YOUR
FREE
SPORTS
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 31 | JULY 31 - AUGUST 6 | 2019 ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY
Paul Hornung Award Watch List
REVIEWS C.C. Valentine
ENERGY
Solar Technology
HEALTH
Acute Flaccid Myelitis
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOCUS ON THIS WEEK!
31 - AUGUST 6 | 2019
YOUR
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 31 | JULY E, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANC FREE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT,
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SPORTS
ENERGY
h List
Paul Hornung Award Watc
REVIEWS C.C. Valentine
THE ARTS
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FINANCE
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BENSON
CBO Report Looks at Effect of Raising the Federal Minimum Wage By Michael Herek Sponsored By Blue Capitol Wealth
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FAMILY
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Solar Technology
HEALTH
Acute Flaccid Myelitis
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RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar Is Probably the Solution To Your Problem By Kat Carroll, Solar Heat and Electric
EVENTS 28
REVIEWS
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ON TEN
C.C. Valentine, “Got Some Time” By Tatiana Ballinger
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THIS WEEKS FEATURE
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REAL ESTATE Pending Home Sales Climb 2.8% in June By Eric Cano 18
HEALTH
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COUNCIL BLUFFS
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LINCOLN
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SPORTS
CDC Urges Doctors to Rapidly Recognize and Report AFM Cases By Focus Omaha
Focus is your FREE Arts, Entertainment, Health, Personal Finance, & Music Newsweekly. We’ve brought all of these elements together for the first time, all in one weekly format. Our goal is to provide you, the customer, with the best possible publication to suit all of your needs.
Focus 7914 W Dodge Rd. # 413 Omaha, NE 68114 (402) 208-6545 focusomaha@gmail.com www.focusomaha.com
Spielman Chosen for Paul Hornung Award Watch List By NU Athletic Communications
HAPPY HOUR
We gathered up some of the BEST Happy Hour spots in and around the Omaha metro!
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 LOVE OF ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL TURNER PARK AT MIDTOWN CROSSING The ‘2019 Love of Art and Music (LOVAM) Festival’ will be an amazing 2-day community celebration! There will be an array of artistic musical performances, exhibits from talented visual artists, delicious food from area restaurants, activities for children, vendors and more for families to enjoy. The LOVAM festival will take place on Friday, August 2nd and Saturday, August 3rd. The festival will be held at Turner Park in Midtown Crossing. Attendance to the festival is FREE. The artists on Friday are jazz musicians Darren Rahn and Jesse J. Saturday will have jazzy sounds from Jackiem Joyner, Brian Simpson, Nelson Rangell and will feature the soulful R&B sounds of Eric Roberson. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 BENSON BFF, BENSON, NE Summer Street Series & Artist Market at Military Ave & Maple St. (5 - 11pm) + 6th Annual New American Arts Festival 2019 featuring workshops, featured artists, vendors, and main stage performers! Visit
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the ^^event page^^ or New American Arts Project for more information and ALL the details. + 60+ local makers, community members, and artist vendors! + Music by 101.3 Mind & Soul’s Buddi3 da Gawd! + Live Artist Daniel Sedra D’mente + BFF Bug Club: live insects, family friendly games & activities! + Youth Engagement bird feeder activity! + Also: Yeti Printshop + Design, Process (tin Types), Big Brothers Big Sisters A Community of Caring, Great Western Bank, Spazzy Jazzy Hoops, Hype Coffee, Mayne St. Market & MORE + BFF Tailgate & Info Table - free water, event information, event maps, BFF SWAG & BFFzz! PLUS we’re celebrating the release of BFFzz #6! The new issue is $5. Older issues are $1. We accept cash, PayPal, Venmo, and Square. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 FREE TO FEEL, THE B SIDE OF BENSON THEATRE, 6058 MAPLE Featuring work by ARTWORKS resident
Focus | July 31 - August 6 | Volume 3 Issue 31
artists and local talent Kelsey Kowalski. This exhibit will display a wide variety of mixed media , texture, and fluid art pieces. Artworks is an innovative creative arts studio for adults with intellectual disabilities. Through participation with the local community our team of artists are able to exchange ideas, skills, and cultural expression, resulting in the development of a healthy and vibrant community! SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 OPEN HOUSE / OPEN STUDIOS BEMIS CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS, 11a - 5p 3202, 724 S 12TH ST, OMAHA, NE 68102 Celebrate the work of the Summer 2019 artists-in-residence and curator-in-residence! Hear them speak about their artistic and curatorial practices, visit their studios, view their works-in-progress, and discuss art, life, and their Bemis residency experience. Guests can also participate in an all-ages, hands-on art activity; view the current exhibition, “Inner Ear Vision: Sound as Medium;” and enjoy FREE ICE CREAM courtesy of Ted & Wally’s, two custom flavors created for this event–AvOkada and Coffee Caramel Ca-
