Public Health Command Center community update from North Platte on May 20, 2020.

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🎥 Public Health Command Center Update from North Platte (May 20, 2020)

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will open first-come, first-served camping on May 22 at Smith Falls State Park, 35 state recreation areas and wildlife management areas for all camping units, including tents.

This decision is prompted by overwhelming demand for camping opportunities, challenges in bringing additional park locations and campsites into the reservation system as planned, and public comments regarding the desire to camp even without normal facilities, which will remain closed. Those include shower houses, designated swimming beaches, playgrounds, and park activities. A limited number of primitive restrooms will be available.

Park regulations allow for up to eight people per campsite. The 35 state recreation areas that will be open include Alexandria, Bluestem, Box Butte, Bridgeport, Buffalo Bill, Cheyenne, Conestoga, Cottonwood Lake, Dead Timber, Enders, Gallagher Canyon, Keller Park, Lake Maloney, Long Pine, Memphis, North Loup, Olive Creek, Pelican Point, Red Willow, Riverview Marina, Rock Creek Lake, Rockford, Sandy Channel, Sherman, Stagecoach, Summit, Sutherland, Swanson, Union Pacific, Verdon, Wagon Train, Walgren Lake, War Axe, and Wildcat Hills.

Mormon Island State Recreation Area near Grand Island and Danish Alps SRA near Hubbard will not offer camping, as they are near communities with high COVID-19 incidence.

Game and Parks will open camping on wildlife management areas where it was allowed previous to the COVID-19 health emergency to help distribute camping activity.

“We made the earlier decision to allow limited RV camping, by reservation only, consistent with health directives that encourage limitations on crowd size and our current capacity to protect and serve the public,” Game and Parks Director Jim Douglas said. “We are pleased to be able to offer more opportunities on smaller park areas that typically attract less people. Busier areas such as Branched Oak Lake, Medicine Creek Reservoir and Lake McConaughy, which attract larger crowds, will retain RV camping by reservation only for the time being. As we continue to be able to add needed seasonal personnel and provide for facility maintenance, we will expand further opportunities while managing within the constraints of the ongoing health emergency.”

The prevailing health recommendations for social distancing and group sizes less than 10 to meet the state Directed Health Measures still apply, and it’s incumbent upon park visitors to be responsible for their own actions to protect their health, the health of their community and that of other park users.

For the park locations in the online reservation system, camping will continue to be limited to advanced reservation at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA1MjAuMjE4MTA4NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9yZXNlcnZhdGlvbnMvIn0.AuOOuV6oc97xG_fvImM2y088AqVWJJJiL4LEvlziVwY/br/78901973883-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/reservations</a>, and only for self-contained recreational vehicles. No first-come, first-served camping is allowed at these locations, and no tents will be allowed at this time, but expanded camping may be allowed in the near future. These areas are: Branched Oak, Calamus, Chadron, Eugene T. Mahoney, Fort Kearney, Fort Robinson, Fremont, Indian Cave, Johnson Lake, Lake McConaughy, Lake Minatare, Lake Ogallala, Lewis and Clark, Louisville, Medicine Creek Reservoir, Merritt Reservoir, Niobrara, Pawnee, Platte River, Ponca, Rock Creek Station, Two Rivers, Victoria Springs, Willow Creek, and Windmill state recreation areas, state parks and state historical parks.

Game and Parks cautiously will phase in additional park services and amenities in consort with health directives and advice from health departments.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will open first-come, first-served camping on May 22 at Smith Falls State Park, 35 state recreation areas and wildlife management areas for all camping units, including tents.This decision is prompted by overwhelming demand for camping opportunities, challenges in bringing additional park locations and campsites into the reservation system as planned, and public comments regarding the desire to camp even without normal facilities, which will remain closed. Those include shower houses, designated swimming beaches, playgrounds, and park activities. A limited number of primitive restrooms will be available.Park regulations allow for up to eight people per campsite. The 35 state recreation areas that will be open include Alexandria, Bluestem, Box Butte, Bridgeport, Buffalo Bill, Cheyenne, Conestoga, Cottonwood Lake, Dead Timber, Enders, Gallagher Canyon, Keller Park, Lake Maloney, Long Pine, Memphis, North Loup, Olive Creek, Pelican Point, Red Willow, Riverview Marina, Rock Creek Lake, Rockford, Sandy Channel, Sherman, Stagecoach, Summit, Sutherland, Swanson, Union Pacific, Verdon, Wagon Train, Walgren Lake, War Axe, and Wildcat Hills.Mormon Island State Recreation Area near Grand Island and Danish Alps SRA near Hubbard will not offer camping, as they are near communities with high COVID-19 incidence.Game and Parks will open camping on wildlife management areas where it was allowed previous to the COVID-19 health emergency to help distribute camping activity.“We made the earlier decision to allow limited RV camping, by reservation only, consistent with health directives that encourage limitations on crowd size and our current capacity to protect and serve the public,” Game and Parks Director Jim Douglas said. “We are pleased to be able to offer more opportunities on smaller park areas that typically attract less people. Busier areas such as Branched Oak Lake, Medicine Creek Reservoir and Lake McConaughy, which attract larger crowds, will retain RV camping by reservation only for the time being. As we continue to be able to add needed seasonal personnel and provide for facility maintenance, we will expand further opportunities while managing within the constraints of the ongoing health emergency.”The prevailing health recommendations for social distancing and group sizes less than 10 to meet the state Directed Health Measures still apply, and it’s incumbent upon park visitors to be responsible for their own actions to protect their health, the health of their community and that of other park users.For the park locations in the online reservation system, camping will continue to be limited to advanced reservation at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA1MjAuMjE4MTA4NTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vb3V0ZG9vcm5lYnJhc2thLmdvdi9yZXNlcnZhdGlvbnMvIn0.AuOOuV6oc97xG_fvImM2y088AqVWJJJiL4LEvlziVwY/br/78901973883-l" target="_blank">OutdoorNebraska.gov/reservations</a>, and only for self-contained recreational vehicles. No first-come, first-served camping is allowed at these locations, and no tents will be allowed at this time, but expanded camping may be allowed in the near future. These areas are: Branched Oak, Calamus, Chadron, Eugene T. Mahoney, Fort Kearney, Fort Robinson, Fremont, Indian Cave, Johnson Lake, Lake McConaughy, Lake Minatare, Lake Ogallala, Lewis and Clark, Louisville, Medicine Creek Reservoir, Merritt Reservoir, Niobrara, Pawnee, Platte River, Ponca, Rock Creek Station, Two Rivers, Victoria Springs, Willow Creek, and Windmill state recreation areas, state parks and state historical parks.Game and Parks cautiously will phase in additional park services and amenities in consort with health directives and advice from health departments.

Game and Parks expanding camping opportunities

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-The Prairie Arts Center will reopen doors June 2nd.&nbsp; Hours to the public will be 11-2 pm during the first week in June.&nbsp; Hours will be adjusted throughout the month.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gallery:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Through the month of June you can explore the art therapy process through drug court and how art supports their healing process.&nbsp;&nbsp;This process allows those in recovery to use their creativity and imagination to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, videos, poetry and music.&nbsp; Everything in "The Art of Recovery" Exhibit allows artists to express themselves in a healthy and productive way.&nbsp;

Art Therapy helps people cope with medical challenges, stress and anxiety, as well as expand their forms of communication and express thoughts and feelings that they may not be able to say with words.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Classes:&nbsp;&nbsp;Classes will be rescheduled as we re-open our doors and we will contact registrants to notify them of rescheduled class times and dates.&nbsp; Online art kits and delivery will be available&nbsp;through May.

