Douglas County Reports Four More Suspected Cases Of Monkeypox | Local News

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This illustration shows monkeypox virus particles, which are composed of a DNA genome surrounded by a protein coat and lipid envelope.

The Douglas County Health Department reported four more suspected cases of monkeypox Friday, bringing to 10 the total number of suspected cases in Douglas County.

As with the previous cases, the four new cases are in men under 50. The Health Department has begun tracing the contacts of those with suspected monkeypox. The virus that causes the illness is spreading mostly through close, intimate contact with someone who has monkeypox.

As of Friday, the United States had tallied 7,510 cases of monkeypox, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 13 cases have been reported in Nebraska, including three in Lancaster County. In Iowa, Pottawattamie County reported its first suspected case earlier this week. Federal health officials on Thursday declared monkeypox a public health emergency.

Douglas County health officials said Friday that their supply of vaccine against monkeypox remains extremely limited and would be approved only for individuals at highest risk from the virus. They also asked for patience as they work to get more vaccine. County health officials have said they believe the risk to the general public remains low. Supplies of the two-shot vaccine, called Jynneos, remain limited nationwide.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services noted in a July 29 advisory to health care providers that the state at that time had received 205 courses of the vaccine.

The state is prioritizing the shots for people who have had close contact with someone with monkeypox, for health care professionals who might be exposed to monkeypox on the job and for those at highest risk of contracting the virus.

Those at highest risk are primarily men who have sex with men, particularly those with multiple sexual partners and those who attend social events where sex is involved.

Douglas County health officials have advised residents with a characteristic monkeypox rash, which looks like pimples or blisters, to contact a health care provider, preferably before going to a clinic. A person who suspects monkeypox but does not have a health care provider should call the Health Department at 402-444-3400.

The illness may start with a fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes or exhaustion. The incubation period generally is one to two weeks but can range from five days to three weeks.

In the aftermath of President Biden’s speech to the nation last month on climate change, it’s worth taking a moment to applaud Congressman Don Bacon for his leadership on this issue. Since joining the Republican ranks on Capitol Hill in 2017, Bacon has worked across the aisle to find common-sense solutions to climate change and promote renewable energy. In the 116th Congress, he served on the Climate Solutions Caucus. It has since been disbanded but Bacon remains committed to renewable energy solutions and regularly engages with the Citizens Climate Lobby and the Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions. Thank you, Rep. Bacon, for not towing the party line on such a critical issue.

The World-Herald’s excellent July 17 story on Wahoo’s ceiling-smashing John F. Kennedy College 1969-1971 Women’s College World Series softball championships did the girl athletes, the college and the city proud.

The article was part of the OWH’s ongoing series on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which bars federally funded education programs from discriminating on the basis of gender.

I am glad that the Saunders County Museum, of which I am a member, helped with the story. The museum has an entire first-floor corner devoted to the history of the now-defunct JFK College, as well as the original Luther College and Luther Academy. The display shows numerous athletic trophies. (JFK also boasted of a multi-championship women’s basketball team).

Museum curator Erin Hauser opened the archives for OWH reporter Nancy Gaarder, answered questions and helped connect the story.

The museum, at Sycamore and Third streets, is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, with free admission. Come in and see the whole JFK College story come to life.

This is a follow up to my letter of June 25 about the attempt to get my 88-year-old mother-in-law a Nebraska photo ID. My wife took her back to the DMV (her second trip) with the requested documents. Those were a birth certificate to prove citizenship, current mail to prove her current address and Social Security card. The birth certificate was recently obtained from the state, taking three to four weeks and costing $17.

Again they were denied. Her birth certificate doesn’t show her married name. A marriage license is required to prove her name change back in 1952. I checked the requirements for a photo ID on the state website. It says other documentation may be required. It doesn’t say what. It would have been helpful for the DMV clerk (Sarpy County) to mention this requirement, but he did not.

So, we’ve sent a request to Douglas County for a certified copy of her marriage license at a cost of $9. When it’s received, we’ll take her back to the DMV with the documents and $28.50. Total cost $54.50, two months (at least) and three trips (at least) to the DMV.

It appears the amendment for a photo ID requirement has made it to the November ballot. These documents are not easy to get and they are not free. The photo ID requirement is a thinly disguised poll tax intended to keep poor people and old people from voting. How does it not violate the 1964 24th Amendment? Perhaps Pete Ricketts or Julie Slama could explain.