cophony! The event will also include live performances by Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe and Bemis’s inaugural Sound Art + Experimental Music Artist-in-Residence Raven Chacon. Free and open to the public. Free parking available. Access details can be found at bemiscenter.org/access. 11 AM – Galleries Open 12 PM – Sub–Ink, performance by Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe 12:30–1:30 PM – ARTalks with Artists-in-Residence and Curator-in-Residence 1:30–4 PM – Open Studios 1:30–4 PM – Ted & Wally’s Ice Cream Social 2–4 PM – Art Activity with Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe 4 PM – Solo performance by Raven Chacon THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1 TYRANNOSAURS: MEET THE FAMILY DURHAM MUSEUM, 801 S 10TH ST This innovative, multimedia experience features more than 10 life-sized dinosaur specimens on display. With a dramatic array of fossils and casts of tyrannosaur specimens, Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family provides a snapshot of dinosaur life. https://durhammuseum.org/
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a New Harley-Davidson at Thunder in the Rockies in Loveland, CO plus many more prizes!* The winner will be drawn at the end of the night and must be present to win. *Full contest rules are shown on the Defiance website www.Defiancehd.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 6:30P AFTER HOURS | GET CHECKED OMAHA X OUTRSPACES, 1258 S 13TH ST, OMAHA Hey, Folx! Join us for a free fun-filled evening at Outrspaces packed with food trucks, entertainment, art, activities and raffle prizes! (Pssst, we hear the grand prize may or may not be a pair of Airpods!) The first 150 people to arrive are guaranteed free swag and food truck vouchers! Stay tuned for more information on free transportation to and from the venue if you need it! Music provided by DJ Jordan This event is intended for young people from the ages of 15 to 24 THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 6:30P VIBES SUMMER CONCERT SERIES FEATURING COME TOGETHER VILLAGE POINTE SHOPPING CENTER 17305 DAVENPORT ST, OMAHA Grab a blanket or a chair and join us this summer for an exciting concert series lineup! Come Together Band: Music of The Beatles takes the stage August 1st with a musical celebration of “The Beatles”! The 2019 Vibes Summer Concert Series is on Thursday evenings from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., thru August 15. Concert guests can enjoy a cold beverage* at the Brew Patio hosted by Kona Grill! *No outside alcohol is permitted.
Below is what’s going on for the day... 2pm to 9pm Beer Garden provided by Bushwackers Food Trucks - La Chiripa, Scooter Dogs, Billy Buck’s BBQ & Hawk’s Pizza Vendors - DLG Cigar, Veteran’s Moving Forward & Kirk’s Works (caricature drawings)
View all the events online at https://www. facebook.com/nativeomaha/ https://nativeomahadays.org/
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 6:30P-8:30P MUSIC & MEMORIES SUMMER CONCERT: LEMON FRESH DAY 12p Village Festival Square SHADOW LAKE TOWNE CENTER On Saturday, August 3rd, North 24th St. will 7775 OLSON DRIVE, PAPILLION, NE continue to come alive with food, fun, music 2pm to 4pm Grab a blanket and chair and join us every and more in the Village at 24th & Lake (BurLive music from Not U Two Friday from 6:30 P.M.-8:30 P.M. in the Shadow dette to Ohio) comes together to celebrate Lake Towne Center Amphitheater for a brand Native Omaha Days! 2pm to 7pm Bikini Bike Wash new exciting concert line-up! Join us this week and listen to hits from every station on your Join in the fun and enjoy live music in 5pm to 9pm Live Music from Romero radio dial by Lemon Fresh Day, presented by Dreamland Park, visit art exhibits at Love’s KISS Radio. Enjoy an ice-cold beverage from Jazz, Union for Contemporary Arts and Great 7pm to 7:30pm Defiance Dolls Bikini Contest our beverage host Nebraska Brewing CompaPlains Black History Museum and, support (Check-In/Registration 6:30pm) ny or a bite to eat from our food host, Subway. local businesses at Fair Deal Village MarNo outside alcohol is permitted. Cash only. ketPlace and Revive Center Market. Visit 9pm a variety of vendors selling art, t-shirts and Draw the name of who has the chance to win FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 7P-8P more at the Village Festival Square located a new Harley-Davidson at Thunder in the ROCKBROOK VILLAGE on the corner of 24th & Lake. Rockies. You MUST be present to win. FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES ROCKBROOK VILLAGE, 2800 S 110TH The Village Festival Square will continue to Local musicians entertain families every Fribe the hub that host a variety of Mobile Food Save the date, this is a day that you don’t want to miss! day night throughout the summer. Truck and food vendors offering delicious, Depending on the night, you’ll hear rock, jazz, mouth-watering food that will satisfy the SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 pop, blues, latin... you name it! Bring a lawn soul. MUSICFEST OMAHA PRESENTS chair and enjoy a delightful evening with the “THE BLUES AT METRO” whole family. 2019 Native Omaha Days Homecoming MCC INSTITUTE FOR THE CULINARY ARTS Dance, 7p at Hilton Omaha, 1001 Cass Street, Omaha SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 10A ROOT BEER FLOAT DAY AT THE DURHAM MUSEUM You’ve checked in to The Durham Museum before Mark your calendar for one of our favorite holidays, Root Beer Float Day, on August 3rd! Stop by The Durham Museum to enjoy a free 8 oz. Root Beer Float (while supplies last) at our old-fashioned Soda Fountain and celebrate with one of our signature sweet treats. Regular museum admission applies. Free for members!
