Nebraska

Summer Blues preview, Bellevue abortion ban fails, State Senator Geist resigns

M. N.April 6, 2023

Read past Reed Moore daily newsletters

Today’s highlights:

Check out The Reader’s preview of the summer blues line-up.
An attempt to ban abortions in Bellevue through a petition failed.
State Senator Susanna Geist resigns to focus on her campaign for mayor of Lincoln.

Preview of summer blues festivals and club cooking shows.

Written by B. J. Huchtemann. Published in Reader.

REED MOORE >>

Around Omaha

An attempt to ban abortions in Bellevue through a petition failed. Supporters of the petition collected just over 7,300 signatures, less than the 7,800 needed to put the issue to a vote. Of the submitted signatures, about 40% were invalid.

With the city council’s decision to deny Taste of Omaha a liquor license due to its decision to host the event again in Elmwood Park, it’s unclear if the event will move forward. The director of the City Parks Department suggested alternative venues for the event.

OPS is challenging a court ruling regarding a miscalculation by the Douglas County Treasury. The miscalculation resulted in overpayments by OPS and underpayments by four other school districts, including Westside Public Schools.

After ABC News published a profile of Omaha 360, the city’s violence prevention program, other cities reached out to the Empowerment Network for advice on how to implement similar models. KC360 in Kansas City is the next program to be launched.

The renovation of I-480 is nearing completion and the project is expected to end on May 26th. Today, April 6, the marking lane will be closed, and there is a possibility that it will be longer.

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Around Nebraska

State Senator Susanna Geist resigns from the Legislature to focus on her campaign for mayor of Lincoln. Gov. Jim Pillen will nominate a replacement today, April 6.

Nebraska Economic Development Director Tony Goines is resigning amid suspicions that he used his position to funnel business and agency grants to a cigar lounge in which he is the majority owner.

The parents of a 14-year-old girl who was forced to take a job at a JBS meatpacking plant in Grand Island were found guilty of child abuse. Her mother will be under house arrest and then probation, while her stepfather began serving a prison sentence last month.

Assault charges against former Husker interim head football coach Mickey Joseph are dropped. The alleged victim, now living in Arizona, stated that she would not testify, which led to her being fired.

Legislature: As the session progresses at a snail’s pace, lawmakers are consolidating bills to ensure more can be done. So far, the governor has not received a single bill.

local government

Douglas County decides how to spend ARPA funds by deciphering how best to meet the community’s mental health needs, in particular whether to locate a mental health facility near the county jail. For more information, click here to read the notes on the District Court Mental Health Hearing held on Tuesday, April 4, and to view other public comments at the County Commissioners’ Meeting.

Upcoming meetings: