LAST PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFICE WEST OF LINCOLN CLOSES IN NEBRASKA

GRAND ISLAND- Grand Island no longer has a Planned Parenthood office. Since the summer of 2019, an advocacy staff member had been working on the fourth floor of the Downtown Center at 308 N. Locust St. That person was described as an advocacy strategist for the 3rd Congressional District. The office shut down last fall.

“The Grand Island office closed during COVID due to remote work policies to keep our staff safe,” according to a statement from Andi Curry Grubb of Omaha, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska.

The organization is adding two people working under Planned Parenthood fellowships. They will be based in central and northeast Nebraska, “thereby allowing a greater opportunity for local engagement in the political process and fight for reproductive health care and rights,” Curry Grubb said.

“We have seen tremendous progress in Nebraska over the past decade in which more political candidates are vocally supporting our issues and being elected to office. The fellowship positions will permit us to gain traction in our campaign to build a healthier Nebraska and expand health care access and reproductive freedom.”

Sheena Dooley said it hasn’t been determined where the fellows will be based. Dooley, who lives in Des Moines, is the Planned Parenthood communications manager for the north-central states.

The closing of the Grand Island office leaves Lincoln and Omaha the only cities in Nebraska with a Planned Parenthood location.

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OPS GETS ADVICE ON HOW TO SPEND $300 MILLION IN FEDERAL COVID AID

OMAHA- OPS Superintendent Cheryl Logan said at a school board meeting on Monday her district is taking the federal money very seriously. The district just wrapped up a month of gathering feedback from parents, staff and students to better understand how to use the money to help students and staff.

The district held 43 in-person sessions and two virtual sessions and received 8,441 responses to a survey on how to spend the money. Collecting this type of feedback is a requirement to receive some of the federal funds.

The survey responses mostly came from 4,671 families and 3,046 staff members.

So far, the OPS efforts have focused on getting feedback from those closest to the district. But soon, members of the community at large will be able to give their opinions about how the money should be spent by visiting the district’s website, district.ops.org.

After the first COVID-19 relief bill passed, the district received $23.2 million, which was used to purchase iPads and internet connectivity for those iPads. Each student in the district was given a device.

OPS was allocated $86.4 million from the second COVID-19 relief bill. That money needs to be spent by Sept. 30, 2023.

From the third bill, OPS was given $194.1 million. Under that bill, schools must reserve 20% for summer programs and other efforts to address learning loss. The money needs to be spent by Sept. 30, 2024.

In the surveys and in-person meetings, district officials asked families and staff to weigh in on four different areas: academic recovery and supports; well-being of students and staff; infrastructure for the future; and family and community engagement.

Those responding to the survey prioritized the well-being of students and staff above all else, followed by academic recovery — specifically tutoring and early literacy.

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NEBRASKA'S REPORTING OF COVID DATA TAKES ANOTHER HIT

NEBRASKA- COVID-19 data in Nebraska, which already has been scarce since the state stopped publishing a dashboard of information at the end of June, has become even scarcer.

The expiration of an executive order on Saturday means Nebraska’s health districts can no longer publicly report COVID-19 statistics, such as case numbers and vaccinations, for counties with fewer than 20,000 people.

Khalilah LeGrand, communications director for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said state law stipulates that data collected on communicable diseases can be released to the public as long as it’s done in a way that “ensure(s) that the identify of any individual concerned cannot be ascertained.”

A federal “safe harbor” standard sets that level at 20,000 people, which DHHS is following now that the executive order has expired.

“We make every effort to balance transparency in sharing information with the public and protecting the privacy of Nebraska’s residents,” LeGrand said in an email.

Of Nebraska’s 93 counties, only 17 have at least 20,000 people. And five of the state’s 19 health districts don’t contain a single county with at least 20,000 people, meaning they can no longer report data on any of their individual counties.

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SEN. CAROL BLOOD MAY BE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR NEBRASKA GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue is emerging as a potential Democratic candidate for governor in 2022.

Blood confirmed Monday that she is considering entering the race and expects to make a decision next month.

All of the attention on the 2022 gubernatorial contest to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts has centered thus far on a field of GOP candidates that includes University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen of Columbus, Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha and agribusinessman Charles Herbster of Falls City.

Former Gov. Dave Heineman is also considering entering the Republican derby.

“I believe in people and policy, not party and politics,” Blood said.

