When people are sick, they should follow doctors’ orders. Growing numbers of Nebraskans are sick and dying. It’s time, Gov. Ricketts, to follow doctors’ advice and order a statewide mask mandate.

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LOCAL NEBRASKA DOCTORS PROVIDE CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION TO SPANISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY

OMAHA- During the summer months, the Hispanic community accounted for over half of the Douglas County COVID-19 cases. However, the Hispanic share of cases has dropped by nearly 17% in the past two weeks. Measures such as protecting meatpacking plant workers, increased testing availability and following best practice standards have helped immensely. 

Armando De Alba Rosales, Adi Pour and other Spanish-speaking doctors held a virtual forum that spoke to the community about what to do if a family member tests positive, future plans for the vaccine and more. Dr. De Alba Rosales went on to talk about the current hospital crisis, saying if cases continue to climb how they are now, there will be no available hospital beds for anyone. He urged everyone to avoid places that allow for masks to be taken off and especially avoid superspreader events like weddings. 

Everyone needs to be cautious as they were at the beginning of the pandemic, everyone is sick of it, but that does not mean it is not real. 

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GRETNA, RALSTON OFFICIALS PASS FACEMASK ORDINANCES, BOTH IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY; OTHER CITIES CONSIDERING THEIR OWN

OMAHA- Ralston and Gretna city council's have officially passed facemask ordinances while the governor continues to not pass a statewide mandate. Both cities called a special meeting for Monday evening to pass a vote. Within 15 minutes of Gretna's meeting starting, the matter had passed. Ralston's mandate also includes a penalty for any violations of the new mask mandate. 

Mayor Roger Steele of Grand Island has made a formal recommendation to the city council for a mask requirement. He said it is not about politics but about controlling a deadly virus. He is calling on his community to step up and act responsibly. 

Sen. Justin Wayne, an attorney and chairman of the Legislature's Urban Affairs Committee pointed out state law that allows cities of all sizes the ability to impost regulations that prevent and manage diseases. Attorneys that represent cities are having a hard time deciding whether it actually is state law that allows them to implement these kinds of mandates. Ralston Mayor said the city's original interpretation was that they could not pursue a mandate. 

Masks are not the only tool to slow the spread, but they are an essential part of a larger picture to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Read the full articles HERE, HERE and HERE

'HE'S FIGHTING,' OMAHA POLICE UNION PRESIDENT ON VENTILATOR BATTLING COVID-19

OMAHA- Anthony Conner, the president of the Omaha Police Officer's Association, is fighting for his life after testing positive for COVID-19. He is also a sergeant in the Omaha Police Department and is 42 years old. 

His wife, Linda, had coronavirus first and said she had it so bad she thought she was going to die. Just a few days later, Tony tested positive. She slowly started getting better, and then got significantly worse. Conners went to the hospital, but got to come home a short while later with supplemental oxygen. But, he took a turn for the worst  and Linda had to call an ambulance for him on Friday evening. Linda Conners now reports that Tony remains the hospital, and  is now on a ventilator in the ICU. 

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DOUGLAS COUNTY COURTHOUSE DEALS WITH NO MASKS, QUICK QUARANTINES-- AND THAT'S JUST THE JUDGES

OMAHA- One Douglas County judge did not require anyone to wear a mask in his courtroom. District Judge Peter Bataillon even asks for inmates appearing remotely to remove their masks which frustrates corrections officials. Another judge, Greg Schatz felt ill one day and got tested. One test was negative and one was positive. He decided to then show up at the courthouse within a day of the positive test. He was asked to go home. Juvenile court judges have also been having problems with testing positive for the virus. 

Close to 10 staff members of the County Court have tested positive and a handful of employees at the Douglas County Attorney's Office have also tested positive. 

