CITY LEADERS HAVEEXTENDED THE MASKMANDATE FOR A FEWMORE MONTHS.WHY A PROPOSAL TORAISE THE AGEREQUIREMENT WITHIT FAILED.THE OMAHA CITYCOUNCIL VOTED THISAFTERNOON TOEXTEND ITS MASKMANDATE THROUGHTO THE SPRING,WHILE REJECTING ANAMENDMENT TOCHANGE THE AGEREQUIREMENT.3 NEWS NOWREPORTER JESSIKAEIDSON SHOWS USWHAT LEAD THECOUNCIL TO THISDECISION.OMAHA WILL HAVEITS MASK MANDATETHROUGH AT LEASTMAY 25, WITH THECITY COUNCILVOTING TUESDAY TOEXTEND IT.THOUGH THERE WASDISCUSSION ABOUTCHANGING WHO THEMANDATE APPLIESTO.COUNCILMEMBERSAMIEE MELTON ANDBRINKER HARDINGPROPOSED ANAMENDMENT THATWOULD CHANGE THEAGE REQUIREMENTSFROM 5 TO 12 YEARSOLD."WE WANTED TOMAKE SURE THATTHOSE WHO WEREHEARD ABOUTWANTING THE MASKMANDATE ANDTHOSE WHO ARECONCERNED ABOUTSOME OF THEMENTAL ORPHYSICAL EFFECTSTHAT ITS HAVING ONSOME OF OURYOUNGER YOUTH."OPPONENTS POINTTO VARIANTS OFCOVID THAT ARESTILL BEING STUDIEDAND SAY CHANGINGTHINGS COULDCAUSE CONFUSION."I THINK IT'SIMPORTANT AT THISTIME TO REMAINCONSISTENT WITHWHAT IS WORKINGAND THAT PEOPLEARE USED TO ANDNOT TO CAUSEADDITIONALCONFUSION."COUNCIL MEMBERVINNY PALERMOWHO ALSO SIGNEDONTO THEAMENDMENT,ECHOED MELTONAND HARDING'SSENTIMENTS OFWANTING TO TALKABOUT WHEN THEMANDATE SHOULDEND.HE SAYS THESEDECISIONS SHOULDHAVE NEVER EVENMADE IT TO THECOUNCIL'S LEVEL.""FOR THOSE WHOWON'T COME OUTAND SAY IT, I WILL:WE HAVE BEENFAILED WITH THOSEWHO SHOULD HAVETAKENRESPONSIBILITY ONTHE MASK MANDATEAND THOSE WHOSHOULD BE GETTINGTHIS VACCINE OUT."WHEN IT CAME TIMETO VOTE, PALERMOWAS ONE OF 5 TOVOTE AGAINST THEAMENDMENT, WITHONLY MELTON ANDHARDING VOTING INFAVOR.WHILE THIS CHANGEFAILED, MANY ONTHE COUNCIL SAYTHEY WANT TOPROVIDE A BETTERANSWER TO THEQUESTION "WHENWILL THIS MANDATEEND." "MAYBE THAT ISSOMETHING WE CANAGREE ON, TELL USWHEN ITS GOING TOEND.AND WE SHOULD ALLAGREE TO STRIVINGTO HAVE THAT GOAL."REPORTING INOMAHA JESSIKAEIDSON 3 NEWSNOW.TODAY
The East Lansing city council reinstated a $500 fine for violating health orders. The previous fine that expired Dec. 31 was..