Flipping Out - PAC's Flea Market Flip&nbsp;will take place on July 18th, 11-3 pm in Pac's parking lot.&nbsp; Teams can sign up now online at&nbsp;<a href="http://prairieartscenter.org/" target="_blank">prairieartscenter.org</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; Team fees are $35 and they can enter up to 3 items.&nbsp; Pieces will be sold via silent and live auction on July&nbsp;18th.&nbsp; Proceeds will be split between PAC and teams non-profit of choice.

News ReleaseNORTH PLATTE, Neb.-The Prairie Arts Center will reopen doors June 2nd.&nbsp; Hours to the public will be 11-2 pm during the first week in June.&nbsp; Hours will be adjusted throughout the month.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gallery:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Through the month of June you can explore the art therapy process through drug court and how art supports their healing process.&nbsp;&nbsp;This process allows those in recovery to use their creativity and imagination to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, videos, poetry and music.&nbsp; Everything in "The Art of Recovery" Exhibit allows artists to express themselves in a healthy and productive way.&nbsp;Art Therapy helps people cope with medical challenges, stress and anxiety, as well as expand their forms of communication and express thoughts and feelings that they may not be able to say with words.&nbsp;&nbsp;Classes:&nbsp;&nbsp;Classes will be rescheduled as we re-open our doors and we will contact registrants to notify them of rescheduled class times and dates.&nbsp; Online art kits and delivery will be available&nbsp;through May.Flipping Out - PAC's Flea Market Flip&nbsp;will take place on July 18th, 11-3 pm in Pac's parking lot.&nbsp; Teams can sign up now online at&nbsp;<a href="http://prairieartscenter.org/" target="_blank">prairieartscenter.org</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; Team fees are $35 and they can enter up to 3 items.&nbsp; Pieces will be sold via silent and live auction on July&nbsp;18th.&nbsp; Proceeds will be split between PAC and teams non-profit of choice.

Prairie Arts Center to reopen June 2

OMAHA, Neb.-It was early March and Creighton Blue Jays fan, James Faylor, M.D., and his son went to New York City to watch their favorite team play in the Big East Tournament.

The United States was just starting to grapple with the COVID19 virus with the first reported case of coronavirus on Jan 21 in the state of Washington.

Like many Americans, Dr. Faylor was aware of what was happening, but had only heard of one other smaller outbreak on the east coast involving a woman who had traveled to Iran.

“The Blue Jays only got to play half of their game and then it all got canceled and everyone went home,” he said.

That was on March 12 and by the following Monday, March 16, Dr. Faylor had developed a cough and called the health department hotline to inquire about a test.

Within seven days of testing positive for COVID19, Dr. Faylor was laying in the intensive care unit at Nebraska Medicine, intubated, and fighting for his life.

Daniel Lemos, an auto repair shop manager, had been feeling a bit feverish when he inquired about getting tested at a drive-through site being held at Fonner Park in Grand Island in early April.

His father was hospitalized with COVID19 and he suspected that his increasing shortness of breath and fevers were related.

Lemos drove to Fonner Park on the morning of Good Friday, April 10 and by that evening he could barely drive to the hospital, his breathing had become so difficult. By the next day he was on a life-flight to Nebraska Medicine, where he would be put on a heart-lung machine.

Both Dr. Faylor and Lemos would spend weeks in the hospital, much of that time sedated as doctors and nurses did all they could to keep them alive while their bodies fought the virus.

Both families were approached and asked if they would consent to their loved one taking part in a new clinical trial only available to hospitalized patients with confirmed cases of COVID19.

The clinical trial testing Remdesivir versus placebo was on the fast track as a potential drug therapy in treating COVID19 with some early promising results.

Their families agreed to their participation in the study, not knowing if their loved one would get the drug or not.

As it turns out Dr. Faylor did receive the medication, something he credits for saving his life.

Lemos did not but is glad his family was willing to enroll him in the trial.

“Clinical trials are a way to help everybody, and even though I didn’t get the medication, I would still participate if given the opportunity,” Lemos said.

“I’m sure Remdesivir helped me and if the shoe was on the other foot I would do the same for my family member,” he said.

“The medications used in clinical trials are usually studied for years before being tested in humans thus the fact we were able to complete this large trial in less than two months is a major advance in the discovery of new treatments,” said Andre Kalil, M.D., physician and primary investigator of the National Institutes of Health clinical trial of Remdesivir at UNMC.

In the case of Remdesivir, with the gravity of the situation facing the world, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for doctors to use it in patients who have COVID19 because it showed promise in early tests, Dr. Kalil said.

Clinical trials at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine are found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskamed.com/clinical-trials" target="_blank">https://www.nebraskamed.com/clinical-trials</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590002589965.png" alt="Andre Kalil, M.D.," />
 <figcaption>Andre Kalil, M.D.,</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb.-It was early March and Creighton Blue Jays fan, James Faylor, M.D., and his son went to New York City to watch their favorite team play in the Big East Tournament.The United States was just starting to grapple with the COVID19 virus with the first reported case of coronavirus on Jan 21 in the state of Washington.Like many Americans, Dr. Faylor was aware of what was happening, but had only heard of one other smaller outbreak on the east coast involving a woman who had traveled to Iran.“The Blue Jays only got to play half of their game and then it all got canceled and everyone went home,” he said.That was on March 12 and by the following Monday, March 16, Dr. Faylor had developed a cough and called the health department hotline to inquire about a test.Within seven days of testing positive for COVID19, Dr. Faylor was laying in the intensive care unit at Nebraska Medicine, intubated, and fighting for his life.Daniel Lemos, an auto repair shop manager, had been feeling a bit feverish when he inquired about getting tested at a drive-through site being held at Fonner Park in Grand Island in early April.His father was hospitalized with COVID19 and he suspected that his increasing shortness of breath and fevers were related.Lemos drove to Fonner Park on the morning of Good Friday, April 10 and by that evening he could barely drive to the hospital, his breathing had become so difficult. By the next day he was on a life-flight to Nebraska Medicine, where he would be put on a heart-lung machine.Both Dr. Faylor and Lemos would spend weeks in the hospital, much of that time sedated as doctors and nurses did all they could to keep them alive while their bodies fought the virus.Both families were approached and asked if they would consent to their loved one taking part in a new clinical trial only available to hospitalized patients with confirmed cases of COVID19.The clinical trial testing Remdesivir versus placebo was on the fast track as a potential drug therapy in treating COVID19 with some early promising results.Their families agreed to their participation in the study, not knowing if their loved one would get the drug or not.As it turns out Dr. Faylor did receive the medication, something he credits for saving his life.Lemos did not but is glad his family was willing to enroll him in the trial.“Clinical trials are a way to help everybody, and even though I didn’t get the medication, I would still participate if given the opportunity,” Lemos said.Dr. Faylor agrees.“I’m sure Remdesivir helped me and if the shoe was on the other foot I would do the same for my family member,” he said.“The medications used in clinical trials are usually studied for years before being tested in humans thus the fact we were able to complete this large trial in less than two months is a major advance in the discovery of new treatments,” said Andre Kalil, M.D., physician and primary investigator of the National Institutes of Health clinical trial of Remdesivir at UNMC.In the case of Remdesivir, with the gravity of the situation facing the world, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for doctors to use it in patients who have COVID19 because it showed promise in early tests, Dr. Kalil said.Clinical trials at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine are found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskamed.com/clinical-trials" target="_blank">https://www.nebraskamed.com/clinical-trials</a>

Two UNMC clinical trial participants recount their brush with COVID19

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Seven more people have died from the coronavirus in Nebraska, including five residents at a long-term care facility in Omaha, officials said Wednesday.