A group of judges and attorneys is requesting that the Nebraska Supreme Court should scale back to partial shutdown mode as it did in May. Federal courts in Nebraska have stopped jury trials through Dec. 1st and are asking judges and litigants to seek alternative ways to conduct hearings. The major worry is that if everything is scaled back, the already backed up case load will continue to just get worse. Some judges are more strict, same as attorneys, but others do not care about the virus so the courthouse remains a very ambiguous place in terms of masks and social distancing rules.

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LIKE METRO HOSPITALS, HOSPITALS IN RURAL AREAS OF NEBRASKA FACING CAPACITY CONCERNS AMID VIRUS SURGE

LINCOLN- Lincoln and Omaha hospitals alike are reporting that virus patients are occupying 25% or more of available rooms. This is because they are taking patients from their city's but also transfer patients from smaller towns. For example, the East Central Health Department which serves Platte, Colfax, Boone and Nance counties had 30 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with only one ICU bed available. 

"As hospital beds in our state and region become increasingly unavailable, it has become more difficult to transfer patients in need of a higher level of care for any medical reason, not just COVID-related reasons," Veronica Schmidt, CEO of Melham Medical Center in Broken Bow, said last week in a message posted on the hospital's Facebook page.

Statewide, there are 938 hospitalized people, but in many places the number of available beds have dropped quickly. A hospital in North Platte said nearly 40% of beds were being used for virus patients. At this rate, Omaha alone could surpass the current statewide totals in just three weeks. Dr. Dan Johnson, a critical care anesthesiologist at UNMC says it is impossible for Omaha area hospitals to handle that. He noted that hospitals are used for so much more than virus patients. People with heart attacks, strokes, car accidents will also have trouble finding hospital beds and that is a bad situation for the state to be in. The state case total is 101,609, with 797 deaths linked to the virus. 

Hospital officials from around the entire state have been posting letters and videos pleading state officials to take immediate action to slow the spread. While Governor Ricketts has stated that more restrictions will come when hospitals hit the 25% threshold, his only announcement of new action this week included that he would have the Capitol illuminated in blue  as a ‘thank you’ to medical workers. 

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55TH WING RETIRES CRANKY PLANE-- DUBBED 'LUCIFER'S CHARIOT'-- IN OFFUTT CEREMONY

OMAHA- The Tail Number 582, a WC-135C "nuke sniffer" aircraft that flew out of Offutt Air Force Base for its 56-year career has finally been retired. The plane was well known for flying airmen around the world, but frequently broke down and left them stranded. This is the first time one of the 55th Wing's planes has been retired since 1998. These kinds of planes are used to monitor other countries compliance with the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963). 

The jet was scheduled to go through a lengthy renovation process, but it seemed like a better option to retire it. The last operational flight was on Nov. 2. in which it then received a water cannon salute with airport fire hoses upon landing. Tail 582 originally was delivered to Offutt in 1965 and has flown over 29,680 flight hours. It is being put to rest in the Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

One of the most notorious breakdowns the plane had was in March 2017, when the engine caught fire at 31,000 elevation over the Indian Ocean en route to Okinawa, Japan. The plane landed safely, but passengers had no passports and thus were forced to sleep on the plane while waiting for repairs. 

“This is definitely a very fitting send-off, for that stupid, wonderful, terrible jet,” said Tristin Redfern.

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OMAHA'S SYMONE SANDERS COULD BE PRESS SECRETARY FOR BIDEN

OMAHA- If President-elect Biden selects Symone Sanders as his press secretary, the Omaha native will be making history. She would be the first woman of color to serve an American president in that role and many see it as a realistic possibility. Numerous national news outlets consider her to be a top candidate.

In Sanders' book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, she spoke about wanting to be a press secretary someday. Both Republicans and Democrats agree she would be well suited in that role. She previously served as the national press secretary in 2016 for Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. 

She grew up in North Omaha and attended Sacred Heart and Mercy High School before graduating from Creighton University. Her mother is the publisher for the Omaha Star, Omaha's Black-owned newspaper

Sources report another top candidate is Kate Bedingfield, the campaign's deputy campaign manager and oversaw communications. . 