Vibes at Village Pointe is located in the Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Amphi- The day will feature special kid-friendly theater (between Gunderson’s and Bravo! activities at The Platform from 10AM to 2PM Cucina Italiana). where guests can learn about the “Science of the Soda Fountain.” THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 thru MONDAY, AUGUST 5 The complimentary floats are being generNATIVE OMAHA DAYS ously underwritten by the Dr. C.C. and Mabel Omahans from around the globe will join L. Criss Memorial Foundation. in the week-long Native Omahans Days festivities taking place in the North Omaha SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2P community . Visitors will enjoy a taste of DEFIANCE AFTER DARK African American culture, live music, dance, DEFIANCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 4940 S art exhibits, parade, food, shopping, trolley 72ND ST, OMAHA tours and more. This is the last DHD After Dark of the year! Saturday, August 3rd, mark your calendar SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 and come out and listen to live music from Parade @ 10a, 30th & Lake St. to Not U Two and Romero, cold beer, vendors, 30th & Sprague food trucks, bikini bike wash, a bikini contest and it’s your last chance to enter to WIN
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- BLDG #22, OMAHA Doors open @ 5:30 pm; Show starts @ 7 pm Cost: $30/$40 Contact: Fred Conley @ 402.707.8915 Website: facebook.com/musicfestomah
Focus | July 31 - August 6 | Volume 3 Issue 31
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Squeeze Play American Legion Post #1, 7p Acoustic All Star Tour Wired Pub & Grill, 7p Silas Poppy: Up In Smoke aka Silas’s Big Bummer BBQ Lookout Lounge, 8p Baroness with Torche The Waiting Room Lounge, 8p
WEDNESDAY JULY 31 Deltaphonic, The Zoo Bar, 6p Open Acoustic Jam , Vino Mas, 6p Badd Combination, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p New Malibu Crescent Moon, p
Down & Desperate, Therapy Bar, 7p Spose, Lookout Lounge, 7:30p Harriet Brown, John Evans, Jack and the Giant, OutrSpaces, 7:30p “Weird Al” Yankovic: The Strings Attached Tour, Pinewood Bowl, 8p Sidney Gish with Family Reunion Reverb Lounge, 8p
Bike Night w/ Simplicated Dr Jack’s Drinkery, 7p
Hawaiian Saturdays, Therapy Bar, 7p
Ladies Night, Copacabana Lounge, 8p
Screaming for Silence:- End of Summer Rock Party Screaming for Silence:- End of Summer Rock Party, American Dream / Hangout, 9p
SiriusXM The Pulse Presents: The Mighty O.A.R. w/ American Authors Stir Cove, 7:30p
Soul Ghost // Two Drag Club // The Last Draft Barley Street, 9p
SummerPalooza Glow in the Dark, Cult Classic Collective w/ Kovacs BSC, Of July, Strvylight & Modest K Reverb Lounge , 8p
Joystick, Surfside Club, 6p
Read Southall Band with Wasted Highway The Waiting Room Lounge, 8p
Pajama Party, Karma Nightclub, 9p Unclefoot w/ Leggos And Sir Guy, Dead On Dust, Slowdown, 9p
MFB Pre-Party w/ Héctor Anchondo Band Harney Street, 9p
Chris Shelton, Dubliner Pub, 9:30p
Friday Night Karaoke, Moe and Curly’s, 9p
Acoustic Night The Down Under Lounge, 9:30p
Flippin Whiskey at On The Q ! On The Q St Bar, 9p
FRIDAY AUGUST 2
Indulge: Friday Nights, Champagne Bar, 5p
Fridays are Bomb Night! The New Frontier Bar, 6p
Polly O’keary and The Rhythm Method Chrome Loune, 6p Throttle Thursday, Dillon Brothers, 6p Timothy J Koehn Solo Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 6p
On The Fritz Bogie’s Bar & Grill - West, 6:30p Jitterbugs’ Night Out Fraternal Order of Eagles, 7p The Grass is Always Greener // Rob Walters, Petshop, 7p Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series, Rockbrook Village, 7p
Summer Session, Karma Nightclub, 9p
Focus | July 31 - August 6 | Volume 3 Issue 31
DJ Nick Bliss, Burrito Evy, 9p
Jack McLaughlin, Julio’s, 9p Jamestown Revival with Ian Noe The Waiting Room, 9p
The Brits Ozone Lounge, 9p
Connor Dowling, Dubliner Pub, 9:30p Slow Stoics w/ Easy Riders The Down Under Lounge, 9:30p
Sinners & Saints Whiskey Roadhouse, 9p DJ Animale, The Cove, 9p
DJ Travis Howe Parliament Pub Downtown, 10p
Teacherz Petz, Wired Pub, 9p
DJ Lucas Krance Parliament Pub West, 10p
Connor Dowling, Dubliner Pub, 9:30p
August BFF w/Dross, Foxburrows (OKC) & Tyrone Storm The Sydeny, 10p
Big Daddy Caleb & The Chargers at In The Market For Blues Harney Street Tavern, 9:30p
SATURDAY AUGUST 3
5th Annual In the Market for Blues Harey Street, 2p
Jacob Bryant w/ Kali Indiana, Slowdown, 8p
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Edde Ifft, Omaha Funny Bone, 7:30p
Adelitas Way w/ Savage After Midnight, Taking Dawn, Lookout Lounge, 6:30p
SummerPalooza: Tragic Kingdom: A No Doubt Tribute, Nevermind, BadmotorfingerGhettoBlaster Eli Dykstra Rocks, Olivia Johnson Spoken Word Artist, & Developing Crisp, The Waiting Room , 8p
Sidecar 69, Chrome Lounge, 9p
Omaha Farmers Market - Old Market, 8a
Live Comedy, Kinkaider, 8p
Dusty Grant, Rise Again, Michael Siebels, Chris Glover, Barley Street Tavern, 8p
Peace, Love, etc., Ozone Lounge, 9p
Scott Tran , The Well, 7p
Skretta Etc., Lauritzen Gardens, 6p
Josh Powell, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p