The residents lived at the Life Care Center of Elkhorn, a facility that has been struggling with a COVID-19 outbreak among employees and the seniors they serve.

Long-term care facilities such as nursing homes are among the hardest-hit venues in Nebraska. On Tuesday, Gov. Pete Ricketts said the facilities have been linked to at least 62 of the state's 132 coronavirus deaths. He said 89 facilities have reported cases of the virus among residents, employees or both.

The Life Care Center of Elkhorn said in a statement that residents who test positive were immediately separated into their own area of the building.

"We are doing everything we can to provide the best care for residents and to safeguard staff," the statement said.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reported 10,846 confirmed cases statewide as of Tuesday night. More than 72,300 people have been tested.

The number of new patients has been trending downward since a peak of 677 new cases on May 7, but public health officials say it's important to continue taking precautions such as social distancing.

Nebraska's hospital capacity for treating patients with the virus is fairly stable. The state's hospitals report that 44% of their beds, 38% of their intensive care unit beds and 78% of their ventilators are available for use if needed.

For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness or death. But for most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Seven more people have died from the coronavirus in Nebraska, including five residents at a long-term care facility in Omaha, officials said Wednesday.The residents lived at the Life Care Center of Elkhorn, a facility that has been struggling with a COVID-19 outbreak among employees and the seniors they serve.Long-term care facilities such as nursing homes are among the hardest-hit venues in Nebraska. On Tuesday, Gov. Pete Ricketts said the facilities have been linked to at least 62 of the state's 132 coronavirus deaths. He said 89 facilities have reported cases of the virus among residents, employees or both.The Life Care Center of Elkhorn said in a statement that residents who test positive were immediately separated into their own area of the building."We are doing everything we can to provide the best care for residents and to safeguard staff," the statement said.The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reported 10,846 confirmed cases statewide as of Tuesday night. More than 72,300 people have been tested.The number of new patients has been trending downward since a peak of 677 new cases on May 7, but public health officials say it's important to continue taking precautions such as social distancing.Nebraska's hospital capacity for treating patients with the virus is fairly stable. The state's hospitals report that 44% of their beds, 38% of their intensive care unit beds and 78% of their ventilators are available for use if needed.For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness or death. But for most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

7 new virus deaths in Nebraska include 5 at nursing home

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Creighton University has furloughed 190 employees and made several other spending cuts because of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Creighton officials said Wednesday they expect to have to cut at least $35 million from the university's budget to offset declining revenue from tuition and fees.

The private university in Omaha said most of the jobs that were eliminated were ones that couldn't be performed remotely.

Creighton will pay both its regular contribution and the furloughed employees' portion of medical insurance premiums, and the university said the affected employees will retain their seniority with Creighton.

The university said it will suspend its contributions to all employee retirement plans on July 1, and top executives will take a pay cut. Creighton said it also won't pay merit raises this year and will cut discretionary spending. Officials said additional cuts could be needed depending on enrollment levels.

The university also created a relief fund to help workers who have lost their jobs.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Creighton University has furloughed 190 employees and made several other spending cuts because of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.Creighton officials said Wednesday they expect to have to cut at least $35 million from the university's budget to offset declining revenue from tuition and fees.The private university in Omaha said most of the jobs that were eliminated were ones that couldn't be performed remotely.Creighton will pay both its regular contribution and the furloughed employees' portion of medical insurance premiums, and the university said the affected employees will retain their seniority with Creighton.The university said it will suspend its contributions to all employee retirement plans on July 1, and top executives will take a pay cut. Creighton said it also won't pay merit raises this year and will cut discretionary spending. Officials said additional cuts could be needed depending on enrollment levels.The university also created a relief fund to help workers who have lost their jobs.

Creighton University furloughs 190 people, makes other cuts

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — The Rapid City Police Department says one of its officers has tested positive for COVID-19. 

Police officials learned of the positive test result late Monday afternoon. The officer informed his supervisor when he first began developing symptoms. 

Supervisors are in the process of determining a timeline of contacts the officer may have made within the last two weeks. 

The department is monitoring the health of employees who may have had contact with the officer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — The Rapid City Police Department says one of its officers has tested positive for COVID-19. Police officials learned of the positive test result late Monday afternoon. The officer informed his supervisor when he first began developing symptoms. He remains in self-quarantine. Supervisors are in the process of determining a timeline of contacts the officer may have made within the last two weeks. The department is monitoring the health of employees who may have had contact with the officer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rapid City officer tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing the gravest U.S. economic crisis in decades, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered U.S. Senators contrasting views Tuesday of what the government’s most urgent priority should be.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDl_xETXoI">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>Senator Moran's turn at questioning Mnuchin and Powell.

Striking a theme frequently pushed by President Donald Trump, Mnuchin warned that prolonged business shutdowns would pose long-term threats to the economy, from widespread bankruptcies for small businesses to long-term unemployment for millions of Americans.

“There is risk of permanent damage,” Mnuchin said.

Powell, by contrast, stressed, as he has in recent weeks, that the nation is gripped by an economic shock “without modern precedent” and that Congress must consider providing further financial aid soon to support states, localities, businesses and individuals to prevent an even deeper recession.

“What Congress has done to date has been remarkably timely and forceful,” Powell said. “But we need to step back and ask, ’Is it enough?”

Their points of emphasis reflect the contours of a debate occurring across the country, among individuals, business people and political leaders, about when and under what circumstances the economy should reopen and what further help the government can or should provide.

Mnuchin and Powell offered their views at an oversight hearing of the Senate Banking Committee at which members of both parties questioned them about when their agencies will distribute more of the emergency aid that Congress provided in late March to struggling small businesses and households.

Powell said that a highly anticipated lending program the Fed is creating for small businesses should be operating by the end of the month. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0abbc3e930e7d8cff7da05bbd7921ee2">in a turnaround</a>, Mnuchin said the Treasury is now prepared to absorb some losses in that program, which is funded by Treasury. Doing so could enable the Fed to take on further risk with the program and help more struggling companies.

During the hearing, Mnuchin clashed sharply with Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts over the administration’s support for a phased reopening of the economy and over its reluctance to require that all companies that receive government aid keep their workers on the payroll.

Brown charged that the Trump administration was risking the lives of lower-income workers by supporting reopening efforts and was doing so simply to boost financial markets. He asserted that the administration hasn’t done enough to protect front-line workers — by, for example, ramping up viral testing — even as most states start allowing restaurants, stores and gyms to reopen.

“The administration wants to put more workers at risk to boost the stock market,” Brown said.

“Your characterization is unfair,” Mnuchin responded.

The hearing was the first in a planned series of quarterly oversight sessions focused on spending programs authorized in the $2 trillion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20200409a.htm">federal relief package</a>&nbsp;that is overseen by the Treasury Department and Fed. They include the $660 billion small business lending facility, known as the paycheck protection program, as well as $46 billion in grants to airlines and $454 billion to support the Fed’s lending.

The Fed announced in March that it would set up the Main Street Lending Program, which will provide up to $600 billion in loans to medium-sized businesses that are too large to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program. The Treasury has provided $75 billion, drawn from the $454 billion set aside by Congress, to cover any losses from the Main Street program.

Mnuchin said that under some scenarios the Treasury could lose some or all of that $75 billion.

“Our intention is that we intend to take some losses,” he said.

The Fed has also said it will buy debt issued by state and local governments, which are facing plummeting revenues as the viral outbreak has eliminated tens of millions of jobs and slashed income tax and sales tax revenue. At the same time, states and cities are facing much higher health care costs.