After reading “Pottawattamie County Considers Allowing Urban Chickens,” it’s clear that the individuals in charge of making these decisions know nothing about urban chicken-keeping. The proposal would allow residents who live on less than one acre of land to have up to 12 hens. This would mean that an individual who lives on the tiniest lot could potentially keep 12 hens. This is too many for a small city lot, which is why most counties max the number at four or six.

The proposal also includes a provision that property owners must have a “manure disposal plan.” If you don’t require a manure plan for dogs, why would you require one for chickens? Chicken manure can be easily composted and added back into gardens for a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. A well-managed compost bin has no odor. You can’t compost dog manure, so where does that go?

The proposed price of an initial permit, $250, and annually $150, is out of many families’ budgets. And why in the world would a “site inspection” be necessary? Do you require home inspections for dogs or cats? The one proposed requirement that made me choke on my coffee is the requirement to get all adjoining neighbors’ permission. My previous neighbors’ dogs made more mess and by far more noise than any backyard chicken flock. Visit your local extension office or attend the county or state fair poultry shows to learn the facts about keeping backyard chickens from the experts and avoid outlandish requirements.

As MUD has explained over and over — your residential sewer rate is determined by your household usage from December through March. Once the average is set, MUD is authorized by the city to collect the sewer usage fee. That money is returned to the City of Omaha. Someone should be asking the mayor what the status of the sewer separation project is and how much longer they intend to collect the huge fees we are paying now.

Thank you, Mayor Stothert, for not recommending a change in the mill levee. That means my property taxes will only go up 15.5% next year due to my increased valuation.

For many years residents and patrons to downtown Papillion businesses crossed at First Street, which has a traffic signal and is one block south of the location where Abby Whitford was tragically killed when struck by a car (in 2019). The city installed a device which encouraged crossing by pedestrians, but drivers found confusing. The changes they are making to the crosswalk signal are still confusing and leaves pedestrians at risk of being struck. The city solicited residents on their opinions to improve safety following the tragedy. The fact that the changes chosen by those in local government weren’t clearly shared with residents to present an opportunity to seek their opinions is evidence that they have as much concern with the opinions of residents as we have faith in their decisions.

David Heer’s letter (Pulse, July 24) said what “liberals don’t realize, is that if we don’t maintain a strong national defense, China, Russia, and other dictatorships will eventually take control of our once great nation.”

That is not true. It is possible to limit the billions waisted on weapons of war and use those funds for universal health care, renewable energy, college educations and crumbling infrastructure. The answer is called NATO, that pesky organization that Trump and his pal Putin wants us to abandon.

To simplify , imagine you are in fifth grade. Tommy is the class bully who steals lunches and likes to beat up other kids. One solution is for one kid to go to the gym before school and after school every day and build his muscles. Next, he spends every cent of his allowance on protein shakes, karate lessons and weapons to fight off Tommy. As Tommy gets bigger and stronger, this kid must continue to do the same. Now he finds that he has no time for reading, playing, spending time with family and friends and no money to go to the mall or movies. Sad.

Option two, we decide to problem solve. We make an agreement with Johnny, Billy, Timmy and Mike that if Tommy picks on one, he takes on all (like NATO). Now we have time to laugh, play, enjoy life with new toys that we can now afford and not have to spend all of our days learning how to fight to beat up the biggest bully.

And everyone lived happily ever after.

I am one who appreciates succinct comments and conclusions. That being said, as one who also emotionally, spiritually and intellectually believes and promotes pro-life in every way (including capital punishment etc.), if I had a 13-year-old daughter or granddaughter who was raped with a resultant pregnancy, God and I would have to have a very serious discussion. Contradiction? I don’t think so. Loving common sense? You bet.

I have followed the weather forecast numbers at the chance of precipition for years and was an optimist. I have now changed my opinion to being a pessimist. If the forecast is for a 20% chance, I look at it as an 80% chance that we wont get any.

Governor Pete Ricketts announced that Nebraska’s 2022 revenue receipts exceeded the annual forecast by 30%. This equates to an additional $1.47 billion in tax revenue. I think I speak for the majority of Nebraskans when I say this would be a great opportunity for property tax relief.

With Ricketts’ term coming to an end, it will fall on our next governor to determine how this money will be used. I think it is clear that Jim Pillen is the most passionate about solving our tax problem and creating an environment of fiscal responsibility. Jim has talked about property tax relief consistently and has a plan to solve it.

Jim would use this excess money and give it back to the people in the form of tax relief. In contrast, I think Carol Blood will use the money on the Democrats’ agenda. The question here is clear, who is better at spending your own money? Pillen thinks it is you, Blood thinks it is the government.

That’s why I urge Nebraskans to vote for Jim Pillen on Nov. 8.

With June’s release of its Dobbs opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court aimed to enshrine within federal law the principle that human life begins at conception. This assumption, however, viciously ignored one undeniable fact: there is no universal moral, scientific, religious, or philosophical agreement regarding when life begins. Across faiths and across political perspectives and across academic disciplines, there exists a diversity of opinions relevant to this subject.

As Scott Gilbert, professor of biology at Swarthmore College, has written, “… there is no consensus among scientists as to when personhood begins.” And as NPR’s Sarah McCammon wrote when summarized the perspective of religious groups regarding abortion: “Polls suggest that while a majority of Americans support abortion rights and oppose overturning Roe, views on abortion are closely tied to religion. Jewish, Buddhist, Unitarian and nonreligious Americans express some of the strongest support for abortion rights in surveys. Within Christianity, there is a wide variety of views.”

Bluntly, there is no overarching and abiding consensus regarding the starting point of a human life. Especially for this reason, laws banning abortion are fundamentally flawed and lack both justification and grounding. Moreover, abortions bans are white supremacist in origin as they disparately impact Black women and communities of color.

Let’s keep Nebraska ban-free and ensure reproductive justice for every single person here. Period.

Founder and Board Secretary, Nebraska Religious Council

I have delivered thousands of babies in my professional lifetime and also helped thousands of couples achieve pregnancy after having difficulty successfully achieving pregnancy. I have practiced obstetrics and gynecology and have studied the naturally-occurring procreative system my entire career, and have been on the faculty of two medical schools. I would like to share two observations:

1. No biological male has ever achieved pregnancy, all emoji’s aside.

2. If men could achieve pregnancy, they would have difficulty when the time came for the baby to be born. The structural pelvic bones of a man are different from the structural pelvic bones of a woman. In the latter case, they are designed for having babies. In the case of men, they are designed for load bearing, doing work which requires added strength. Thus, if a man were ever to get pregnant, it is quite likely that most of their babies would need to be delivered by Cesarean section.

While a man can do some of the things that a woman can do, he cannot be a mother. While a woman can do some of the things that a man can do, she cannot be a father.

Thomas W. Hilgers, MD, Dip ABOG, ABLS, SRS, SPS, Omaha Director, Education

Just so you know when you go to vote:

From Rep. Don Bacon’s website: Rep. Don Bacon (NE-R) voted against both H.R. 8296, the “Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022” and H.R. 8297, the “Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022.”

Last month, I received an e-mail from Congressman Bacon referencing HR 8296 and HR 8297.

“These bills go further than Roe v. Wade by not including any zero restrictions based on viability … not even up to moments before birth. This would align us with Communist China and totalitarian North Korea in having the most extreme abortion laws in the world. This is another attempt to reverse the Dobbs decision which brought power back to the states and citizens regarding abortions.”While true, this misleading rhetoric is not only dismissive of his colleagues; it demeans the intelligence of his constituency. Democracy depends on reasoned debate, which Rep. Bacon has sadly cast aside with his staff pandering to their low opinion of us.

I strongly support conservative values such as not over indebting our nation; we must not pay for current wishes with printed money un-backed by honest work. For example, climate change is real; but we are obligated to pay for correcting our profligacy, not burdening our children.

Representative Bacon has lost me simply because I no longer believe he can successfully advance my conservative interests by demeaning his liberal colleagues or misleading voters.

The OPS administration needs to back their teachers and give them support. No one should have to put up with kids who are disrespectful, disruptive or start fights in school. The problem is the administration doesn’t give kids adequate consequences that will help them learn and understand that disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. Give kids in-school suspension, where they have to help the custodian and maintenance crew with jobs that help keep the school clean. Make them sit in a room all day doing homework. The kids might actually learn to take pride in their school, or by doing their homework, they understand what they are supposed to be learning is actually interesting. Give kids consequences. OPS administration, this is your job. If you did it, then you would see a difference in students, and your teachers would be more supported.

A big thank you to Mayor Stothert, the city workers and the sponsors for providing a wonderful evening of music and fireworks. Everything was so well-organized, the crowd of all ages was enthusiastic but not raucous, and the opportunity to come together as a community was priceless!.

The United States of America is not a democracy, it is a federal republic. In 1776, the 13 colonies came together to form the United States of America. The smaller colonies, such as Delaware population 59,094 and Rhode Island population of 68,825, were fearful of being dictated to by the larger colonies, such as New York population of 184,139. They feared the “tyranny of the majority.” The Founding Fathers developed the following form of government.

The United States government is based on the principles of federalism and republicanism, in which power is shared between the national government and state governments.

One of the theoretical pillars of the U.S. Constitution is the idea of “checks and balances” among the powers and responsibilities of the three branches of American government: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. For example, while the legislative branch (Congress) has the power to create law, the executive branch (president) can veto any legislation — an act which, in turn, can be overridden by Congress.

The president nominates judges to the nation’s highest judiciary authority, the Supreme Court, but those nominees must be approved by Congress. The Supreme Court, in turn, can invalidate unconstitutional laws passed by the Congress.

This brilliant concept of governing has survived for 246 years and it has protected the minority against the “tyranny” of the majority,” as Democrat or Republican are elected to the majority.

In response to Blake Cole’s letter regarding photo ID (Pulse, July 23), I was at the Sarpy County courthouse a few months ago. Upon leaving, I was asked to take part in a survey. The young man handed me a clipboard and asked me to sign. I recognized it as a petition, and asked him what it was for. He said it was a voter ID petition. He did not read anything to me. I refused to sign and walked away. I find it ironic that the party that alleges voter fraud engages in fraudulent petition gathering.

Reducing the number of people who return to prison is a key goal of any criminal justice system. In Nebraska, more than 70% of those discharged in 2019 have not returned to the custody of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) — a significant benchmark.

Recidivism is typically measured in three-year increments. Based on just released data, Nebraska’s recidivism rate has dropped to 29.8%. This is the third year in a row that recidivism has trended downward in Nebraska. In comparison to publicly available data for surrounding states, Nebraska is the only one with a rate under 30%. We are in the top third nationally for low recidivism.

While many factors influence whether someone will return to prison, Nebraska’s recidivism rate supports that reentry services are working. Opportunities offered through NDCS include clinical treatment, skills training and employment, prosocial activities, education, and more. The Vocational Life Skills (VLS) Program, which provides grants to community providers, has been a particular success. In the last grant cycle (July 2020 — June 2022) participants completed nearly 4,800 programs.

NDCS takes the position that reentry begins at intake. Our focus on that goal is undeterred. We offer a robust platform of services and work in tandem with incarcerated individuals to address needs such as housing, medical and mental health, employment, education and transportation.

Of the 70.2% who have been out of prison for the past three years, they have an increased quality of life and are contributing members of families, employers and communities. An improvement in our recidivism rate means more transformed lives, which leads to our collective mission of keeping people safe.

We lost a living legend with the passing of the sixth chief master sergeant of the Air Force, James (Jim) McCoy.

I had the honor to visit with Chief McCoy during my tenure as public affairs officer at the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. He frequently visited our fellow veterans and attended many military and veteran-related events in the area. Even in retirement, Chief McCoy always gave back to our servicemembers, veterans and community.

Thank you, Chief and Mrs. McCoy, for your selfless service to our community, Air Force and veterans.

UNL has now received a Defense Department grant to "develop an early warning system for global political instability fueled by drought."

In April 2007 a Pentagon report, “National Security and the Threat of Climate Change, stated that “worldwide" climate change threatens to create sustained natural and humanitarian disasters ... “the chaos that results can be an incubator of civil strife, genocide and the growth of terrorism.”

Chronology: Our understanding of the atmosphere began with Fourier in 1824, progressed with Tyndall's simple experiments in 1859, that demonstrated how certain gases absorb long-wave heat radiation, and Arrhenius in 1895, who calculated the greenhouse effect.

In 1979, carbon isotopes in the atmosphere positively identified the escalating CO2 as coming from fossil fuels. In 1988, NASA's James Hansen raised the alarm in testimony before the Senate but was ignored, leading Al Gore to define the problem: "The minimum that is scientifically necessary far exceeds the maximum that is politically feasible.”

With too little support for doing what's necessary, leaders are giving up hope for the goal of limiting warming to two degrees. It now looks like 3+ degrees is likely, described by David Wallace-Wells in his book on the subject: "whole regions of Africa and Australia and the United States, parts of South America north of Patagonia, and Asia south of Siberia would be rendered uninhabitable."

Increased energy in the atmosphere means increased energy in weather systems, breaking records. Our lawmakers will be accountable for what becomes of our children and grandchildren.

In response to Dan Beeson's Pulse letter (July 23), asking the Jan. 6, 2021, committee to "stop the nonsense" and get back to work, I question his conclusion that they have done what they wanted to do by "showing what a jerk Trump was." It reminds me of when Sen. Susan Collins explained why she voted against convicting the former president in his (first) impeachment trial: that he learned his lesson to avoid pushing the legal boundaries of his office.

Testimony by his own aides suggested otherwise, revealing an extensive network of his supporters who believed that the 2020 election was stolen and were willing (and evidently are still willing) to engage in similar efforts in 2024. Steps taken to supply alternate slates of state electors; to give legal advice to seize voting machines; and to pressure the vice president to stop the electoral count on Jan. 6 were apparently all part of these wide-ranging efforts. The riot at the Capitol was apparently the outcome of a final push to challenge the electoral count and trigger a provision in the Constitution sending the matter to the House, where each state delegation would get the same number of votes .

The goal of the committee is to ensure that the events leading up to, and during, Jan. 6, 2021, never happen again, not to show that Trump is "a jerk." I also hope that their efforts have not been a waste of time, but for a different reason, and that Congress will pass legislation to protect the electoral count. It is up to voters to decide if they will support state and local candidates who question the integrity of their own electoral laws, and to decide if they will support the former president for a second term in office.

I would like to echo many recent letters praising the renovated mall. Even if I don’t care for all the changes, it does look nice. It’s just a shame they also felt the need to flood the whole park with music instead of letting people choose their own music by wearing headphones. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve never gone to a park and been happy when I’m forced to listen to music I didn’t choose. If anything, it ruins the experience.

As Nebraska’s First Congressional District candidates spar over various political “hot buttons,” two issues that have a significant impact upon the social-economic lives of all Nebraskans are being ignored by both.

First, do Nebraskans realize that if a retired, married couple on Social Security is suddenly faced with the loss of one of the spouses from death, the surviving spouse will only receive the Social Security check that is the larger of the two. The Social Security benefits or check of the spouse with the less benefit will cease to exist and be gone forever. All that the surviving spouse will receive is the $255 death benefit.

When a married retired couple’s survival depends solely upon their Social Security retirement income and the death of one occurs, the survivor will be cast into an extremely dire financial situation.

Secondly, the “HR 1031 like exchange” is argumentatively the one biggest contributor to Nebraska’s property tax dilemma, as well as a huge contributing catalyst to the erosion of rural Nebraska, its declining and aging population and youth exodus or brain drain.

The “HR 1031 like exchange” in combination with the “Stepped-up basis,” in addition to driving Nebraska’s property taxes through the roof, is an enormous tax inequality resulting in a huge amount of lost tax revenue and has, at the state level, hugely contributed to the elimination of all rural public-school state equalization payments and the devastating consequences of concentrated wealth within a few.

Extreme concentrated wealth is often used, as we Nebraskans are well aware, to egregiously influence self-serving public policy, not only in Nebraska but nationwide.

This is in response to Dan Beeson (Pulse, July 23), you may not care about the Jan. 6, 2021, hearings, that doesn’t mean that, as you stated, no one cares. I, for one, care very much. It is of vital importance that the select committee gets all the facts. Why is it OK to ignore high ranking scofflaws? Because you don’t care about it does that make something unimportant? Would you feel the same if someone broke into your home and threatened to hang you? That was what the mob chanted they wanted to do to Mike Pence. You would want justice.

This country needs justice and accountability for everyone who breaks the law.

Here’s what’s troubling me about the Congressional inquiry into the events of Jan. 6, 2021: this includes the scope of the planning prior to, during and after this insurrection by a mob comprised mainly of White people. A predominantly White mob.

In my mind I think, what if this mob had been predominantly all Black? Or all brown? What then? What if this plot to overthrow the government of the United States by this half-assed, but dangerous, scheme driven by a deranged and narcissistic man, had been a conspiracy led by Barack Obama? What if this mob had been led by a coalition of Black and brown schemers?

Do I think the outcome, all of these inquiries and investigations by the government and states like New York and Georgia, drag on and on and on? What I think is that Donald Trump is being slow-walked through a series of civil and criminal investigations because this is the way he’s always been treated by the judicial system. Why?

We would like to thank the person or persons who returned the wallet that our daughter lost at the Memorial Park concert. That prevented some major problems for her — like trying to fly home to Phoenix with no identification.

John and Patti Zukaitis, Omaha

Regarding the streetcar, why not first see if there is really going to be people who would use it? Run something like Ollie The Trolley for free or lower the amount on the proposed route for several months to evaluate the ridership. This should be done before spending $250,000 or more and tearing up five miles of roadway for the tracks.

This recommendation was also made before millions were spent on the 60-foot ORBT bus project to no avail. No recent ridership or financial reporting has been publicized. Many of us have seen them pass by with very few passengers and sometimes none. The property development along the route is not because of ORBT. Maybe the streetcar project will be a self-supporting financial success, but it might be wise to test it out before investing on the idea of “build it, and they will come.”

I paid $3.55.9/gallon for regular unleaded gas last month. I suppose I should blame that substantial price decrease on President Biden. Or maybe it’s just big oil finishing its latest consumer price gouging episode.

I had to read Joe Ankenbauer’s Pulse letter (July 20) over a few times. His post strongly suggests that Justice Thomas should be removed because the Justice thinks other cases involving states’ rights to make their own laws should be revisited.

Plain and simply, Mr. Ankenbauer, SCOTUS interprets the U.S. Constitution. Roe v. Wade was decided to not be a Constitutional right and laws concerning it should be determined by the states, not the Supreme Court. The cases you cited that Justice Clarence Thomas believes should be revisited are again not Constitutional rights and should be the individual states’ responsibility.

I keep hearing the left declaring “Constitutional right to abortion,” “Constitutional right to same sex marriage,” “Constitutional right to contraceptives,” etc. and it goes on and on. Show me where any of those “Constitutional rights” are written in the Constitution. Those are states’ responsibilities. Complain to your state representatives.

Right now, the FDA is taking comments on their proposed rules to end the sale of all menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. When finalized, these rules will have a dramatic impact on the health of Nebraska residents.

Tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Nebraska, killing 2,510 each year in our state alone. It is estimated that nationally, one-third of all people who smoke use menthol cigarettes.

Menthol cigarettes make it easier to start smoking at a young age and harder to quit. That is why flavors, including menthol, are one of the primary reasons kids and teens start using tobacco products. Close to half of all youth who start to smoke begin with menthol cigarettes, leading to nearly 40% of all youth who smoke using menthol cigarettes.

We have a tremendous opportunity to save lives and reduce the toll of tobacco on the health of Nebraska residents. In the first 13 to 17 months of removing menthol cigarettes from the marketplace, one study estimates 923,000 smokers would quit. And we know what works to help people quit — a combination of FDA-approved cessation medication plus proven-effective behavioral counseling programs, such as Freedom From Smoking.

I encourage all Nebraska residents to join me and the American Lung Association to share your voice at lung.org/actonmenthol in support of the FDA’s proposed rules for removing menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars from the marketplace.

Advocacy Director, American Lung Association in Nebraska

Last week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg proposed lowering the cost of electric vehicles as a long-term solution to gas prices.

The long term? While Buttigieg may have time to wait for Tesla prices to drop, myself and millions of other Americans certainly do not.

Here’s an idea: expedite oil permits in the U.S. and make America energy-independent again. Russian warlords and Saudi kings shouldn’t set the prices at American pumps. I encourage my fellow readers to vote Republican this November .

Dan Beeson ("Congressional Hearings," July 23) stated that the public is tired of hearing about Trump being a "jerk" and listening to the parade of witnesses the Jan. 6, 2021, hearings are putting forth. The public watching these hearings, which are in the millions, want to hear how this "jerk" tried to overthrow our government, who helped him, and hold them accountable.

Trump's continual lying of the vote being illegitimate has prompted many Republican state governments to make it harder to vote for many people without any proof of corruption of the vote. Some states are changing who is in charge of the counting of the vote, making the state government the arbiter of the vote, not the people who voted.

I, for one, do want to see what happened Jan. 6, 2021, who was responsible, and make sure it doesn't happen again.

The revaluations this Jan. 6 committee has produced thus far, paint a picture that Trump and some in his circle were doing (and still to this day) everything to stay in power. His dereliction of his duties as president is crystal clear as illustrated by this committee.

Democracy is in danger because some news outlets don't tell the people what is going on with this past president and his continual profiteering on the "big lie" that he won the presidency.

The statement that time would be better served with our government working on other pressing problems other than the Jan. 6 committee: the Democrats have put forth and passed many laws that would help with inflation, guns, drug cost, etc., but Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, won't even allow a vote on them.

I have an issue with the mayor needing to hold onto power when they have extended leave. If they want more time away from office, then resign or don’t run for office. Their job is to run the city on a day-to-day basis. The decisions they make as a public elected official shouldn’t allow them to vacation or tour around while the citizens are working and paying the taxes, that keeps them in office. If most folks were gone from work 20% of the time they would be looking for another job. Maybe it’s time the mayor does.

The citizens of Nebraska need to pay attention to this when they go to the polls to vote this fall. Every Republican in the House, including Don Bacon, voted against the right of women in America to access contraception.

Is this just inflation? Or is this a recession? It is everywhere and it is on every Nebraskan’s mind.

I am amazed at the inflationary cost of simple everyday staples at the grocery store. It is disturbing and very much becoming a strain. Not only are grocery prices astronomical, but gas pump prices have more than doubled in most locations . The truth is, gas has reached an unprecedented 40-year high.

Nebraskans' paychecks do not come close to covering today’s normal living expenses.

Nebraska voters deserve better. The fact is we have an influential voice who will fight for family and workers, and that is Congressman Don Bacon.

Don Bacon understands the Biden administration’s policies have simply failed Nebraskans and Americans. I urge all Nebraskans to re-elect Congressman Bacon in November.

Mike Miller’s “Blind to the truth,” (July 22) puts forth a laughable defense of guns, pointing out the incorrect identification of the type of guns used in recent shootings. What should we call them then, rapid fire instruments of death?

Abortion has been a legal, safe and accessible health care option for all women in Nebraska for a long time, and should remain as such. Women have largely been left out in the justice and government entities ruling for restrictions and outright bans on this health care issue across our nation.

Does anyone actually ask women why they feel this is not the time for an addition to their family? Are unwanted children really something our communities can handle?

I feel that all this effort, resources and money could be better used for the homeless, abused, institutionalized and foster children already in our state and local systems. Don't these actual, living children count?

I urge the legislature in the Unicameral not to disband this health care option for the women in our state. Doing so would turn the clock back 50 years! Would we even be discussing this issue if it were a men's problem? Remember to vote for pro-choice, progressive candidates in November.

I was recently surprised to learn that a mere 17% of all members of Congress are veterans, the lowest level since WWII. So why do I think this is an issue, and why should you care?

A quick glance through the headlines is revealing. We are living in interesting times. In fact, we find ourselves in some of the most unsettling times in recent history, and our adversaries are becoming increasingly emboldened. Russia has invaded a sovereign nation and is threatening to go farther if they succeed in Ukraine, and China poses a grave threat to Taiwan and the U.S. supply chain, and tensions between Israel and Iran are the highest since 2015.

As these threats grow and our national defense needs become increasingly significant, it’s imperative that we have lawmakers who are able to draw on their valuable military experience, ensuring the United States is able to combat tyranny and extremism with force and precision. I encourage voters in Nebraska and Iowa to elect Air Force veterans Don Bacon and Zach Nunn this fall.

The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its components.

Capt. Cori L. Bennett, Papillion

I noticed in “StratCom Chief sounds off on nuke threats,” that Patty-Jane Geller, a defense analyst with the Heritage Foundation said “We need to be able to absorb a first strike, and then retaliate.” PDD-60(Presidential Decision Directive) changed our nuclear response doctrine in 1997 from “launch on warning.” Apparently, this directive is still in place. It doesn’t seem like a good idea.

We saw extreme heat conditions in the Omaha metro last month, and we can be certain we will see more before this summer is over. As director of programs for the Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska Chapter, I would like to offer these tips for families facing Alzheimer’s and other dementias to prepare for extreme heat conditions:

● Plan ahead. Family and friends should prepare accordingly and make plans to regularly check-in on a person living with dementia during extreme heat. Arrange alternative plans for cooler spaces, if air conditioning is unavailable, and dress in loose, light clothing.

● Stay hydrated. Increased water intake is essential to maintaining good hydration and health during extreme heat. Know the signs of heat exhaustion to avoid heat stroke. Dehydration may be difficult to notice in a person living with dementia, as signs like increased fatigue, dry mouth and headache may be difficult to detect.

● Pay attention at night. Keep people living with dementia cool by using fans and keeping the air conditioning on. At night, low temperatures can still exceed 75 degrees with little fluctuation in humidity levels, making for difficult and exacerbating sleeping conditions, heightened anxiety and increased agitation.

● Stay informed. Keep an eye on local weather forecasts. High temperatures are not the only cause for concern. Humidity and air pollution indices can cause breathing difficulties. The person should be monitored regularly and seek medical attention if symptoms of dehydration or heat exhaustion last for more than one hour.

● For more information and additional safety tips, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do, especially after a decade of trying to have the cannabis plant legally recognized as a medicinal tool in Nebraska. Will we have enough signatures for medical cannabis to be on the November ballot? Will patients and caregivers finally be treated as more than criminals?

Lots of questions run through my mind, but luckily my 88-year-old Republican farmer father is still alive and he reminds me it takes time to unharden hearts. Although he agrees with me and doesn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to help children with seizures, he knows people can be self-centered and usually don’t care until it affects them or someone they love directly. As a disabled Nebraskan with a disabled daughter and someone who has met citizen after citizen suffering needlessly in this state while volunteering for the Medical Cannabis petition drive, I can confidently attest his words are sadly true.

I guess for me, all I can do as I wait is continue to care about others and live life beyond self.

Thanks to amendments proposed by Congressman Bacon, the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act will send $360 million to Offutt Air Force Base to repair the damage caused by the historic floods of 2019.

I was serving on Offutt AFB as a lieutenant colonel in change of the nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) command post when the flood water destroyed our building and most of our equipment in March of 2019. Speaking firsthand as a retired, 22-year active duty Air Force officer who has served at USSTRATCOM and the Pentagon, this reconstruction of Offutt is vital to our national defense and military readiness, and it would not have been possible without the leadership and advocacy of Congressman Don Bacon.

Thank you, General Bacon, for securing these much-needed recovery funds to Offutt Air Force Base. Your commitment to delivering real results for Nebraska and the USA does not go unnoticed.

Lt. Col. John Glen Weaver, retired, Omaha

On July 28, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the play "Legally Blonde" at the Lofte Community Theater in Manley, Nebraska. I left exhausted due to the energy on stage. The cast was super. The choreography was amazing. The songs were a delight. I must give an extra pat on the back to Olivia Sis who had the lead role. She led a wonderful performance by all involved. This theater has star quality in all of its productions.

Social Security is celebrating its 87th birthday on Aug. 14, and more than 65 million Americans — 1 out of 4 households — rely on their hard-earned Social Security benefits for economic security.

Congress must pass legislation to strengthen the Social Security trust fund and increase most benefits of current and future retirees across the board. Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter DeFazio have introduced joint legislation to do that.

The Social Security Expansion Act (SSEA) S. 4365 in the Senate and HR 8005 in the House, would extend the Social Security Trust Fund 75 years through 2096. It would also increase Social Security's modest benefits by $200 per month — $2,400 per year — by making the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share.

I urge my Rep. Mike Flood and Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse to support this important legislation. Thank you.

Vice president Nebraska Alliance of Retired Americans Education Fund

Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Omaha World-Herald.