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SEN. KATE BOLZ ACCEPTS POSITION ON LINCOLN MAYOR GAYLOR BAIRD'S STAFF

LINCOLN- Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird  announced Monday that Sen. Kate Bolz will be joining her staff as a policy aide for economic and workforce development. 

"The Gaylor Baird administration's dedication to economic and workforce development is vital as Lincoln continues to grow and as our community works to create new opportunities for workers impacted by the coronavirus," Bolz said in a news release. 

Bolz will be working on the Lincoln Forward initiative which recognizes physical and emotional health, social connection, safety, educational opportunities and connection to the environment. Bolz was defeated by Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry for the 1st District House seat after running the strongest democratic campaign for the seat since Fortenberry’s first campaign. She decided to run for the congressional seat after reaching her term limits in the Legislature. 

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SEN. MIKE GROENE CALLS OMAHA WOMAN A "FANATIC" AND "STUPID"; TELLS CONSTITUENT TO "EXAMINE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH"

OMAHA- Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte recently made the news for a very controversial statement he made saying he was happy to get COVID-19. People were not shy in reaching out to him to criticize that logic but Groene came back at them saying they need to stop living in fear and to stop using it to scare others. 

Carol Gottsch was one of the people who reached out to him. After he sent a letter back to her with his response, she filed a complaint with the Nebraska Ombudsman's Office. The complaint said Groene called Gottsch a 'socialist', a 'fanatic' and 'stupid'. The letter also contained misinformation about the virus according to Gottsch. 

She is now asking what standards there are for Nebraska senators in regards to esponses to constituents. The Ombudsman's Office is unable to investigate state senators because it would be a conflict of interest as the office works for the state. The only other body that would be able to complete an investigation is the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, however the CEO said they do not investigate things of this matter. 

One of Groene's constituents, Adam Kershaw, also wrote him and agreed that his response was troubling. Groene's response included this statement, “Your obsession with me is becoming concerning. Please settle down and examine your mental status. Goodby(e).”

The next step would be contacting Speaker Scheer or Executive Board Chairman Mike Hilgers. 

Read the full article HERE

MAYOR JEAN STOTHERT FORMALLY KICKS OFF 2021 RE-ELECTION BID

OMAHA- Mayor Jean Stothert began her bid for a third term Wednesday while emphasizing her work with the Omaha Police Department, public safety, redevelopment and the city street improvement projects. 

Three democrats have expressed interest in challenging Stothert, a 66 year-old Republican, although the race is technically nonpartisan. Sthothert stated that she wants to see through the revitalization project of the downtown area and securing the futures of the Civic Auditorium and Crossroads Mall, the initiatives she began. The Nebraska Democratic Party chair, Jane Kleeb, said "Omaha deserves better". 

Unofficially, these candidates may run against Stothert: 

Jasmine Harris, 40, is a director of public policy at an Omaha nonprofit. She wants to see a more aggressive approach when it comes to COVID-19 and a new community-oriented policing model. “We need to look at all of the development we have going up all over the place,” she said. “Are there enough apartments for people on the lower end, not just pricing people out of the communities that they are from?”

R.J. Neary, 67, is a commercial real estate broker. He declined to criticize the mayor, but noted that Lincoln now has a two-term limit for their mayor. “We need unity and equity in the city, and I don’t see that happening,” he said.

Dawaune Lamont Hayes, 26, is the founder of an online community called NOISE. “No matter who’s mayor, it’s our responsibility as the citizens of Omaha to make our community a better place to live,” he said.

Mark Gudgel, 39, is a teacher at North Omaha High School. He says he is deeply concerned his students will want to flee the city as soon as possible, and he wants to make Omaha a place young people want to stay. 

Kimara Snipe, 45, serves on the South Omaha and Omaha Public Schools board. She is also the president of the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance. 

Jim Cavanaugh, 70, a Douglas County Commissioner is considering running at the urging of others.

Former congressional candidate Kara Eastman and Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray are both 'keeping their options open' as well. 