Yet the Fed’s program will make it easier for governments to borrow in the municipal bond market. Powell, under questioning, said that states might need more direct help from the federal government to avoid laying off workers, with the unemployment rate, at 14.7%, already the highest since the Great Depression.

Mnuchin came under sharp questioning from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who charged that he wasn’t doing enough to force companies that receive aid from the Main Street Lending program, as well as other aid provided by the Fed and Treasury, to keep workers on their payrolls.

The senator pressed Mnuchin to ensure that the loans include that requirement. When Mnuchin declined to commit to that change, Warren said, “You’re boosting your Wall Street buddies.”

Mnuchin told Warren that the legislation providing the funds includes restrictions on top executive pay and on company dividends and stock buybacks.

Mnuchin said in prepared testimony that so far, the paycheck program has processed more than 4.2 million loans for over $530 billion “to keep tens of millions of hardworking Americans on the payroll.” The loans need not be repaid as long as the borrowing business uses 75% of the money to cover workers’ paychecks.

But many small companies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/380b07b9292ea7ae4d382f091d99bf10">say the terms are too onerous</a>. To have the loans forgiven, they must rehire all their employees within eight weeks of receiving the funds, even if they have little business or work for them to do. These companies argue that they might have to lay off their workers again at the end of the eight weeks — and may have little money left to help ramp up when business does return.

Mnuchin, pressed about those issues and about opening the loan program to more nonprofits, said his department was considering making changes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will likely come under tough questioning from senators Tuesday about a small business lending program included in the government’s $2 trillion relief package.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?472163-1/fed-reserve-chair-powell-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-testify-cares-act-coronavirus-relief-bill&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;Tuesday's hearing that started at 9a.m. CDT

Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the Payroll Protection Program, which initially provided $349 billion in forgivable loans to small companies but has been plagued by a host of problems.

Many businesses were unable to get loans before the initial funding was exhausted. A second round of loans faced computer processing delays and a number of publicly traded companies ended up receiving money that Mnuchin demanded be paid back to the government.

<a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Mnuchin%20Testimony%205-19-201.pdf">Click here to read</a> Treasury Secretary Mnuchin's opening statement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A small, overlooked federal agency is shouldering a massive relief effort for the nation’s small businesses and their workers left reeling by the pandemic.

The Small Business Administration has committed to auditing every sizable emergency loan it approves.

But six weeks after the $600 billion-plus program was launched, the agency has yet to make public the recipients of taxpayer aid.

A signature piece of Congress’ multitrillion-dollar pandemic rescue, the unprecedented lending program is targeted to help small employers stay afloat and preserve jobs in a cratering economy losing tens of millions of them.

“Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs at least,” President Donald Trump said at a White House event on small business late last month with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.

Managing the program fell to the SBA, an agency with some 3,200 employees and an $819 million annual budget that’s one-tenth the size of the Commerce Department’s. On at least two occasions last month, the SBA’s computer system slowed under the crush of loan applications, creating a bottleneck. The agency says it has processed 4.2 million loans for some $530 billion in awards.

The need for a detailed public accounting of the small-business relief program is amplified by controversy over how it has unfolded since early April. It’s important as a way for the public to know whether the program is working as Congress intended.

Several hundred publicly traded companies received hundreds of millions of the low-interest, potentially forgivable loans. They tapped the federal aid despite their likely ability to get the money from private financial sources. Some had market values well over $100 million, and many had executives earning millions annually.

On its website, the SBA says it “is becoming more transparent, participatory and collaborative through open government.” It cites, among other things, its Freedom of Information Act program and improvements to online services.

So far, the agency has only provided general information, such as the total amounts of loans awarded in a given time period.

With huge amounts of money flying out the government’s door in a crisis, full public disclosure can help prevent fraud and improper spending, says Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and expert in government ethics.

Otherwise, “the risks to taxpayers are greater,” Clark said. “I would think the SBA would be proactive in making information public.”

Asked by news organizations for information on the companies receiving loans and when it might be provided, the SBA has said it’s too consumed now by the urgent effort of helping small businesses through the economic downturn. It says specific loan data may be released sometime “in the near future.”

“At this time, the agency is focusing its efforts on assisting small businesses during this unprecedented disruption to the economy,” the SBA says. “The agency recognizes the need to balance the interests of transparency with the privacy and confidentiality issues release of loan information raises.”

The loans made to big deep-pocketed companies in the Paycheck Protection Program meant that less money was available for smaller businesses. Publicly shamed, big corporations, including national restaurant chains Shake Shack, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Potbelly Sandwich Shop, said they would return their loans.

It was news reports of big companies receiving loans that sparked the public outcry. The Associated Press and several other news organizations combed through voluminous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission to unearth public companies that had received PPP loans. The SBA did not make the information public.

That may be surprising because, until now, the SBA has regularly released information on businesses that have borrowed under its main lending program, the so-called 7(a) program.

In fact, the loan application for the Paycheck Protection Program includes this notice to potential borrowers: Under the Freedom of Information Act and with certain exceptions, the SBA “must supply information reflected in agency files and records to a person requesting it.”

Several news organizations, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have sued the SBA in federal court over its not having released the loan data despite several FOIA requests. They accuse the agency of violating the FOIA law. The SBA has declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Amid the public outcry, Mnuchin recently threatened criminal prosecution and warned companies they must return the money if they falsely certified that they needed federal aid to operate and couldn’t get it elsewhere. SBA set a deadline of Monday for companies with improperly received loans to return the money without penalty.

But last week, SBA issued revised guidance indicating that criminal action won’t be pursued if companies found to have falsely certified their needs return the money.