Scaphe, Houma, Solid Goldberg, Adult Whisper, Brothers Lounge, 9p Chrome Pre-Sturgis Ride Out Jam Chrome Lounge, 9p
Comedy OPEN MIC , The Barley Street, 9p
JOTG: Big Wade & The Black Swan Theory Midtown Crossing at Turner Park, 5p
Parkin Lot Party w/ Save the Hero, Lemon Fresh Day and Cheshire Grin!!! Therapy Bar, 4p
Feel Good Fridays w/ Tyi Hakeem The Omaha Lounge, 8:30p
Polly O’keary and The Rhythm Method Chrome Lounge, 6p
THURSDAY AUGUST 1
Blue MudFish play 5th Annual In the Market for Blues, The Omaha Lounge, 8p
A Buckwild Gathering, The HideAway, 8p
Murder By Death w/ Little Brazil Slowdown, 8p
Andrew Ryan , The Zoo Bar, 9p
Leggos “The Mark Of A Mature Man” Ep Release, Lookout Lounge, 7:30p
Vibes Summer Concert Series featuring Come Together, Village Pointe, 6:30p
R&B Thursday featuring Sherri MC Histrionic, Prude Boys (MI), Mad Dog and the The Omaha Lounge, 8:30p 20/20s, Duffy’s Tavern, 7p Mr E. and the Stringless Kite Duo Jason Mayer, Miller Time Pub, 7p Harney Street Tavern, 9p Ladies Night , Rednecks, 7p
DHD Aftere DAark w/ Not U Two & more Defiance Harley-Davidson, 2p
101.3FM Mind Soul Presents Donell Jones w/ Special Guest Le Velle and Enjoli, Malcolm X Memorial, 8p 5th Annual Bar Olympics The Down Under Lounge, 1p
Ragged Company w/Mr. E & SK Duo The Down Under Lounge, 9:30p Benson Soul Socieety The Sydney, 10p
SUNDAY AUGUST 4 Farmers Market - Aksarben Village, 9a Michael Pujado & Tom Sena Lombardo’s, 4p
Hi Fi Hangover, Surfside, 5p Marina’s Gaming Guild The Down Under, 5p
Swinginn Utters Lookout Lounge, 8p Gaelic Storm, Slowdown, 8p
Motive, Broken Skulls, and the Hideous Dr. Jack’s Drinkery, 7p TAPESTRIES: The Reflection The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p Booze Bingo The Down Under Lounge, 8p Karaoke Sundays Parliament Pub West, 9p Teacherz Petz Wired Pub, 9p Karaoke The Down Under Lounge, 10p Benso Soul Society The Sydney, 10p
Spencer’s Trivia Dojo The Down Under Lounge, 8p Stranger Things Trivia The Waiting Room, 8p Snailmate, Daisy Distraction, Matt Hackett at Brokedown Palace, 9p Open Mic (Standup) The Backline, 9p Tuesday Night Karaoke Moe and Curly’s, 9p Outer Spaces ~ Anna McClellan ~ And How ~ Radiator Hospital O’Leavver’s Pub, 9p Industry Night Parliament Pub West, 9p
MONDAY AUGUST 5 Free Pool Billiards, Big John’s, 6p
Karaoke The Down Under Lounge, 10p Summer Vibes: Parliament Pub West, 10p
Pint glass Pickup - Omaha AAZK Buzzed For Bees Farnam House Brewing Company, 6p Ozone Big Band: Bob Fields Ozone Lounge, 7p The War and Treaty with Philippe Bronchtein at The Waiting Room, 8p KaraokeMoe & Curly’s, 8p Monday Night Movies: Jurassic Park Midtwon Crossing at Turner Park, 8:30p Service Industry NIGHT Addy’s Maple, 9p
TUESDAY AUGUST 6 Tempo Twilight Lauritzen Gardens, 6p eNVy Acoustic, Lombardo’s, 6p Plan B, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p Nickelodeon’s JoJo Siwa D.R.E.A.M. The Tour Baxter Arena, 7p Open Jam, Barley Street Tavern, 7p Acoustic Open Mic Night The New Frontier Bar, 7p Open Mic & Jam, Therapy Bar, 7p The Blues w/Héctor Anchondo The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p
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THURSDAY AUGUST 1
WU-TANG CLAN STIR COVE
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SATURDAY AUGUST 3
The Mighty O.A.R. with American Authors and Rozzi STIR COVE
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THURSDAY AUGUST 1
REED SOUTHALL BAND WAITING ROOM
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SATURDAY AUGUST 3
Ragged Company DOWN UNDER
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FRIDAY AUGUST 2
Murder By Death SLOWOWN
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SUNDAY AUGUST 4
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FRIDAY & SATURDAY AUGUST 2 - 3
In The Market for Blues OMAHA
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MONDAY AUGUST 5
From Ashes to New “ Summer 2019 USA Tour” War & Treaty WAITING ROOM THE ROYALE GROVE
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FRIDAY AUGUST 2
Jacob Bryant SLOWOWN
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TUESDAY AUGUST 6
Gaelic Storm SLOWDOWN
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July 31, 2019 For Immediate Release What: 5th Annual "In The Market For Blues" Festival Schedule When: Saturday, August 3, 2019 | 2pm-2am Where: Downtown Omaha Old Market Website: www.InTheMarketForBlues.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/InTheMarketForBlues Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2669110609782266/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/marketforblues Instagram: www.instagram.com/inthemarketforblues #oldmarketbluesfest2019 Media Contact: Emily Cox at e3musicmanagement@gmail.com - 402.707.3706 Saturday, August 9, 2019 is the 5th Annual “In The Market For Blues” Festival. The all-day music festival is held for 12 hours at 12 Old Market & Capitol District venues. Admission is a $15 wristband (at the door) which allows access to all venues all day or $5 cash for one venue. Discounted tickets available at Eventbrite (omahasbluesfest.eventbrite.com) until 8.2.19. Underage attendees permitted (at most venues, check their website) with an adult until 9pm.