Read the full article HERE

CHANGE TO NEBRASKA CONSTITUTION COULD BOOST DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH AND SOUTH OMAHA SAYS SENATOR

OMAHA- A small change to the state's constitution will allow for real estate developers to have 20 years to pay back tax-increment financing (TIF) loans in neighborhoods with high unemployment and high poverty. Now, developers have 15 years to do this. This means people will not have to borrow as much money for a project. This will mostly be used in some neighborhoods in North and South Omaha but will also apply in many other cities. 

Senator Justin Wayne pushed for this initiative, Amendment 2, to be put on the ballot. He acknowledges that some uses of TIF are questionable, but it does more good than harm. 

"The funding mechanism allows developers to use a portion of a project’s future increased property taxes to pay for certain upfront costs, such as site preparation and street and sewer improvements."

The Omaha City Council boosted this when they voted to approve 'extremely blighted areas' through $5,000 tax credit programs for those who buy other homes in the areas of their primary residence. 

This measure now just needs to pass in the legislature with official language. 

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TWO TOP OFFICIALS WON'T RETURN FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION OF OMAHA-AREA CHILD WELFARE CONTRACTOR

LINCOLN- St. Francis Ministries, the contractor overseeing Omaha-area child welfare cases has made personnel changes following an investigation into alleged mismanagement. The top two officials, CEO Rev. Robert Smith and COO Tom Blythe will not be returning to the organization. 

Chief of staff, Bill Clark will continue as the interim president and CEO, he was originally appointed to the position when the investigation began. 

The organization says these changes will not impact the services Nebraskan families are receiving now. St. Francis has a close to $200 million, five-year contract with the state. They started taking cases a year ago in Douglas and Sarpy Counties. The investigation came about after a whistleblower complained through an independent consultant. 

There were not any allegations of improprieties involving any children. The board will not be releasing the report and has yet to decide if information will be handed over to law enforcement. 

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OFFUTT AFB IN BELLEVUE NAMED ONE OF SIX FINALISTS FOR NEW SPACE COMMAND HQ

BELLEVUE- Offutt Air Force Base is one of six sites being considered as the future headquarters of the U.S. Space Command, the Air Force announced Thursday. Offutt was named along with Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, Redstone Army Airfield in Alabama and the former Kelly Air Force Base in Texas, according to an Air Force press release. 

Applications for the headquarters came from sites in 24 states. Before a selection is made in early 2021, Air Force officials plan to make virtual and on-site visits to each location. The assessment will weigh mission-related factors such as infrastructure capacity, community support and cost to the Defense Department, according to the press release.

The Space Command was reactivated in August 2019 as a unified combatant command, with full responsibility for fighting wars in space. It assumed duties previously carried out under the direction of StratCom.

Senator Deb Fischer noted that many StratCom personnel have already worked on the Space Command mission. She also said Offutt boasts ample electrical and communications infrastructure, a high quality of life and a low cost of living in the surrounding community “I think we have a lot going for us,” she said. “It’s always tough going against the bigger bases.”

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NEBRASKA TAX COLLECTIONS UP IN OCTOBER

LINCOLN- Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton announced the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board's predictions were surpassed according to October tax receipts. The certified forecast of net receipts for the month was $261 million, but the Department of Revenue reported the number at $305 million, this includes an increase of sales tax by 14% and a rise in net individual income of 16% above the forecast. 

Tax refunds for October were $79 million, which was 16.5% below the certified forecast of $95 million.

The forecasting board met in late October and raised estimates on what the state could expect in sales, income and miscellaneous taxes in the current and next two fiscal years. Increased estimates for each fiscal year were: $285 million in 2020-21; $118 million in 2021-22; and $307 million in 2022-23.

Gov. Ricketts said this was a reflection of the resilience of Nebraskans and the strong economy they have built. 