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GREATER OMAHA PACKING RECALLS 295,000 POUNDS OF RAW BEEF

OMAHA- An Omaha meat processor has recalled more than 295,000 pounds of raw beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Greater Omaha Packing’s recall Thursday. The beef products, intended to be used in packages of ground beef, were produced on July 13 and bear establishment number “EST. 960A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The packages were distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Nebraska.

The contamination was discovered when FSIS collected a routine product sample that confirmed positive for the presence of E. coli, officials said. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products, according to a USDA news release.

E. coli, a bacteria found in fecal matter, can be particularly dangerous to infants, young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

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125 NEBRASKA GROUPS APPLY FOR NEARLY $335 MILLION TO HELP FUND PANDEMIC-DELAYED PROJECTS

NEBRASKA- Well over 100 organizations in Nebraska are seeking state help to fund construction projects that were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The projects range from stadium improvements at Burke High School to an expansion of Joslyn Art Museum to a new sea otter exhibit at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

For now, it’s unclear how many will receive funding.

By the July 15 end of the application period, 125 organizations had requested a total of nearly $335 million through the recently enacted “Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery & Investment Act.”

Nonprofits related to the arts, culture or the humanities, as well as nonprofits that operate sports complexes, are eligible for the grants under the legislation approved by the Nebraska Legislature.

To qualify, the organization has to be a 501©3 with a capital project that was delayed due to COVID and provide “a positive economic impact in the state of Nebraska,” according to the program website.

Awards are limited based on a project’s estimated overall costs, within four tiers: A project that costs under $5 million can receive up to $1.5 million, for example, while a project that costs $50 million or more can get up to $15 million.

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RICKETTS WOULD FIGHT FEDERAL ATTEMPTS TO DIRECT NEBRASKA'S COVID RESPONSE

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts’ office vowed Wednesday to fight any attempt by President Joe Biden to direct the state’s management of the coronavirus pandemic.

“From floods to pandemics, our country has a long tradition of federal support for state management of emergencies,” said Ricketts spokesman, Taylor Gage. “One reason for this is there is not a one-size fits all strategy that works for every state. The president needs to support the states and respect our rights.”

The Governor’s Office commented after Biden took two other Republican governors to task for their pandemic measures. The president criticized Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas, for making decisions that were “not good for their constituents.”

DeSantis signed an executive order last week that prohibits schools from requiring masks, and Abbott signed an order that bans local governments and state agencies from mandating vaccines.

“I say to these governors: Please help. But if you aren’t going to help, at least get out of the way,” Biden said. “The people are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives.”

Ricketts opposes both mask and vaccine mandates and last year his administration blocked local health departments from imposing mask mandates. Recently, he said he expects schools will open for in-person classes this fall without mask or vaccine requirements.

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DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS MASKS IN ALL SCHOOLS

OMAHA- The Douglas County Health Department is recommending to school superintendents that everyone in local schools wear masks, County Health Director Lindsay Huse said Tuesday.

“The recommendation to all school districts was to follow CDC, AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommendations and they were all given the exact same recommendations, which are that everyone right now should be in masks,” Huse told the Douglas County Board. “How they implement that is a local decision, although we have worked closely with all superintendents on how they are going to make that decision and what that’s going to look like.”

As of Tuesday, a majority of metro Omaha districts were still planning to start the school year with masks optional. But it’s possible some districts may be prompted to reconsider following Monday’s announcement from Westside Community Schools that masks will be required for students, staff and visitors at its elementary schools.

Huse made clear Tuesday where the Health Department stands and why.

Huse expressed concern about COVID cases rising among Douglas County school-age children, especially elementary students. She said the number of cases among children under 19 had tripled in the past couple of weeks, and that they comprise 26% of all COVID cases in the county — the largest of any age group.

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OPPONETS TELL OMAHA TO BE 'IMAGINATIVE' WITH POLICE FUNDS, BUT CHEIF WARNS OF OFFICER CUTS

OMAHA- Critics of the Omaha Police Department banded together Tuesday to voice their frustration over another city budget proposal that gives more money to the police.

Much of an hours-long public hearing on Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert’s proposed 2022 budget was filled with testimony from dozens of people who balked at a proposed 3.25% increase to the Police Department’s budget.

That increase, which would bring the police budget to $169.9 million, should be used for more mental health services, affordable housing, job-seeking services and education, many opponents said.

Community organizer Jaden Perkins summed up some of the opposition when asking council members why the Police Department is set to receive a $5.3 million raise “at a time when the community is suffering from economic anxiety, a health care crisis, a housing crisis, rising crime and ongoing racial disparities when it comes to traffic stops.”