Get your running shoes on and your scooters charged up! Here’s the schedule for the 5th Annual In the Market for Blues on Aug. 3, 2019: Harney Street Tavern – all ages with an adult until 9p 2p – Blue Sunday, 3:30 – Jackson Stokes 5:30 – Hurricane Ruth 7:30 – Shaw Davis & The Black Ties 9:30 – Big Daddy Caleb & The Chargers 11:30 – The Scott Moyer Band 1:00 – Jam Session hosted by Scott Moyer The Hive Rock Club – all ages with an adult until 9p 4p – Heather Newman Band 6p – Taylor Scott Band, 8p –The Cold Stares 10p – Kris Lager Band Dubliner Pub – all ages with an adult until 9p 2:30 – Bucky McCann and John Crew 4p – The Redwoods, 6p – Vertigo Blues Band 7:30 – Matt Cox, 9:30 – Gaylan Prince & Blue Venue, 11:30 – Steve Lovett Blues Karma Nightclub – all ages with an adult until 9p 4p – Laurie Morvan Band 6p – Héctor Anchondo Band 8p – Shawn “Lil Slim” Holt and the Teardrops Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen – Omaha – all ages 5p – Unofficial: Sweet Tea Music 6:30 – Swampboy Blues Band 8p – Swampboy Blues Band 9:30 – Swampboy Blues Band Havana Garage (+21) 5:30 – Mick Kolassa & Taylor Made Blues Band, 7:30 – Tim Budig Music & Entertainment 9:30 – David Zollo & The Body Electric
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continued on page 13
In The Market For Blues is an E3 Music Management production in conjunction with Hector Anchondo
11:30 – The Coyote Bill Boogie Band 1:00 – Jam hosted by Coyote Bill The Omaha Lounge –all ages with an adult until 9p 4:00 – Blue Mudfish , 5:30 – Soul Tree 7:00 Five minute drive, 8:30 – Easy Riders 10:30 – Terry Parker Quartet T-Henery’s Pub – 21+ 10 – Scott Holt, 12:00 – Polly O’Keary and The Rhythm Method, 1:30 – Jam Session The Jewell – all ages with an adult until 9p 2p – Matt Woods Blues Music , 4p – Eric Jerardi Band Beer Can Alley Omaha – all ages with an adult until 9p 5:30 Jeremiah Johnson Band, 7:30 Dust Devil Choir Annie’s Irish Pub Omaha – all ages with an adult until 9p 2:30 – Far and Wide Blues 4:30 – Patrick Recob Music & The Perpetual Luau All-Stars, 6:30 – Stan & The Chain Gang Holland Performing Arts Center at Mammel Courtyard – Outside under the stars – 7:30 – Sebastian Lane Band, 9:00 – Blues Beatles Start plotting your course and get your tickets now on EventBrite: In the Market for Blues!! *Times are subject to change until 8/2
WHAT’S YOUR FOCUS?
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Pending Home Sales Climb 2.8% in June By Eric Cano
Pending home sales continued to ascend in June, marking two consecutive months of growth, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Each of the four major regions recorded a rise in contract activity, with the West experiencing the highest surge. The Pending Home Sales Index,* www.nar.realtor/pending-home-sales, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, moved up 2.8% to 108.3 in June, up from 105.4 in May. Year-over-year contract signings jumped 1.6%, snapping a 17-month streak of annual decreases. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the 2.8% increase can be attributed to the current favorable conditions and predicted the rise is likely the start of a positive trend for home sales. “Job growth is doing well, the stock market is near an all-time high and home values are consistently increasing. When you combine that with the incredibly low mortgage rates, it is not surprising to now see two straight months of increases,” he said. need to see sizable growth in inventory, particularly of entry-level homes, to assure wider Yun notes June’s contract signings indicate access to homeownership.” that buyers are both enthusiastic about the market and of the potential wealth gain, but June Pending Home Sales he added that home builders need to increase Regional Breakdown inventory. “Homes are selling at a breakneck All regional indices are up from May and from pace, in less than a month, on average, for one year ago. The PHSI in the Northeast rose existing homes and three months for newly 2.7% to 94.5 in June and is now 0.9% higher constructed homes,” he said. “Furthermore, than a year ago. In the Midwest, the index homeowners’ equity in real estate has dougrew 3.3% to 103.6 in June, 1.7% greater than bled over the past six years to now nearly $16 June 2018. trillion. But the number of potential buyers exceeds the number of homes available. We
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Focus | July 31 - August 6 | Volume 3 Issue 31
Pending home sales in the South increased 1.3% to an index of 125.7 in June, which is 1.4% higher than last June. The index in the West soared 5.4% in June to 96.8 and increased 2.5% above a year ago. The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
*The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.
