Lancaster County is seeing an increase in the number of cyclospora cases. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department announced yesterday that 33 cases have been confirmed this month. Thirty of the cases were acquired in the U.S. Symptoms of the virus include diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue.
Blood donations continue to decline as several blood types reach critically low levels across the region. LifeServe Blood Center says both national and local blood supplies are dangerously low, raising concerns that hospitals may not have enough blood available for patients if donations do not increase. According to the blood center, Type O-negative, O-positive and A-negative blood currently have only a one-to-two-day supply on-hand. Other blood types are at a two-to-three-day supply. LifeServe provides blood to more than 175 hospitals across Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Illinois.
The Nebraska Democratic Party is accusing Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts of financing a lawsuit that would force the party to nominate a replacement candidate for the U.S. Senate race. Democratic primary winner Cindy Burbank dropped out of the senate race earlier this month, and former senate candidate William Forbes then filed a lawsuit to force the party to choose Burbank's replacement. Nebraska Democratic Party leaders say the law firm representing Forbes has ties to other conservative-backed lawsuits.
A Polk County judge is ruling that a Libertarian candidate for governor cannot be on the November election ballot. Nicholas Gluba and his running mate Jules Cutler were disqualified by the three member Iowa State Objections Panel last month over improperly filed paperwork. The judge agreed with the panel's finding that Cutler failed to file a signed affidavit, though she claims the Secretary of State's office told her she didn't need one. The panel is made up of three Republicans after the lone Democrat, Rob Sand, withdrew because he, too, is running for governor.
Heart Ministry Center is planning to open a grocery store in North Omaha. The store near 25th and Lake streets will offer fresh food, a deli, and a butcher shop. Officials say the store could create up to 40 new jobs in the area.
A new electronic health record system is coming to the Omaha VA Medical Center. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Paul Lawrence visited the Omaha VA yesterday to introduce the program. The new program uses artificial intelligence to streamline access to patient data into a single platform. Lawrence says the new system also has security measures to restrict access to patient information.