As the public hearing played out inside the City-County Building downtown, community groups like the Revolutionary Action Party gathered outside for speeches, chants and chalk-drawing.

Earlier Tuesday, during a police budget discussion between Police Chief Todd Schmaderer and the City Council, Council President Pete Festersen asked the chief what the consequences could be if the department failed to receive its $5 million bump.

The impact would be heavy, Schmaderer said, because 89% of the department’s budget is dedicated to personnel costs. The department also is contractually obligated to pay officers more because of the city’s recent negotiations with the police union.

The proposed police budget keeps the number of budgeted police officers at 906. Schmaderer said about 50 of them could lose their jobs if the department lost out on millions of dollars.

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EMAILS OVERWHELMINGLY CALL ON NU REGENTS TO REJECT PILLEN'S CRITICAL RACE THEORY RESOLUTION

LINCOLN- Early response to a proposed resolution curbing the teaching of critical race theory at the University of Nebraska has largely been against the idea put forward by Regent Jim Pillen.

For weeks, members of the NU community, including students, faculty, alumni and others, had been penning emails blasting Pillen's resolution opposing "any imposition of critical race theory in curriculum" at NU, which will likely be considered by regents on Aug. 13.

The messages, provided to the Journal Star through a public records request, started landing in university inboxes just days after Pillen said he opposed critical race theory being taught at NU.

Calling the framework for examining systemic inequities stemming from race and racism "un-American" and "divisive," the Columbus agribusiness owner and former Husker defensive back clarified at the time he was speaking as a candidate for governor and not as a member of NU's governing body.

That didn't assuage some, who emailed Pillen after his comments were printed in news outlets.

"Unfortunately, you are following our current governor's and former president's playbook by stroking racial prejudices for political gain," Tim Gross wrote to Pillen on June 27. "This might very well get you elected in this very racist state, but in the process you will lose the respect of folks like me who believe integrity, character, dignity and truth matter."

Other regents, including Jack Stark of Omaha and Bob Phares of North Platte, thanked those who submitted emails and responded they would bring the concerns to the attention of the whole board.

The agenda for the board's Aug. 13 meeting, which is expected to include Pillen's resolution, will be published on Friday.

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AFTER JULY POWER OUTAGES, SOME NEBRASKANS STILL WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT FOOD AID

NEBRASKA- After a record-breaking storm rolled through eastern Nebraska last month, Susan Ochoa of Bellevue was among the many who lost power for nearly a week, she said. Without power, she also lost the food in her refrigerator and freezer.

An extended outage that spoils food is inconvenient in any circumstance. But it presents a particularly dire situation for Ochoa and others like her who rely on monthly nutrition assistance benefits.

Ochoa told The World-Herald she had used last month's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly known as food stamps, before the storm hit. She submitted paperwork within days, requesting replacement benefits via the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, she said, but still hadn't received them as of Tuesday.

Regular SNAP benefits are issued at the beginning of each calendar month on the first through the fifth, according to a DHHS spokesperson, based on the last digit of the head of household’s Social Security number. 

Ochoa has received dry goods through the local food pantry, she said, but her diabetes makes the need for replacement benefits all the more urgent.

“It’s been a nightmare,” she said. “My blood sugars are up and my doctor had to increase my insulin. I don’t want to go to the hospital, and I’ve just been very depressed, sitting here, worrying, wondering when I’m going to get the nutrition in the house that I need.” 

The July 10 storm left 188,000 homes and businesses without power, the most in Omaha Public Power District's history. Nebraska DHHS received 8,505 requests for replacement benefits due to food lost in the power outages that had been purchased with SNAP benefits, according to spokesperson Garret Swanson.

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TIGHT JOB MARKET, VACANCIES PROMPT NEBRASKA TO OFFER HIRING BONUSES OF UP TO $15,000

LINCOLN — A tight labor market in Nebraska, plus a rising number of staff vacancies, has caused the state to offer new and more generous hiring and retention incentives for jobs at state prisons, veterans homes and other facilities that require round-the-clock staffing.

State officials described the moves as short-term steps to remain competitive, while “holistic, long-term solutions” are explored.

Eric Maher, a spokesman for the State Department of Administrative Services, said labor negotiators will be meeting with union representatives in September to discuss possible solutions.

One union official said higher wages, not temporary bonuses, are the answer to staffing shortages he described as the worst ever at facilities such as the Tecumseh State Prison.