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IOWA GOVERNOR REVERSES TRACK AND ISSUES MASK MADATE

DES MOINES — Iowans must wear a face mask or other face covering while indoors in public and near other people for at least 15 minutes under a new public health order issued Monday evening by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The face mask requirement is part of new orders issued as COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly through Iowa, creating the state’s highest rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths during the pandemic.Reynolds’ order, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, also places a limit of 15 people on all indoor gatherings, including wedding and funeral receptions, family gatherings, conventions and festivals. The order limits outdoor gatherings to 30 people.

In what is believed to be the first-ever live address from an Iowa governor televised during prime time, Reynolds on Monday night posited that Iowans may have become complacent, possibly leading to the latest spikes in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. She warned those spikes threaten to overwhelm Iowa’s health care system, echoing warnings issued by hospital officials. Reynolds noted if COVID-19 patients overwhelm hospitals, all Iowans who need health care will be placed in danger.

“If Iowans don’t buy into this, we lose,” Reynolds said. “Businesses will close once again, more schools will be forced to go online, and our health care will fail and the cost in human life will be high.

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HOW COVID-19 AFFECTS THE MENTAL HEALTH OF NURSING HOME STAFF

KEARNEY, Neb.- Nursing home workers are seeing the worst of the virus, as residents they care for suffer the most and sometimes die from the virus. 

"It is a true struggle to find joy in each day, However I have not lost hope," said Mt. Carmel Activities Director Christina Hensen.

Many say they could have never prepared for what losing a resident to the virus feels like. Through this though, they are still dedicated to helping the people they can. The sense of community within the staff is what keeps people going most days. 

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TEENS IN COVID ISOLATION: 'I FELT LIKE I WAS SUFFOCATING'

NEW YORK CITY- Aya Raji from Brooklyn was a very active and social high school student before the pandemic hit New York especially hard in the spring. Remote learning turned many students into completely new people through the loneliness and intense news updates every night. Students were relieved to hear that schools would be opening again in the fall. But, with social distancing rules, hybrid classes and no after school activities, connecting with peers is still difficult. With rising cases across the country, it is hard to know if K-12 students will be returning to in-person instruction following winter break. 

The mental health impact on teenagers has been severe and long lasting. Research shows that teenagers depend on friends to manage mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. A study of 3,300 students showed that 1 in 3 teens reported feeling depressed in recent months. Social media is seemingly not allowing a sense of connection through this time as many thought it would. 

Parents are cautioned with looking for warning signs of severe mental illnesses. Children's emergency room visits caused by mental health issues have spiked since the beginning of the pandemic. The psychological effects of lockdowns and social distancing have had grave effects on the youth of the country. Experts also warn about the long term effects of teenagers who have had to deal with financial strain from parents losing their jobs, losing family members and more

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HOW PFIZER PLANS TO DISTRIBUTE ITS VACCINE

NEW YORK CITY- For many people, the news about a possible vaccine being in its last steps was cause for celebration. However, experts say distribution will be just as complicated. Having to quickly make hundreds of millions of vaccines-- enough for everyone to get two doses, then getting them to hospitals, clinics, pharmacies is a whole new challenge. Once Pfizer gets the go ahead from the FDA, which is expected, they will be able to vaccinate millions of Americans by the end of 2020.  

The collaboration between Pfizer and federal agencies, state governments and health workers will be key. Employees at healthcare providers will need to be trained on how to handle the vaccine as to not waste anything. For example, the vaccine must be stored at -94 degrees F. 

“We have a lot of confusion at the state and the local health departments level, and a lot of concern about the nitty-gritty of deployment,” said Dr. Saad B. Omer, the director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. “Which places, where to vaccinate, how to get the vaccine there, how to identify people in various risk groups, how to document, how to call back people for the second dose.”

Nine other companies are also in the final stage of testing. If one of these other manufacturers receive FDA approval before Pfizer, they will replace the company as a frontrunner. Specificities have not been released, but Pfizer plans to ship the vaccine to large hospitals and healthcare workers or other vulnerable groups. The vaccines will go into vials, which go into trays, then the trays will go into cooler-type boxes and Pfizer plans to have about 100,000 coolers by December. 

Each state will have the decision of who to give vaccines to first. 

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