Madison County Commissioners have instituted a hiring freeze within all county departments. Commission Chairman Jerry McCallum said at Tuesday's Board meeting, the freeze will not lead to a reduction in county services. He says the freeze will not impact part-time or replacement staff. It will be in effect until further notice. The County did institute a one-year hiring freeze that began in September of 2003.
A variety of changes would be made to the state law regarding organ, eye and tissue donations under a bill that lawmakers have given first-round approval. One of the changes would be to bar others from reversing people's decisions to either donate - or refuse donation - of their organs, eyes or tissues after dying.
Nebraska lawmakers have given first-round approval to a bill that would let Ogallala continue to be considered a first-class city, even if its population were to dip below 4,500 in the 2010 census. The tourist-draw town would still be able to receive federal and state dollars directly.
Charities and the state are still receiving less money from gambling games than they did in 2008, although gaming revenue improved in the last three months of 2009. Nebraska Tax Commissioner Doug Ewald says that during 2009, $241.2 million was wagered on authorized games. That's 9 percent less than the $265.6 million wagered in 2008.
The Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha shows that 11% of the state's population had no health insurance during 2008. Data shows the uninsured rate for Latinos was 28% and for Blacks 22%. The uninsured rate for the state's white citizens was 8%.
The Northeast Nebraska Chapter of the American Red Cross has several events planned to celebration March: Red Cross Month. Chapter Operations Manager Heather Claussen says Chamber of Commerce coffees are planned in both Wayne and Norfolk, and a disaster action team class will be offered.
The site of one of World War II's fiercest battles has been revisited by dozens of U.S. veterans, now elderly with some in wheelchairs. They flew to Iwo Jima on a chartered airliner and fanned out across its famous black-sand beaches to mark the 65th anniversary of the fight.