Workers are regularly called on to work a second shift at the rural Tecumseh prison, and often, activities for inmates must be canceled due to a lack of security staff, despite workers being transported daily from Omaha, said Mike Chipman, the head of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 88. The union represents security staff at state prisons and regional centers.

“It’s getting worse and worse,” Chipman said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

He said at least 150 of the 300 vacant security staff positions at state prisons are at Tecumseh, and there are 50 vacant posts at the Lincoln Regional Center, which houses inmates with mental illnesses.

Job vacancies are at a record high at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The 988 vacancies are more than 200 more than on Jan. 1, a DHHS spokeswoman said, prompting new incentives for nurses and food service workers.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced the new hiring and retention bonuses on Friday, with extra incentives offered to protective services staff willing to relocate to the Tecumseh prison for a year. They would receive an immediate $7,500 bonus.

That’s on top of the stipends Tecumseh workers receive for commuting there, which range from $100 to $200 a month. All prison security staff hired before July 31 will be eligible for $500-a-month retention bonuses — billed as a pilot program — over the next year.

Hiring bonuses for new prison staff are being increased from $10,000 to $15,000, payable over three years, and new bonuses for HHS and Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs workers are being offered up to $10,000. Bonuses also are offered for employees who recruit new staffers.

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OMAHANS FINALLY DECIDE IT'S TIME TO GET COVID VACCINE; INCENTIVES SWEETEN THE DEAL

OMAHA- Suzanne Krajicek hasn’t been afraid of the coronavirus and its variants. But the 66-year-old Omahan said she doesn’t have time for it.

Krajicek said Wednesday that she figured it probably was time to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

At a drive-thru clinic hosted by the Visiting Nurse Association, Krajicek got the first of two Pfizer vaccine shots from the comfort of her car. And while she waited out the 15-minute observation period, she had a doughnut.

The drive-thru clinic was hosted by the Visiting Nurse Association with assistance from the Douglas County Health Department. Officials said 57 vaccine shots — 26 of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson and 31 first shots of the Pfizer vaccine — were administered during the three-hour clinic outside the VNA headquarters near 125th Avenue and West Center Road.

Attendees drove up to the clinic, filled out the required paperwork and received the shots, all without leaving their cars. Boomer Radio provided musical entertainment from one corner of the lot. And while vaccine recipients waited the 15-minute observation period, workers from the radio station dropped off Hurts Donuts, Scooter’s coffee, refreshments and gift bags.

The gift bags, valued at $100, were stuffed with gift certificates, Adventureland tickets, cups, T-shirts and other goods. Participants also were entered into a raffle to win a $500 Nebraska Furniture Mart gift card.

Douglas County had seen a drop in vaccination rates, said Igor Hadzisulejmanovic, emergency response coordinator with the county. But kids heading back to school and an uptick in the delta variant have motivated some folks to get vaccinated now, he said.

The highly contagious delta variant has led to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state. The state recorded 1,611 cases for the week ending Friday, up from the 978 the previous week and more than double the 690 the week before that.

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NEBRASKA DOCTORS HELPING TO RESTORE HOSPITAL FOUNDED BY NATION'S 1ST NATIVE AMERICAN PHYSICIAN

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s doctors are stepping up to help restore a historic hospital founded by the nation’s first Native American physician.

The Nebraska Medical Association just launched a fundraising effort to encourage doctors to donate to the final phase of restoration work on the long-closed Walthill hospital founded by Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, the nation’s first Native American physician.

Dr. Britt Thedinger, an Omaha ear doctor and surgeon, said he was astounded a couple of years ago to learn the story of Picotte, who, after years of using a horse and buggy to visit her patients on the Omaha Indian Reservation, opened the hospital in 1913. 

“This is a remarkable woman who accomplished incredible things,” Thedinger said. “How did this go under the radar?”

It prompted the doctor, a former president of the Nebraska Medical Association, to join the effort to restore and reopen the historic Picotte hospital, and to ask fellow doctors to get involved.

“The physicians of this state need to know this story. She’s a colleague, she’s a member of our profession,” Thedinger said. “Our idea is to bring awareness of Susan La Flesche and her story, to honor her service, sacrifice and dedication.”

Restoration of the Picotte hospital, first launched in 2017 in conjunction with the Omaha Indian Tribe, already is underway.

A new roof was installed two years ago, and the original windows and lap siding of the wood-sided, 33-room structure have been restored.