NOTE: NAR’s July Housing Minute video will be released on July 31, Existing-Home Sales for July will be reported August 21, and the next Pending Home Sales Index will be August 29; all release times are 10:00 a.m. ET.
The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20% of transactions for existing-home sales. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined. By coincidence, the volume of existing-home sales in 2001 fell within the range of 5.0 to 5.5 million, which is considered normal for the current U.S. population.
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CDC Urges Doctors to Rapidly Recognize and Report AFM Cases By Focus Omaha
As the late summer/early fall “season” for acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) nears, CDC is calling on medical professionals to quickly recognize AFM symptoms and report all suspected cases to their health department. Early recognition and reporting are critical for providing patients with appropriate care and rehabilitation, and better understanding AFM, according to a new Vital Signs report. The majority of AFM patients are previously healthy children who had respiratory symptoms or fever consistent with a viral infection less than a week before they experienced limb weakness. Since AFM can progress quickly from limb weakness to respiratory failure requiring urgent medical intervention, rapidly identifying symptoms and hospitalizing patients are important. Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC Director “CDC continues to pursue the definitive cause and mechanisms that define this disease and we sincerely appreciate the important contributions of the AFM Task Force in helping us get closer to critical
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answers,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield, M.D. “I urge physicians to look for symptoms and report suspected cases so that we can accelerate efforts to address this serious illness.” Late summer and early fall is AFM “season” CDC began tracking AFM in 2014 when the first outbreak of 120 cases occurred. Another outbreak occurred in 2016 with 149 cases, and again with 233 patients in 41 states in 2018– the largest outbreak so far. AFM cases have so far followed a seasonal and biennial pattern, spiking between August and October every other year. In an analysis of cases confirmed in 2018, CDC detected enteroviruses and rhinoviruses in nearly half of respiratory and stool specimens. Of the 74 cases with a cerebral spinal fluid specimen, only two were positive for enteroviruses (EV-A71 and EV-D68). CDC and other scientists continue to investigate how enteroviruses, including continued on page 19
Focus | July 31 - August 6 | Volume 3 Issue 31
EV-D68, might initiate AFM. All specimens tested negative for poliovirus, a related enterovirus that can cause AFM. Dr. Tom Clark, deputy director, Division of Viral Diseases “Our thorough investigation of AFM will help lead to more answers about this severe disease,” said Tom Clark, M.D., M.P.H, deputy director, Division of Viral Diseases. “We are monitoring AFM trends and the clinical presentation, conducting research to identify possible risk factors, using advanced lab testing and research to understand how viral infections may lead to AFM, and tracking long-term outcomes of AFM patients.”
CDC, with experts from the National Institutes of Health, academia, health departments, and parent advocacy groups, is committed to increasing awareness of AFM, and moving national priorities forward to advance our understanding of AFM and its prevention, treatment, and outcomes. To read more about the Nationwide Outbreak of Acute Flaccid Myelitis—the United States, 2018 and the entire Vital Signs report, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns
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Spielman Chosen for Paul Hornung Award Watch List By NU Athletic Communications
Last season, Spielman hauled in 66 passes for 881 yards and eight touchdowns, despite missing the final two games of the season. He finished on NU’s top-10 single-season list in catches (third), yards (ninth) and touchdowns (seventh). He ranked among the Big Ten leaders in receptions per game (6.6, second), receiving yards per game (81.8, fourth) and all-purpose yards per game (111.5, fifth) en route to earning All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season.
His best performance came against nationJD Spielman was among Big Ten leaders in ally-ranked Wisconsin, when he shattered catches, yards and touchdowns in 2018. Nebraska’s single-game receiving record Photo by Nebraska Communications with 209 yards. He is the only player in school history with a 200-yard receiving Nebraska wide receiver JD Spielman game. Spielman hauled in 10 passes for picked up his second watch list recognition 135 yards against Purdue and is the only on Thursday, as the junior was named to receiver in school history with multiple the 2019 Paul Hornung Award presented double-digit reception games. by Texas Roadhouse. Spielman was tabbed for the list for the second consecutive season and is one of 44 players, including eight from the Big Ten, on the initial watch list. The award is presented to the most versatile player in college football. Players on this year’s watch list accounted for 15,343 rushing yards, 18,538 receiving yards, 14,401 kickoff return yards, 2,897 punt return yards and 323 total tackles in 2018. Reminiscent of Hornung during his playing days, members of the watch list demonstrated a knack for scoring numerous ways. Last season, the watch list players combined for 316 total touchdowns in six different ways – rushing; receiving; passing; and returning punts, kickoffs and interceptions. Spielman, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound wide receiver, has a chance to finish his junior season as the most prolific receiver in school history and has ranked in the top five in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards per game in both seasons as a Husker. He enters his junior campaign needing only 68 catches and 1,099 yards to break NU career records in both categories.
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Spielman will look to be NU’s first-ever winner of the honor, while Ameer Abdullah was a finalist in 2014. The last three winners have come from the Big Ten, including 2018 recipient Rondale Moore of Purdue. The award will announce five finalists in November with the winner being selected in early December.
