March 7, 2021 Whenever someone is admitted to the hospital, they are asked to stipulate their “code status.” Levels of code status include full code, meaning resuscitate and intubate if required; as well as various combinations of do not resuscitate (DNR) and do not intubate (DNI). In simple terms, a code status clarifies what you want the medical team to do in the event your heart stops or if your heart goes into a rhythm that is not compatible with life.

03/08/2021 Colton Hillin of Holdrege: Leaving the Scene of an Accident; Found: Guilty; Sentenced to 6 months’ probation and ordered to pay court costs, probation costs and all other fines. George Mullowney of Alma: Driving Under Suspension; Sentencing: Ordered to pay fines and court costs.

Since taking office as Governor, property tax relief has been my top priority. That’s because high property taxes continue to be the number one concern I hear from Nebraskans. This legislative session, Senators have a golden opportunity to give Nebraska families the relief they need. Nebraska’s economy has been resilient through the pandemic, resulting in strong tax revenues. This sets the stage for the Unicameral to deliver major property tax relief.

There is some good news on the horizon for Nebraska. The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met on February 26, 2021 and raised revenue projections for the state. Their projections are what the legislature uses to create our bi-annual budget. The current projections were raised by $204 million to $5.49 billion. This is due to anticipated increases of $65 million in sales and use tax receipts, $40 million in corporate tax receipts, $4 million miscellaneous taxes and $95 million individual income tax receipts. The total projected revenue receipts for FY 2021-2022 were raised to $5.08 billion, which is an increase of $165 million. The following year FY 2022-2023 was increased by $93 million.

Do you know anyone who had influenza this past year? Chances are you do not. Sure, plenty of people had the “stomach flu” with vomiting and diarrhea, otherwise known as gastroenteritis. Some people had colds and others had COVID-19. But cases of influenza this season have been exceptionally low.

March 6th marks one year since the first positive case of coronavirus was confirmed in Nebraska. Over the past year, it’s been an all-hands-on-deck effort to protect hospital capacity, support our healthcare workers and help keep Nebraskans healthy. We continue to see encouraging trends in our fight against the coronavirus. During the past week, the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations has been at its lowest point in over six months. And by the latest measures, over a quarter-million Nebraskans have now received their initial dose of vaccine.

We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for committees to wrap up their hearings. Starting next week we will have morning debate and the afternoons are reserved for the Judiciary Committee to finish up their hearings and for other committees to have executive sessions. Committees are not only busy wrapping up hearings, but also advancing bills to the legislative floor. Currently, I have 3 bills that are on General File, the first round of debate. LB 616 which would give towers a little help when they get stuck with abandoned vehicles. The other two bills, LB 190, which would change provisions relating to the use of the Water Sustainability Fund and LB 191, which would redefine elector for the Irrigation District Act. Both were adopted by the Natural Resources Committee into one amendment and that was placed on LB 507. In the past I have talked about this procedure of including provisions of multiple bills into one bill, it is called a Christmas tree bill. Only committees can create this.

In the old Broadway Musical “Bye, Bye Birdie,” there’s a tune that has stood the test of time, not because of it’s tune or its popularity, but because of its lyrics. The song is called, “What’s the Matter with Kids

Last month, we crossed a grim milestone. COVID-19 was the leading cause of death in the United States during the month of January, the first time that has happened since the pandemic began last March. But another, less visible killer has been with us much longer than the coronavirus.

Last summer we heard the prediction that by the end of 2020, we would have a safe, effective vaccine to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which had only been discovered, of course, in December 2019, causing countless deaths and mayhem in the world as we knew it. I must admit, I was skeptical.