Elsewhere in the government, the Treasury Department recently released an accounting of its emergency lending program for airlines and air cargo carriers under the pandemic relief legislation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589905117701.png" alt="As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Jerry Moran attended the virtual hearing&nbsp; with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell " />
 <figcaption>As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Jerry Moran attended the virtual hearing&nbsp; with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing the gravest U.S. economic crisis in decades, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered U.S. Senators contrasting views Tuesday of what the government’s most urgent priority should be.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDl_xETXoI">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>Senator Moran's turn at questioning Mnuchin and Powell.Striking a theme frequently pushed by President Donald Trump, Mnuchin warned that prolonged business shutdowns would pose long-term threats to the economy, from widespread bankruptcies for small businesses to long-term unemployment for millions of Americans.“There is risk of permanent damage,” Mnuchin said.Powell, by contrast, stressed, as he has in recent weeks, that the nation is gripped by an economic shock “without modern precedent” and that Congress must consider providing further financial aid soon to support states, localities, businesses and individuals to prevent an even deeper recession.“What Congress has done to date has been remarkably timely and forceful,” Powell said. “But we need to step back and ask, ’Is it enough?”Their points of emphasis reflect the contours of a debate occurring across the country, among individuals, business people and political leaders, about when and under what circumstances the economy should reopen and what further help the government can or should provide.Mnuchin and Powell offered their views at an oversight hearing of the Senate Banking Committee at which members of both parties questioned them about when their agencies will distribute more of the emergency aid that Congress provided in late March to struggling small businesses and households.Powell said that a highly anticipated lending program the Fed is creating for small businesses should be operating by the end of the month. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0abbc3e930e7d8cff7da05bbd7921ee2">in a turnaround</a>, Mnuchin said the Treasury is now prepared to absorb some losses in that program, which is funded by Treasury. Doing so could enable the Fed to take on further risk with the program and help more struggling companies.During the hearing, Mnuchin clashed sharply with Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts over the administration’s support for a phased reopening of the economy and over its reluctance to require that all companies that receive government aid keep their workers on the payroll.Brown charged that the Trump administration was risking the lives of lower-income workers by supporting reopening efforts and was doing so simply to boost financial markets. He asserted that the administration hasn’t done enough to protect front-line workers — by, for example, ramping up viral testing — even as most states start allowing restaurants, stores and gyms to reopen.“The administration wants to put more workers at risk to boost the stock market,” Brown said.“Your characterization is unfair,” Mnuchin responded.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589897693671.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during Tuesday's virtual Senate Banking Committee hearing" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during Tuesday's virtual Senate Banking Committee hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>The hearing was the first in a planned series of quarterly oversight sessions focused on spending programs authorized in the $2 trillion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20200409a.htm">federal relief package</a>&nbsp;that is overseen by the Treasury Department and Fed. They include the $660 billion small business lending facility, known as the paycheck protection program, as well as $46 billion in grants to airlines and $454 billion to support the Fed’s lending.The Fed announced in March that it would set up the Main Street Lending Program, which will provide up to $600 billion in loans to medium-sized businesses that are too large to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program. The Treasury has provided $75 billion, drawn from the $454 billion set aside by Congress, to cover any losses from the Main Street program.Mnuchin said that under some scenarios the Treasury could lose some or all of that $75 billion.“Our intention is that we intend to take some losses,” he said.The Fed has also said it will buy debt issued by state and local governments, which are facing plummeting revenues as the viral outbreak has eliminated tens of millions of jobs and slashed income tax and sales tax revenue. At the same time, states and cities are facing much higher health care costs.Yet the Fed’s program will make it easier for governments to borrow in the municipal bond market. Powell, under questioning, said that states might need more direct help from the federal government to avoid laying off workers, with the unemployment rate, at 14.7%, already the highest since the Great Depression.Mnuchin came under sharp questioning from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who charged that he wasn’t doing enough to force companies that receive aid from the Main Street Lending program, as well as other aid provided by the Fed and Treasury, to keep workers on their payrolls.The senator pressed Mnuchin to ensure that the loans include that requirement. When Mnuchin declined to commit to that change, Warren said, “You’re boosting your Wall Street buddies.”Mnuchin told Warren that the legislation providing the funds includes restrictions on top executive pay and on company dividends and stock buybacks.Mnuchin said in prepared testimony that so far, the paycheck program has processed more than 4.2 million loans for over $530 billion “to keep tens of millions of hardworking Americans on the payroll.” The loans need not be repaid as long as the borrowing business uses 75% of the money to cover workers’ paychecks.But many small companies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/380b07b9292ea7ae4d382f091d99bf10">say the terms are too onerous</a>. To have the loans forgiven, they must rehire all their employees within eight weeks of receiving the funds, even if they have little business or work for them to do. These companies argue that they might have to lay off their workers again at the end of the eight weeks — and may have little money left to help ramp up when business does return.Mnuchin, pressed about those issues and about opening the loan program to more nonprofits, said his department was considering making changes.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will likely come under tough questioning from senators Tuesday about a small business lending program included in the government’s $2 trillion relief package.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?472163-1/fed-reserve-chair-powell-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-testify-cares-act-coronavirus-relief-bill&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;Tuesday's hearing that started at 9a.m. CDTLawmakers from both parties have criticized the Payroll Protection Program, which initially provided $349 billion in forgivable loans to small companies but has been plagued by a host of problems.Many businesses were unable to get loans before the initial funding was exhausted. A second round of loans faced computer processing delays and a number of publicly traded companies ended up receiving money that Mnuchin demanded be paid back to the government.<a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Mnuchin%20Testimony%205-19-201.pdf">Click here to read</a> Treasury Secretary Mnuchin's opening statement.---------WASHINGTON (AP) — A small, overlooked federal agency is shouldering a massive relief effort for the nation’s small businesses and their workers left reeling by the pandemic.The Small Business Administration has committed to auditing every sizable emergency loan it approves.But six weeks after the $600 billion-plus program was launched, the agency has yet to make public the recipients of taxpayer aid.A signature piece of Congress’ multitrillion-dollar pandemic rescue, the unprecedented lending program is targeted to help small employers stay afloat and preserve jobs in a cratering economy losing tens of millions of them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584462219509.png" alt="President Trump listens to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Coronavirus Task Force meeting last month. -Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump listens to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Coronavirus Task Force meeting last month. -Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>“Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs at least,” President Donald Trump said at a White House event on small business late last month with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.Managing the program fell to the SBA, an agency with some 3,200 employees and an $819 million annual budget that’s one-tenth the size of the Commerce Department’s. On at least two occasions last month, the SBA’s computer system slowed under the crush of loan applications, creating a bottleneck. The agency says it has processed 4.2 million loans for some $530 billion in awards.The need for a detailed public accounting of the small-business relief program is amplified by controversy over how it has unfolded since early April. It’s important as a way for the public to know whether the program is working as Congress intended.Several hundred publicly traded companies received hundreds of millions of the low-interest, potentially forgivable loans. They tapped the federal aid despite their likely ability to get the money from private financial sources. Some had market values well over $100 million, and many had executives earning millions annually.On its website, the SBA says it “is becoming more transparent, participatory and collaborative through open government.” It cites, among other things, its Freedom of Information Act program and improvements to online services.So far, the agency has only provided general information, such as the total amounts of loans awarded in a given time period.With huge amounts of money flying out the government’s door in a crisis, full public disclosure can help prevent fraud and improper spending, says Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and expert in government ethics.Otherwise, “the risks to taxpayers are greater,” Clark said. “I would think the SBA would be proactive in making information public.”Asked by news organizations for information on the companies receiving loans and when it might be provided, the SBA has said it’s too consumed now by the urgent effort of helping small businesses through the economic downturn. It says specific loan data may be released sometime “in the near future.”“At this time, the agency is focusing its efforts on assisting small businesses during this unprecedented disruption to the economy,” the SBA says. “The agency recognizes the need to balance the interests of transparency with the privacy and confidentiality issues release of loan information raises.”The loans made to big deep-pocketed companies in the Paycheck Protection Program meant that less money was available for smaller businesses. Publicly shamed, big corporations, including national restaurant chains Shake Shack, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Potbelly Sandwich Shop, said they would return their loans.It was news reports of big companies receiving loans that sparked the public outcry. The Associated Press and several other news organizations combed through voluminous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission to unearth public companies that had received PPP loans. The SBA did not make the information public.That may be surprising because, until now, the SBA has regularly released information on businesses that have borrowed under its main lending program, the so-called 7(a) program.In fact, the loan application for the Paycheck Protection Program includes this notice to potential borrowers: Under the Freedom of Information Act and with certain exceptions, the SBA “must supply information reflected in agency files and records to a person requesting it.”Several news organizations, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have sued the SBA in federal court over its not having released the loan data despite several FOIA requests. They accuse the agency of violating the FOIA law. The SBA has declined to comment on the lawsuit.Amid the public outcry, Mnuchin recently threatened criminal prosecution and warned companies they must return the money if they falsely certified that they needed federal aid to operate and couldn’t get it elsewhere. SBA set a deadline of Monday for companies with improperly received loans to return the money without penalty.But last week, SBA issued revised guidance indicating that criminal action won’t be pursued if companies found to have falsely certified their needs return the money.Elsewhere in the government, the Treasury Department recently released an accounting of its emergency lending program for airlines and air cargo carriers under the pandemic relief legislation.&nbsp;

🎥 Who got what? Moran questions small-business virus relief effort

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Two more people have died from the coronavirus in Nebraska and the state reported 277 new cases as of Monday, according to public health officials.

The newest numbers bring the total number of deaths statewide to 125 and the total number of positive cases to 10,625, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. More than 70,100 people have been tested since the pandemic began.