JD
Spielman
#10
Wide Receiver HEIGHT: 5’9” WEIGHT: 180 YEAR: Junior HOMETOWN: Eden Prairie, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL: Eden Prairie MAJOR: Undeclared
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Honors & Awards » NU Receiver of the Year (2018) » Third-Team All-Big Ten (2018, Coaches & Media) » Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List (2018) » Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List (2018) » Freshman All-American (2017, FWAA, USA Today) » Third-Team All-Big Ten Wide Receiver (2017, Coaches) » Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten Wide
Receiver (2017, Media) » Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten Kick Returner (2017, Coaches) » BTN Big Ten All-Freshman Team Wide Receiver (2017) » BTN Big Ten All-Freshman Team Kick Returner (2017)
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CBO Report Looks at Effect of Raising the Federal Minimum Wage By Michael Herek The federal minimum wage (FMW), currently $7.25 per hour, hasn’t increased since 2009— the longest stretch with no federal increases since 1938, when the minimum wage was created. Several presidential candidates as well as proposed House Bill H.R. 582, Raise the Wage Act, would raise the FMW. What effect would a wage increase have on wage earners, families, employers, and the economy?
come jobless, according to the CBO’s median estimate. Also, there is a two-thirds chance that between zero and 3.7 million workers could be affected by a change in employment. However, the number of people with annual income below the poverty threshold in 2025 would fall by 1.3 million. To summarize the CBO’s findings, the $15 option would: • Boost workers’ earnings through higher wages, though some of those higher earnings would be offset by higher rates of joblessness
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new report that examined the impact of raising the federal minimum wage to $10, $12, or $15 per hour by 2025 and • Reduce business income and raise prices as how this would affect employment and family higher labor costs are absorbed by business income. owners and then passed on to consumers and According to the CBO, for the roughly 40 million wage-earners, the $15 option would be the most impactful, boosting the wages of 17 million workers who would otherwise earn less than $15 per hour. Another 10 million workers earning slightly more than $15 per hour might see their wages rise as well. But 1.3 million other workers would be-
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• Reduce the nation’s output slightly through the reduction in employment and a corresponding decline in the nation’s stock of capital (such as buildings, machines, and technologies).
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ployment, because future wage growth under current law is uncertain, and because the responsiveness of employment to an increase in the minimum wage is unclear. Nevertheless, the CBO report seems to indicate that a wage increase would have both positive and negative ramifications. More families would have incomes above the federal poverty level. However, the cost of the wage increase could cause a reduction in the labor force. In addition, higher-income earners who buy more goods and services, could see those prices increase. Based on these possible outcomes and the CBO’s estimate of the median effect on employment, the $15 option would reduce total real (inflation-adjusted) family income in 2025 by $9 billion, or 0.1%. It should be noted that there is considerable uncertainty about the size of any option’s effect on em-
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Solar Is Probably the Solution To Your Problem By Kat Carroll, Solar Heat and Electric Gone are the days of expensive and inaccessible solar. In the past ten years, solar prices have dropped by almost seventy percent, from $9.80 per watt to an average of $2.98 per watt. Solar cell technology breakthroughs mean that in the next five years, panel efficiency might increase from an average of 19-20% percent to 29%, allowing each panel to capture more of the photons that hit its surface. Solar Heat and Electric is here to give you a quick update on the coolest solar tech of the past year.
Solar Fabrics
The lessons that The Hunger Games blockbuster book and movie series taught us are varied, but among the primary: when it comes to revolution, stylistic intention is crucial. In a world where trends overcome divisions of geography and culture, fashion is a way to engage with others, to construct a specific image of oneself, and a way to signal group identity or beliefs. If you’re reading sci-fi that doesn’t pay attention to how its characters dress and what that means, by all means, contact me to direct you to better books. Nowadays, style is, apparently, also a way to charge your cell phone when you’re lost in the wilderness.
Solar Technology That Creates Electricity and Fresh Water
There’s a drought crisis approaching in the form of changing precipitation patterns and over-usage of fresh water. We can look at the Syrian civil war and refugee crisis as an example of the effects of this type of crisis- and now, we can look to solar technology as a partial solution. Solar stills which convert seawater to freshwater have been around for decades, but recent research from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has improved their effectiveness. The new stills capture the unused heat from solar panels and use it to heat seawater to a point that the water evaporates and then condenses free of salt into a lower channel. These newer solar stills can produce about 1.64 liters of water per panel square meter- almost double current commercial water stills.
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In 2018, Britain’s Nottingham Trent University created a textile yarn composed of tiny solar panels, that creates clothing that is both comfortable, washable, and able to charge your phone when the sun is out. Solar fashion has a long way to go, but I can’t wait until the day I can integrate solar panels into my bomber jacket and backpack.
Floating Solar Farms
If you’re not reading solar news on the daily because it’s part of your job as a solar marketer, you probably didn’t know solar panels could float. It’s an idea that has taken off in the Netherlands, China, and Japan in big terms. By 2023, 2 gigawatts of floating solar power will have been realized. The newest, coolest part of the story is what’s being imagined by a team of researchers from UC Berkeley: floating solar farms that draw excess carbon dioxide from the oceans. The electricity produced by these panels would split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen would react with the carbon dioxide in the water to create usable liquid methanol. Given that the ocean is absorbing most of the excess carbon dioxide we produce, this could be a game changer in our ability to reduce our impact on the carbon cycle. If the fuel is stored rather than burned, we would be able to take tons of carbon dioxide out of the ocean-atmosphere cycle. If it’s burned,
there’s no more net carbon entering the cycle from underground fossil fuel extraction.