Now, the nonprofit foundation behind the restoration work is seeking to raise the final $2.5 million to complete the job of turning the once-neglected hospital into a modern community center. It will include a medical/mental health/substance abuse clinic for the tribe, as well as programs for youths, Native American arts and culture, and a historical exhibit of Picotte’s life and work.

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GENDER IDENTITY REFERENCES ‘LARGELY STRICKEN’ FROM 2ND DRAFT OF NEBRASKA HEALTH EDUCATION STANDARDS

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Department of Education has revised its proposed health-education standards, stripping out many of the sex-education references that provoked a groundswell of opposition to its first draft.

Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt said he hopes the changes are enough to move the standards forward.

This second draft of the standards is expected to be posted Thursday morning to the website of the Nebraska Department of Education and is open to public comment. Blomstedt said he expects that some people still won’t be satisfied — whether they are critics still upset by what’s included or others upset by what’s been cut. He said he hopes that, moving forward, both sides can find common ground.

Supporters of the first draft said the original wording would save lives. They had said the language recognizing diverse family structures, gender identities and sexual orientations would make those children and families feel welcome instead of leaving them ostracized and vulnerable to depression and suicide.

Blomstedt said he did not run the revisions past Gov. Pete Ricketts, who sharply criticized the first draft, but he said the two have talked about the governor’s concerns. Ricketts has been touring the state calling for scrapping the sex-education topics from the standards, saying they were not age-appropriate and that they were developed with input from activists.

As of last week, 47 Nebraska school boards had passed resolutions or sent letters to the department expressing opposition to the first draft. An opposition group calling itself Protect Nebraska Children has flooded meetings of the Nebraska State Board of Education to voice its displeasure.

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GOV. RICKETTS DECLARES STATE DISASTER FOR AREAS AFFECTED BY JULY 9-10 WINDSTORMS

LINCOLN- Governor Pete Ricketts issued a disaster declaration in response to the severe windstorms that struck Nebraska on July 9-10, 2021, knocking out electricity and causing extensive damages.  The declaration allows for use of the Governor’s Emergency Fund in response to damage that occurred as a result of storms and high winds that downed power lines and trees and created power outages.  The state declaration is needed to request a federal disaster declaration for public assistance.

The State of Nebraska and local agencies continue to conduct damage assessments.  Once sufficient information is gathered, a request for Federal Public Assistance will be sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional office, then to FEMA headquarters, and finally to the White House for review and approval.

“It is important to note that the phrase Public Assistance refers to assistance for public entities such as utilities and infrastructure,” said Nebraska Emergency Management Assistant Director Bryan Tuma.  “On this event, Nebraska would qualify for the FEMA Public Assistance program but not the FEMA Individual Assistance program.  Individual Assistance is based on extreme impact such as widespread loss of housing for individuals and families, loss of employment, loss of services across multiple sectors which results in extreme hardship, etc.  This event, while significant, does not meet those thresholds.”  

If a person or family needs help replacing spoiled food, removing tree limbs, cleaning up property damage, or has any other unmet needs, they are advised to contact:

• United Way’s 211 system — Call 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898211.

• Nebraska Rural Response HOTLINE — 1-800-464-0258 which offers the same services.

• Insurance Provider — Many insurance policies include incidentals such as food spoilage, debris management, etc.

County Emergency Management Directors are compiling damage reports and may be aware of additional resources in their local communities to assist individuals or families in need.  Contact information for County Emergency Management Directors is available on the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency website: https://nema.nebraska.gov/overview/county-emergency-management-directorscoordinators.

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EDITORIAL: TO TRULY BE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, COPS AND FIREFIGHTERS MUST BE VACCINATED

OMAHA- It was disheartening to learn that 41% of Omaha police officers have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 — and further discouraging to see that the police union president is steeped in disinformation that justifies their decision.

Police officers’ self-declared role is to protect and serve society, but these unvaccinated officers risk endangering themselves and members of the public.

The Fire Department has done better than police, with 73% of firefighters vaccinated, but those numbers can still improve.

As much as we all dearly wish otherwise, the pandemic is not over.

It is the availability and acceptance of vaccines by a majority of Americans that has enabled society and the economy to reopen to the extent we enjoy this summer. With some exceptions, it is the often-ideological refusal of a minority that fosters a breeding ground for mutations of the virus and jeopardizes our progress.

While the general population cannot be coerced into being vaccinated, the city can and should do more to minimize the danger posed by our unvaccinated public safety employees. The city has taken a good step in ending a policy that generally presumed first responders who contracted COVID had done so on the job, making them eligible for workers’ compensation. Now, workers’ comp won’t be approved for unvaccinated employees.

We urge the city to employ further carrots and sticks to increase the safety to the public of public safety employees — even if it doesn’t want to require vaccinations, which according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission would be within its power.

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'OPERATION BLINDSIDE': PROPOSED KANSAS-NEBRASKA NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA DEALT A SERIOUS BLOW

LINCOLN — From his farm west of Davenport, Iowa, Glen Keppy has watched as a plastics factory and now an Amazon warehouse have gobbled up acres that used to produce corn, beans and wheat. The encroachment of development, Keppy said, is one of the reasons why it’s so important to preserve the history of farming through efforts like a multicounty National Heritage Area, a locally governed adjunct to the National Park Service.

“People come in by the busload,” he said, to watch demonstrations of old-time farming with teams of horses and steam-powered tractors.

“That’s what you call preserving what Iowa was made of,” said Keppy, a former president of both the Iowa Pork Producers Association and the National Pork Producers Council.

He just ended a three-year stint on the board of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, which promotes historic farms, museums, bed-and-breakfasts and tourism in a 37-county area of northeastern Iowa.

When asked if such heritage areas threaten private property rights — as has been claimed by critics of a proposed heritage area in Nebraska and Kansas focused on prairies and homesteading — Keppy said not at all.

“We are not at all into forcing preservation; we’re just suggesting it. We’re just an organization that tries to put things together,” he said. “There’s not an evil bone in the body of the organization, or the individuals.”

Some officials at tourist attractions in south-central Nebraska and north-central Kansas express similar puzzlement.

They say they were blindsided, and disappointed, after Gov. Pete Ricketts and a coalition inspired by a retired Colorado researcher-writer whipped up a firestorm of protest over the proposed Kansas-Nebraska Heritage Area.

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NEBRASKA COULD WIND UP WITH $100 MILLION FROM OPIOID SETTLEMENTS

LINCOLN — Nebraska is in line to potentially receive $100 million as part of national settlements over the distribution of opioids that contributed to a national addiction epidemic.

A settlement announced this week requires three major drug distribution companies — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — to pay a combined $21 billion over 18 years to a coalition of state and local governments. The settlement also requires drug maker Johnson & Johnson to pay $5 billion over nine years.

It’s the second opioid-related settlement Nebraska has been a party to. Earlier this year, Attorney General Doug Peterson announced that the state would receive $2.59 million as part of a $573 million settlement with McKinsey & Company, one of the world’s largest consulting firms, which worked with drug manufacturers in a promotional role.

Nebraska is also a party to a settlement being negotiated with Purdue Pharma.

Peterson said he expects the state to receive about $100 million total from the three cases over the next 18 years.

Most of that money will go directly into Nebraska’s Opioid Recovery Fund to be used for treatment and prevention purposes. Some of the money will go to counties and cities that joined the suit individually.

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REPUBLICAN HOPEFULS HEAD TO IOWA, TAKING CARE NOT TO STEP ON TRUMP'S TOES

DES MOINES — No notable Republican has declared outright a challenge to President Joe Biden in 2024. But plenty of them are flocking to Iowa — courting activists, establishing political action committees and criticizing Democrats — signaling that the GOP presidential primary is already underway.

But this cycle has a Trump-induced twist. As the former president keeps Republicans guessing on whether he will run again, politicians are being especially circumspect about their own White House aspirations.

“Usually, when the race is over and (Republicans) don’t win ... the very next day, the race is on,” said Bob Vander Plaats, president of the Family Leader, an influential network of Christian activists in the state. “That hasn’t been the case so much. A lot of people are still asking, ‘What is Trump going to do?’”

The looming question has added an extra degree of coyness as possible contenders cozy up to voters in Iowa, which traditionally has held the first contest of the nominating season. Despite some prominent conservatives in the state sensing desire for a new Republican standard-bearer, politicians are working hard not to alienate Donald Trump, who still enjoys broad popularity with the party’s base.

The prominent Republicans who have visited so far include former Vice President Mike Pence; Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Rick Scott of Florida; ex-Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley; and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

“It’s been earlier, and more intense, for year one of a four-year presidential cycle, but I would also say all of them are very, very careful not to even intimate that they are potentially looking at a presidential run,” said Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Iowa Republican Party.

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