Editorial

Protecting Seniors’ Access To Care

Published by Nikki Palmer on Thu, 11/30/2023 - 1:00am

Nearly 1.2 million Americans live in nursing homes today. The vast majority of those Americans are seniors, people who urgently need the specialized care that long-term nursing facilities provide. That’s especially true in small towns, where a greater percentage of the population is over 65.

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Straight Talk From Steve

Published by Nikki Palmer on Wed, 11/29/2023 - 2:00am

Have you heard about the new contract extension for the University of Nebraska’s Athletic Director? If you haven’t, you might get a little overwhelmed by the numbers. I was surprised by the tremendous increase in salary plus the guarantee of future bonuses.

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On The COVID Learning Loss

Published by josie@omahadail... on Tue, 11/28/2023 - 5:00am

In the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic, Congress sent $190 billion in aid to schools, stipulating that 20 percent of the funds had to be used for reversing learning setbacks. At the time, educators knew that the impact on how children learn would be significant, but the extent was not yet known.

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Three Presidential Debates, One VP Debate Scheduled Ahead Of 2024 Election

Published by josie@omahadail... on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 5:00am

WASHINGTON — The Democratic and Republican nominees for president would debate three times next year if both candidates agree to a schedule released Monday by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

“The United States’ general election debates, watched live worldwide, are a model for many other countries: the opportunity to hear and see leading candidates address serious issues in a fair and neutral setting,” co-chairs Frank Fahrenkopf and Antonia Hernández said in a written statement. “This tradition remains unbroken since 1976.”

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In America, National Parks Are More Than Scenic − They’re Sacred. But They Were Created At A Cost To Native Americans

Published by josie@omahadail... on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 5:00am

‘Valley of the Yosemite’ by the 19th-century artist Albert Bierstadt, owned by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images

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Put Emotions Aside, Inform Your Opinion

Published by josie@omahadail... on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 5:00am

There’s a very good chance that before this summer is over at least one person if not numerous people will walk up to you and ask you to sign a petition to make abortion legal in Nebraska up until the time of viability.

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Surge Of Book Removal Requests Turning Nebraska Libraries Into Cultural Battlegrounds

Published by josie@omahadail... on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 5:00am

Christine Knust left her job as the librarian at Plattsmouth High School in May as the district grappled with a board member’s request to pull 49 books from the library. Knust, photographed at the South Omaha Library, now works as a teacher at Ralston Public Schools.
(Joseph Saaid / Flatwater Free Press)

Christine Knust planned to continue growing the journalism and yearbook program at Plattsmouth High School this year.

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The Cost Of Free Land And Either-Or History

Published by josie@omahadail... on Fri, 11/24/2023 - 5:00am

Some white South Dakotans love to talk about their generational connection to the land. I’m one of them: a proud, fifth-generation descendant of Dakota Territory homesteaders.

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Cash Bail Policies Are Under Fresh Scrutiny

Published by josie@omahadail... on Fri, 11/24/2023 - 5:00am

States can’t figure out what to do about cash bail.

The system — in which an arrested suspect pays cash to avoid sitting in jail until their court date and gets the money back when they appear — is deeply entrenched in the nation’s history as a way to ensure defendants return to face justice.

But cash bail is undergoing a reckoning as policymakers debate its disproportionate effects on underserved communities and people with low incomes who sometimes can’t afford bail — as well as just how much the system truly keeps the public safe.

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Former Pharmacist In Neligh And Tilden Sentenced To Prison, Ordered To Pay $573,000 For Prescription Fraud

Published by josie@omahadail... on Fri, 11/24/2023 - 5:00am

LINCOLN — The former owner of pharmacies in Neligh and Tilden has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay more than $573,000 in restitution to Medicare and Medicaid for prescription fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Danelle Charf, 49, of Neligh, had billed for name-brand prescriptions but supplied customers with generic brands, and had submitted hundreds of reimbursement claims for prescriptions that were never filled.