This an update and alert on an ongoing situation. We first alerted readers about this at the start of June. Blair, Nebraska finds itself under the influence of hazy skies and a slight smell of smoke, as the effects of Canadian wildfires have reached the region. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services issued…
Category: Health
Smoky Days Ahead for Blair?
In our quiet town of Blair, Nebraska, life has always been intertwined with nature’s rhythm. However, in recent weeks, the rhythm was disrupted, not by local happenings, but by a series of intense wildfires raging over a thousand miles away in Canada. Blair felt the effects of these fires in a rather unusual way –…
Blair Braces for Bad Tick Season
As spring blooms in Nebraska, it brings with it the start of the 2023 tick season. This year, Nebraskans should be particularly vigilant due to a spike in tick activity following a milder winter, which means more of these pests are emerging from hibernation. If you live in the Blair area, you’ve probably seen a…
Nebraska Senator Champions Healthcare and SNAP Reforms: A Look at Sen. Ben Hansen’s Efforts
Nebraska State Senator Ben Hansen (Blair) is making strides in healthcare and food assistance reforms, championing a bill that aims to improve Medicaid reimbursement for hospitals and supporting an extension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for families in need. Sen. Hansen is the sponsor of Legislative Bill 227 (LB227), which focuses on providing…
Blair’s Unlikely Vape Shop Boom, Part One: From Earth Wellness
The CBD industry in Nebraska has seen remarkable growth since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and its derivatives, including cannabidiol (CBD) products. The increasing popularity of CBD shops in cities like Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney can be attributed to the potential health benefits of CBD, which has been used to manage pain, inflammation, anxiety,…
Faith Over Fear: Blair Churches Post-Covid
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, religious institutions across the United States experienced a decline of in-person attendance. While some worshipers turned to online platforms, the share of U.S. adults who regularly attend religious services at least once a month decreased. Was it different in Blair? According to a study conducted by Pew Research…
BREAKING: MCH DROPS MASK REQUIREMENT
2023 MARCH 28, TUESDAYBlairToday Staff Memorial Community Hospital & Health System (MCH) in Washington County, Nebraska, made a significant change to its COVID-19 masking policy, transitioning from mandatory to optional masking for staff and patients. Infection Preventionist and Quality Improvement Specialist, Kaylee Smith, BSN RN, provided an in-depth explanation of the factors that influenced this…
Washington County, Nebraska Embraces CTC Vision
2023 March 27, MondayBlairToday Staff Communities That Care (CTC) made great strides in Washington County, Nebraska, since its implementation in the fall of 2021. The initiative, led by Coartney DiGiorgio (Health Educator, Three Rivers Health), focuses on Washington Coutny to tackle unique challenges faced by youth and families, to reduce risk factors and increase protective…
Is Ben Hansen Right About LB 574?
2023 March 22, WednesdayBlairToday Staff Whether you like it or not, whether you want it to happen or not, and whether or not you think it’s even worth the time it took to write this, the “trans” debate is here. By “here,” I mean, Nebraska. More specifically, on the agenda of Blair, Nebraska’s own, State…
FREE Meals If You Live In Blair
2023 March 7, TuesdayBlairToday Staff Writer The headline is, admittedly, a little “click-baity”. Sortof. It’s true, if somewhat hyperbolic. The headline from a “real” online newspaper might be, “First Lutheran Church Serves Meals on Wednesdays.” Which, also accurate, might not get you here. Some people in Blair need what First Lutheran offers. If the proverbial…