The number of new patients has been trending downward since the a peak of 677 new cases on May 7, but public health officials say it's important to continue practicing safety measures such as social distancing.

Nebraska's hospital capacity for treating patients with the virus is fairly stable. The state's hospitals report that 46% of their beds, 40% of their intensive care unit beds and 77% of their ventilators are available for use if needed.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Two more people have died from the coronavirus in Nebraska and the state reported 277 new cases as of Monday, according to public health officials.The newest numbers bring the total number of deaths statewide to 125 and the total number of positive cases to 10,625, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. More than 70,100 people have been tested since the pandemic began.The number of new patients has been trending downward since the a peak of 677 new cases on May 7, but public health officials say it's important to continue practicing safety measures such as social distancing.Nebraska's hospital capacity for treating patients with the virus is fairly stable. The state's hospitals report that 46% of their beds, 40% of their intensive care unit beds and 77% of their ventilators are available for use if needed.For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness or death. But for most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

Nebraska reports 2 more virus deaths, 277 new cases

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The coronavirus has hurt a vast majority of Nebraska's businesses and about one in six of them are worried that it will force them to close their doors permanently, according to a report released Tuesday.

The report from the Nebraska Business Development Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha highlights the sweeping damage caused by the virus and the steps taken to keep it from spreading, including business closures and social-distancing measures.

The report said 87% of Nebraska businesses have been hurt by the pandemic. The hardest-hit industries have been the arts, entertainment and recreation; health care and social assistance; educational services; and food services.

The results came from the first of two planned surveys that state officials will use to help them decide what they can do to help companies recover. The initial survey of nearly 8,000 Nebraska businesses was conducted from April 15-24, and the second is scheduled for June.

"This has a huge impact on Nebraska businesses, and what this survey kind of does is quantify what we qualitatively already know," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday.

Ricketts said businesses were generally most concerned about accessing cash to stay afloat, the duration of the pandemic, and the drop in consumer confidence and spending.

Cathy Lang, the center's director and a former Nebraska economic development administrator, said the the impact on local companies has been "vast, touching every part of Nebraska and every industry in Nebraska."

Lang said most businesses reported losing revenue but were still trying to maintain their workforce, even though unemployment claims have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d3d2181755cf0e0ac0f15c224682157f" target="_blank">recently surged to record highs.</a>&nbsp;About two-thirds of the businesses surveyed said they had either applied for federal coronavirus assistance or were considering it.

Ricketts also announced that he won't be renewing an executive order to prevent landlords from evicting tenants. The order is expected to expire at the end of the month. Ricketts said he's not renewing it because most residents have now received federal coronavirus assistance and should have money to pay before they fall further behind.

He also said he will extend an executive order allowing local governments to meet using video-conferencing services until the end of June, but will not renew the order after that deadline.

Meanwhile, public health officials reported two more coronavirus deaths and 277 new confirmed cases in Nebraska as of Monday.

The newest numbers brought the state's COVID-19 death toll to 125 and the total number of positive cases to 10,625, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. More than 70,100 people in Nebraska have been tested for the disease.

By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The coronavirus has hurt a vast majority of Nebraska's businesses and about one in six of them are worried that it will force them to close their doors permanently, according to a report released Tuesday.The report from the Nebraska Business Development Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha highlights the sweeping damage caused by the virus and the steps taken to keep it from spreading, including business closures and social-distancing measures.The report said 87% of Nebraska businesses have been hurt by the pandemic. The hardest-hit industries have been the arts, entertainment and recreation; health care and social assistance; educational services; and food services.The results came from the first of two planned surveys that state officials will use to help them decide what they can do to help companies recover. The initial survey of nearly 8,000 Nebraska businesses was conducted from April 15-24, and the second is scheduled for June."This has a huge impact on Nebraska businesses, and what this survey kind of does is quantify what we qualitatively already know," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday.Ricketts said businesses were generally most concerned about accessing cash to stay afloat, the duration of the pandemic, and the drop in consumer confidence and spending.Cathy Lang, the center's director and a former Nebraska economic development administrator, said the the impact on local companies has been "vast, touching every part of Nebraska and every industry in Nebraska."Lang said most businesses reported losing revenue but were still trying to maintain their workforce, even though unemployment claims have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d3d2181755cf0e0ac0f15c224682157f" target="_blank">recently surged to record highs.</a>&nbsp;About two-thirds of the businesses surveyed said they had either applied for federal coronavirus assistance or were considering it.Ricketts also announced that he won't be renewing an executive order to prevent landlords from evicting tenants. The order is expected to expire at the end of the month. Ricketts said he's not renewing it because most residents have now received federal coronavirus assistance and should have money to pay before they fall further behind.He also said he will extend an executive order allowing local governments to meet using video-conferencing services until the end of June, but will not renew the order after that deadline.Meanwhile, public health officials reported two more coronavirus deaths and 277 new confirmed cases in Nebraska as of Monday.The newest numbers brought the state's COVID-19 death toll to 125 and the total number of positive cases to 10,625, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. More than 70,100 people in Nebraska have been tested for the disease.The number of new patients has been trending downward since a peak of 677 new cases on May 7, but public health officials say it's important to continue taking precautions such as social distancing.Nebraska's hospital capacity for treating patients with the virus is fairly stable. The state's hospitals report that 46% of their beds, 40% of their intensive care unit beds and 77% of their ventilators are available for use if needed.For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness or death. But for most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

Report: 1 in 6 Nebraska businesses fear closing for good

LINCOLN, Neb.-Governor Pete Ricketts announced that COVID-19 testing will come to several new communities this week.&nbsp; Test Nebraska will&nbsp;continue in Lincoln and Omaha, and other Test Nebraska mobile sites will open in North Platte, Scottsbluff, Thedford, West Point, and Dakota City.&nbsp; Additionally, the National Guard will conduct testing in David City, Fremont, Omaha, and Wahoo in conjunction with the State’s public health lab.

At this afternoon’s press conference, the Governor also designated May 17-23, 2020 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in Nebraska.&nbsp; Dr. James E. Smith, emergency medicine physician at Great Plains Health and chair of the State’s EMS Board, accepted the official proclamation on behalf of the state’s EMS professionals.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Throughout the month of May, we are reminding people to follow our Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home.&nbsp; Do not take unnecessary trips outside the home.&nbsp; Respect the ten-person limit.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Socially distance your work. &nbsp;Work from home or use the six-foot rule as much as possible in the workplace.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Shop alone and only shop once a week. &nbsp;Do not take family with you.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Help kids follow social distancing. &nbsp;Play at home. &nbsp;No group sports and no playgrounds.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Help seniors stay at home by shopping for them. &nbsp;Do not visit long-term care facilities.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Exercise daily at home or with an appropriately socially-distanced activity.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We continue to encourage people to take the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7CJustin.Pinkerman%40nebraska.gov%7Cddcdd8dd72ba4ed3d06a08d7fb720738%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637254339478551843&amp;sdata=G7rSDG%2BSnlIgbxdi8HCh4ioAttG0midTnFOq9WHHRvU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;assessment.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This week we are deploying testing in the following communities:

o&nbsp;&nbsp;National Guard: Wahoo, Omaha, Fremont, and David City

o&nbsp;&nbsp;National Guard with Test Nebraska: Omaha, Lincoln, North Platte, Scottsbluff, Thedford, West Point, and Dakota City.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Emergency rooms and Emergency Medical Services professionals across the state have been helping to deliver outstanding care throughout the pandemic.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I want to thank every professional and volunteer who is helping take care of people during this very difficult time.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They have some of the hardest jobs in the state.&nbsp; They take care of people in tough situations when their health is on the line.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To honor their work, I am signing a proclamation declaring Emergency Medical Services Week in Nebraska.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Nebraskans call 9-1-1, a host of people spring into action to provide help.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;A dispatcher quickly gathers critical information to determine which assets to deploy to the situation.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;A law enforcement officer may be the first to arrive on the scene, rendering life-saving treatment such as CPR, defibrillation, or stopping active bleeding while EMS personnel are on the way.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS providers then arrive.&nbsp; They may be first responders, EMTs, paramedics, or nurses. &nbsp;Firefighters also assist in giving care while helping to extricate the victim.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;The patient is then rapidly transported to an emergency department, while treatment is administered in a moving vehicle or in the back of a helicopter.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;At the emergency department, hospital staff seek to treat and stabilize patients. &nbsp;In some cases, EMS personnel must again transport critically injured patients to a higher level of care.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dedicated maintenance personnel keep ambulances and aircrafts at a mission-ready status. &nbsp;Drivers and pilots have the difficult task of providing timely and safe transportation.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Non-clinical staff in offices, hospitals, EMS bases, fire agencies, and government agencies give much-needed support to the system.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Training agencies work tirelessly to equip EMS staff to the best of their abilities.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the end of the day, someone has to make the conscious decision to answer the call for help.&nbsp; This call requires them to put their lives and well-being on the line.&nbsp; This has been especially true during the pandemic.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lastly, there’s always someone left behind—a spouse, child, parent, or friend—who watches their loved one walk out the door to answer the call and who prays for their safety.&nbsp;

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Currently, the EMS community is supporting those affected by the crisis while also responding to the everyday emergencies that continue to occur.&nbsp; During the pandemic, they’ve faced challenges such as limited personal protective equipment (PPE) or having teammates stricken by the virus.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Now more than ever, it is important that we honor and celebrate our EMS professionals as they support the health and wellbeing of our state and our nation.

Full video of today’s press briefing is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/yvn48f11f0xpq7r/Press%20Conf%205.18.2020.mp4?dl=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589884349223.png" alt="Gov. Ricketts (podium, and the chair of the State’s EMS Board,&nbsp;Dr. James E. Smith (standing on far left, at today’s briefing." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Ricketts (podium, and the chair of the State’s EMS Board,&nbsp;Dr. James E. Smith (standing on far left, at today’s briefing.</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb.-Governor Pete Ricketts announced that COVID-19 testing will come to several new communities this week.&nbsp; Test Nebraska will&nbsp;continue in Lincoln and Omaha, and other Test Nebraska mobile sites will open in North Platte, Scottsbluff, Thedford, West Point, and Dakota City.&nbsp; Additionally, the National Guard will conduct testing in David City, Fremont, Omaha, and Wahoo in conjunction with the State’s public health lab.At this afternoon’s press conference, the Governor also designated May 17-23, 2020 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in Nebraska.&nbsp; Dr. James E. Smith, emergency medicine physician at Great Plains Health and chair of the State’s EMS Board, accepted the official proclamation on behalf of the state’s EMS professionals.Gov. Ricketts: Six Rules Reminder·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Throughout the month of May, we are reminding people to follow our Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home.&nbsp; Do not take unnecessary trips outside the home.&nbsp; Respect the ten-person limit.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Socially distance your work. &nbsp;Work from home or use the six-foot rule as much as possible in the workplace.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Shop alone and only shop once a week. &nbsp;Do not take family with you.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Help kids follow social distancing. &nbsp;Play at home. &nbsp;No group sports and no playgrounds.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Help seniors stay at home by shopping for them. &nbsp;Do not visit long-term care facilities.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Exercise daily at home or with an appropriately socially-distanced activity.Gov. Ricketts: Test Nebraska·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We continue to encourage people to take the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7CJustin.Pinkerman%40nebraska.gov%7Cddcdd8dd72ba4ed3d06a08d7fb720738%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637254339478551843&amp;sdata=G7rSDG%2BSnlIgbxdi8HCh4ioAttG0midTnFOq9WHHRvU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;assessment.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This week we are deploying testing in the following communities:o&nbsp;&nbsp;National Guard: Wahoo, Omaha, Fremont, and David Cityo&nbsp;&nbsp;National Guard with Test Nebraska: Omaha, Lincoln, North Platte, Scottsbluff, Thedford, West Point, and Dakota City.Gov. Ricketts: EMS Week·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Emergency rooms and Emergency Medical Services professionals across the state have been helping to deliver outstanding care throughout the pandemic.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I want to thank every professional and volunteer who is helping take care of people during this very difficult time.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They have some of the hardest jobs in the state.&nbsp; They take care of people in tough situations when their health is on the line.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To honor their work, I am signing a proclamation declaring Emergency Medical Services Week in Nebraska.Dr. Jim Smith: EMS Week·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Nebraskans call 9-1-1, a host of people spring into action to provide help.o&nbsp;&nbsp;A dispatcher quickly gathers critical information to determine which assets to deploy to the situation.o&nbsp;&nbsp;A law enforcement officer may be the first to arrive on the scene, rendering life-saving treatment such as CPR, defibrillation, or stopping active bleeding while EMS personnel are on the way.o&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS providers then arrive.&nbsp; They may be first responders, EMTs, paramedics, or nurses. &nbsp;Firefighters also assist in giving care while helping to extricate the victim.o&nbsp;&nbsp;The patient is then rapidly transported to an emergency department, while treatment is administered in a moving vehicle or in the back of a helicopter.o&nbsp;&nbsp;At the emergency department, hospital staff seek to treat and stabilize patients. &nbsp;In some cases, EMS personnel must again transport critically injured patients to a higher level of care.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dedicated maintenance personnel keep ambulances and aircrafts at a mission-ready status. &nbsp;Drivers and pilots have the difficult task of providing timely and safe transportation.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Non-clinical staff in offices, hospitals, EMS bases, fire agencies, and government agencies give much-needed support to the system.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Training agencies work tirelessly to equip EMS staff to the best of their abilities.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the end of the day, someone has to make the conscious decision to answer the call for help.&nbsp; This call requires them to put their lives and well-being on the line.&nbsp; This has been especially true during the pandemic.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lastly, there’s always someone left behind—a spouse, child, parent, or friend—who watches their loved one walk out the door to answer the call and who prays for their safety.&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Currently, the EMS community is supporting those affected by the crisis while also responding to the everyday emergencies that continue to occur.&nbsp; During the pandemic, they’ve faced challenges such as limited personal protective equipment (PPE) or having teammates stricken by the virus.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Now more than ever, it is important that we honor and celebrate our EMS professionals as they support the health and wellbeing of our state and our nation.Full video of today’s press briefing is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/yvn48f11f0xpq7r/Press%20Conf%205.18.2020.mp4?dl=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Gov. Ricketts announces new COVID-19 testing sites, proclaims 'EMS Week' in Nebraska

Public Health Command Center daily update from North Platte on May 18, 2020.

Public Health Command Center daily update from North Platte on May 18, 2020.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwcdhd%2Fvideos%2F171091727641471%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

🎥 Public Health Command Center Update from North Platte (May 18, 2020)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts warned Monday that the coronavirus pandemic will likely lead to state budget cuts and force lawmakers to water down two of his biggest priorities - a property tax bill for farmers and homeowners, and a new business incentive package.

His comments came after lawmakers announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4776b62ffd7032ce635ef2d667b1e36f" target="_blank">resume their regular session</a>&nbsp;on July 20.

It's not clear whether the property tax or business incentive measures had enough support to pass even before the pandemic. But the economic damage caused by business closures and social distancing has already led to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f1ce8cdc3106229ff0344d3608e17746" target="_blank">sharp downturn</a>&nbsp;in state revenue, making it much harder to approve either proposal.

