Humanities Desk | Net Radio

It’ll be adding about 23,000 square-feet to its total floor area. The Museum of Nebraska Art, or MONA for short, will be overhauling its existing space, to supplement the sizable addition. Nicole Herden is the Executive Director at MONA and said visitors will have more options for enjoying the museum with added gardens and other lounging areas.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month the California-based John Wayne Cancer Foundation funded a program to increase breast cancer research and awareness in Latina women from the Omaha metro area.

The focus groups aim to stimulate conversation about health status and barriers to healthcare for Native Americans, Hispanic people, African Americans, and people 65 and older.

Kinkead’s ashes were recently discovered in Seattle through the ‘Missing in America Project’ where he passed away in 1916. John Surman with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War said it's special for his organization to be able to return Kinkead’s remains to Plattsmouth.“I think any Veteran has a right, and I don’t care what war they were in, to have a proper burial,” Surman said. “It’s the very least that we owe them, and we actually owe them a lot more than that.”

Tourism isn't one of the biggest money makers for the state of Nebraska, but implementing the newer market of astrotourism could change that. Author and dark sky enthusiast, Marlin, traveled to Nebraska to talk about the opportunity lying under our skies.

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Some of the 480 striking employees at the Omaha Kellogg's factory will return to work Tuesday. The union's president says the workers could have faced consequences for not honoring their contracts with the cereal company.

Over the last two weeks, according to the CDC, cases in Nebraska are down 13 percent. That’s a drop from an average of 650 cases per day to an average of 560 cases. Nebraska’s cases reflect a broader nationwide drop from the Delta variant. Hospitalizations are also headed down. The Nebraska Dept. of Health and Human Services tallies 375 hospitalizations as of Sunday. During the peak of Delta, hospitalizations climbed to about 450. The strain on the state’s hospital system also appears to be waning. More than 31 percent of regular adult beds are available in Nebraska hospitals. Just 22 percent had been free at the beginning of the month. The 7-day average for vaccinations also saw a slight uptick in the past couple days. About 1,800 people receive a dose each day. With booster shots being rolled out, it’s expected the number of doses given may rise just as it did in the spring.

At the latest check, CDC stats for the state have the 7-day average of cases down 5% from the week before. As of last Friday, that was about 640 cases. Hospitalizations, too, have plateaued. According to the state, 411 Nebraskans are hospitalized with the virus. Hospital capacity statewide remains strained. Between 20-25% of hospital beds remain open because of the pandemic and regular operations. In all, nearly 68% of the population older than 12 has a vaccine. Another 5% is partially protected.

Bill Ogg is the executive director of the state fair, and said some proposed improvements to the fair’s campus at Fonner Park in Grand Island have sorted themselves to the top. “The improvement of the equine stabling, particularly for Fonner Park Racing,” he said. “The expansion of livestock exhibition facilities...

Western Nebraskans are still struggling from wildfires, but one rancher from Banner County wants to help the community by throwing a rodeo benefit Saturday.

“The goal of the development is to provide housing for retirees and for Lincoln’s international community,” she said, “and other amenities on property that the university owns and has been underutilized for almost two decades.”The university purchased the lot back in 2003, and has used it for staging construction crews.

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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some rural Nebraska communities haven’t stopped nurturing their downtowns to become places they’re proud to call home. Town leaders, business owners, and residents are flipping the script, hoping to attract newcomers and keep their youth, even in tough times.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some rural Nebraska communities haven’t stopped nurturing their downtowns to become places they’re proud to call home. Town leaders, business owners, and residents are flipping the script, hoping to attract newcomers and keep their youth, even in tough times.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some rural Nebraska communities haven’t stopped nurturing their downtowns to become places they’re proud to call home. Town leaders, business owners, and residents are flipping the script, hoping to attract newcomers and keep their youth, even in tough times.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, some rural Nebraska communities haven’t stopped nurturing their downtowns to become places they’re proud to call home. Town leaders, business owners, and residents are flipping the script, hoping to attract newcomers and keep their youth, even in tough times.

A farmer in Bayard (BAY-yerd), Nebraska, near Scottsbluff, is doing something unique for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Aaron Bonderson of Nebraska Public Media News has more on a Halloween plant turned pink.

The Nebraska Legislature gave second-round approval Tuesday to redistricting bills, and senators discussed nursing mothers and gender pronouns.