"We are going to need to tighten our belts," Ricketts said at his weekday coronavirus news conference. "At this point we just don't know what all that is going to entail."

Ricketts said he still hopes lawmakers can address those priorities, but he acknowledged that people will need to "adjust expectations" for what can be done this year.

The property tax plan floated by key lawmakers seeks to lower property taxes by boosting state aid for K-12 schools but impose new restrictions on their taxing power, which school groups oppose. The business tax incentive package would replace the state's largest tax credit program for businesses, which is set to expire this year.

Nebraska has seen a few hopeful signs over the last few days, as the number of new, confirmed COVID-19 cases appeared to be trending downward. The state reported 576 new confirmed cases over the weekend, which was down from 743 the previous weekend. No news deaths were reported Sunday.

Even so, Ricketts said he wanted more caseload data before he decides whether to further ease social-distancing restrictions in June.

Meanwhile, more COVID-19 cases were confirmed at a western Omaha nursing home that reported scores of them last week, health officials said.

Two more residents and five more staff members at the Life Care Center of Elkhorn have tested positive in recent days, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omaha.com/news/local/five-more-staffers-at-elkhorn-nursing-home-test-positive-for-coronavirus/article_f604513d-4a41-5e1d-8c49-dadabd3b745d.html#1" target="_blank">reported</a>. The new cases were reported Sunday. The center's executive director, Michelle Yosick, said residents who have tested positive have been isolated and are receiving care.

Last week, officials reported that 68 cases of the virus had been confirmed among residents and staff at the nursing facility in Omaha's Elkhorn community.

By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts warned Monday that the coronavirus pandemic will likely lead to state budget cuts and force lawmakers to water down two of his biggest priorities - a property tax bill for farmers and homeowners, and a new business incentive package.His comments came after lawmakers announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4776b62ffd7032ce635ef2d667b1e36f" target="_blank">resume their regular session</a>&nbsp;on July 20.It's not clear whether the property tax or business incentive measures had enough support to pass even before the pandemic. But the economic damage caused by business closures and social distancing has already led to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f1ce8cdc3106229ff0344d3608e17746" target="_blank">sharp downturn</a>&nbsp;in state revenue, making it much harder to approve either proposal."We are going to need to tighten our belts," Ricketts said at his weekday coronavirus news conference. "At this point we just don't know what all that is going to entail."Ricketts said he still hopes lawmakers can address those priorities, but he acknowledged that people will need to "adjust expectations" for what can be done this year.The property tax plan floated by key lawmakers seeks to lower property taxes by boosting state aid for K-12 schools but impose new restrictions on their taxing power, which school groups oppose. The business tax incentive package would replace the state's largest tax credit program for businesses, which is set to expire this year.Nebraska has seen a few hopeful signs over the last few days, as the number of new, confirmed COVID-19 cases appeared to be trending downward. The state reported 576 new confirmed cases over the weekend, which was down from 743 the previous weekend. No news deaths were reported Sunday.Even so, Ricketts said he wanted more caseload data before he decides whether to further ease social-distancing restrictions in June.Meanwhile, more COVID-19 cases were confirmed at a western Omaha nursing home that reported scores of them last week, health officials said.Two more residents and five more staff members at the Life Care Center of Elkhorn have tested positive in recent days, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omaha.com/news/local/five-more-staffers-at-elkhorn-nursing-home-test-positive-for-coronavirus/article_f604513d-4a41-5e1d-8c49-dadabd3b745d.html#1" target="_blank">reported</a>. The new cases were reported Sunday. The center's executive director, Michelle Yosick, said residents who have tested positive have been isolated and are receiving care.Last week, officials reported that 68 cases of the virus had been confirmed among residents and staff at the nursing facility in Omaha's Elkhorn community.

Ricketts: Virus will force belt-tightening in state budget

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A woman who refused to put on a mask when being treated for COVID-19 at a Nebraska hospital spit on the walls and floor and punched a nurse, police said.

Nyadak Tut, 48, of Lincoln was charged on Friday with felony assault on a health care professional, the Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/48-year-old-woman-with-covid-19-accused-of-spitting-on-walls-at-lincoln-hospital/article_1ab3d747-cc08-5bd3-8a11-253e2f0eea19.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

A nurse at CHI St. Elizabeth told police she was on duty on May 11 when she heard Tut begin to yell and went to check on her, according to an arrest affidavit. Tut left her room without wearing a mask.

The nurse told police she followed Tut, who has COVID-19, asking her to put on a mask, but she refused and started spitting. When the nurse went to call security for help, Tut allegedly punched her in the face with both fists, according to the affidavit from Lincoln police officer Joseph Fisher.

Police arrested Tut after she was medically cleared from the hospital.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A woman who refused to put on a mask when being treated for COVID-19 at a Nebraska hospital spit on the walls and floor and punched a nurse, police said.Nyadak Tut, 48, of Lincoln was charged on Friday with felony assault on a health care professional, the Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/48-year-old-woman-with-covid-19-accused-of-spitting-on-walls-at-lincoln-hospital/article_1ab3d747-cc08-5bd3-8a11-253e2f0eea19.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.A nurse at CHI St. Elizabeth told police she was on duty on May 11 when she heard Tut begin to yell and went to check on her, according to an arrest affidavit. Tut left her room without wearing a mask.The nurse told police she followed Tut, who has COVID-19, asking her to put on a mask, but she refused and started spitting. When the nurse went to call security for help, Tut allegedly punched her in the face with both fists, according to the affidavit from Lincoln police officer Joseph Fisher.Police arrested Tut after she was medically cleared from the hospital.

Lincoln Police: Hospital patient refuses to wear mask, punches nurse

North Platte Community College will not raffle a car this year – for the first time since the program was started in 2004.

Typically, students in NPCC’s Automotive and Auto Body Technology programs restore a classic car that tours the state and then is raffled to raise money for scholarships for the college’s transportation division and to help offset the cost of producing the next raffle car. The winning ticket is drawn during&nbsp;Colonel Cody’s Cruise Show and Shine in North Platte in the fall.

This year, however, the hands-on classes in which students would have worked on the car, were moved online as a precaution against COVID-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589831183408.png" alt="Rudolph Zinsser, of Wheatland, Wyo., paints a raffle car in the Auto Body Technology department at North Platte Community College. NPCC will not raffle a car this year." />
 <figcaption>Rudolph Zinsser, of Wheatland, Wyo., paints a raffle car in the Auto Body Technology department at North Platte Community College. NPCC will not raffle a car this year.</figcaption>
 </figure>By Heather Johnson-MPCCNorth Platte Community College will not raffle a car this year – for the first time since the program was started in 2004.Typically, students in NPCC’s Automotive and Auto Body Technology programs restore a classic car that tours the state and then is raffled to raise money for scholarships for the college’s transportation division and to help offset the cost of producing the next raffle car. The winning ticket is drawn during&nbsp;Colonel Cody’s Cruise Show and Shine in North Platte in the fall.This year, however, the hands-on classes in which students would have worked on the car, were moved online as a precaution against COVID-19.“The circumstances are unfortunate, but for the safety of our students, employees and the general public it’s best not to have a raffle car this year,” said Harwood. “We will be back in 2021, and I think everyone will like what we’ve been working on.”The 2020 raffle car would have been the 16th restored by NPCC transportation students. Over $150,000 has been raised from the vehicles over the years.More information about the college and its Automotive and Auto Body Technology programs can be found online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mpcc.edu/transportation" target="_blank">mpcc.edu/transportation</a>.

Coronavirus Update