Thermal Batteries for Overnight Power
One of the constant drawbacks for solar energy is its inability to produce power overnight. The extra energy a solar array produces during a day is normally stored in a lithium battery which then has the capacity to power the building overnight. However, there might soon be technology that allows us to store larger amounts of energy and produce energy when the sun is down- thermal batteries. Researchers from Curtin University are developing a battery that stores heat rather than electricity, but they might be caught out by South Australian company CCT Energy Storage. Their TED battery can store five to six times more energy than a typical lithiumion battery, will last longer, is recyclable and significantly cheaper. As this thermal battery technology progresses, it might fill the last gap in clean energy technology: it will be usable by fossil-fuel and energyintensive industries.
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C.C. Valentine, “Got Some Time” By Tatiana Ballinger “Got Some Time,” was released in 2014 and dredges through airwaves. Listen to coagulated inspiration from soul music, southern rock, reggae, emo, blues, and Motown - so basically everything minus Omaha Country music. C.C. Valentine embodies an essence that can be understood without so many words or complicated emotions. This album normalizes so much. The ballads show the story of typical Orange County downtime with songs on the shorter end about being in love with yourself and your friends in contemplated grandiosity.
The tentrack debut album by California native, Cesar Cortez of Orange County who is originally and shortly in San Francisco for political and personal study. Some of us have had the privilege of hearing this voice in person during car rides, small-town karaokes, and even after asking very nicely. He loves the attention and is in no way ashamed of being experienced. Cesar is a humble man of a loving friend family in his childhood home until the time is right to leave again.
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The opening track is the perfect introduction to the album’s climax of effort. Every possibility of vocal range is demonstrated on “Your Love.” The first single, “So-Called Life,” was used in a backyard sundance. “Goin’ to Hell,” is the second unofficial single in my biased opinion. The rest of “Got Some Time” strays closely to the aforementioned subject matter. Licks of origin appear in aesthetic ode to lowrider culture; clinging to clarified vocals. Don’t be alarmed if you find yourself listening to X or Social Distortion in the following days of “Got Some Time,” or be ashamed if the sermon changes with each spin. Accept your shoddy aspirations as a byproduct of C.C. Valentine’s first masterpiece. Get romantic on YouTube and Spotify and support a talented singer and uniquely emotional songwriterembrace minimalism.
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BARRETT’S BARLEYCORN 4322 Leavenworth St. M-F 4P-6P $2.25 Domestic Bottles $3.00 Well Drinks BROKEDOWN PALACE 8805 Maple St. Happy Hour 12P-6P $4 28 oz Domestic Frozen Mugs $5 28 oz Nebraska Brewing Cardinal Pale Ale Frozen Mug CADDYSHACK 2076 N 117th Ave & 7007 S 181st St M-F 2P-6P $1 Off Beer, Wine & Wells TUES- HAPPY HOUR All Day
NOSH WINE LOUNGE 1006 Dodge St. Everyday 4P- 6P Reverse HH 10P -12A $3 domestic beers and wells, $2 off Glasses of Wine, $4 House Wine PADDY’S McGOWN’S PUB & GRILL 4503 Center St. Happy Hour Specials from 3-6pm PARLIAMENT PUB DOWNTOWN 1212 Harney Street T-SUN 3P-7P Drink Specials
COHEN & KELLY’S LOUNGE 13075 W Center Rd M-F 4:30P - 6:30P Drink Specials
PARLIAMENT PUB WEST 16939 Wright Plaza M-F 3-7PM ALL DAY SUNDAY! $2 Domestic Pints, $5 Vodka Red Bulls, $5 Shots & Bombs, 1/2 price Martini’s & Wines
DUBLINER PUB 1205 Harney St. Nightly Drink Specials & Happy Hour 1P - 7P Everyday !! $1.00 off Pints and Bottles
PITCH PIZZERIA 5021 Underwood Ave. 17808 Burke M-F 3P-6P $5 off any appetizer $5 off any pizza
GETAWAY LOUNGE 4745 S 96th St M-F 2P - 6P $2 Busch Lite Bottles $2.25 Busch Lite Tall Boys $3 Fireballs $3 Apple Pie Shots
OMAHA TAP HOUSE 1401 Farnam St. & 579 N 155th Plz M-F 3P - 6P & ALL DAY SUNDAY $1 Off All TapBeers $4 Svedka, $4 Windsor, $4 Sauza Silver, $4 Cruzan Rum
JERRY’S BAR 6301 Military Ave Happy Hour Prices ALL Day EVERYDAY! JULIO’S 123rd & Center M-F 3P – 6P & FRI & SAT AFTER 9M $1 off all Tap Beer, $3 House Margaritas, $8 Pitchers of Bud Light & Miller Light, $2 Tacos & $8 Nachos KOZEE LOUNGE 5813 N 60th St. Daily Drink Specials! LEAVENWORTH BAR 4556 Leavenworth St. M-F 12P-7P LOOKOUT LOUNGE 320 S 72nd St. EVERY DAY 4-7, MIDNIGHT - 2 AM $2 PBR, $2.50 Domestic Bottles , $3 Wells, $3 Fireball MALONEY’S IRISH PUB 1830 N 72nd St. M-F 3P-7P $1.00 off any beer
RAILCAR MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN 1814 N 144th St. M-F 3:30-6:30P $4 Well Drinks $3 Off Signature Cocktails RATHSKELLER BIER GARDEN 4524 Farnam St. Monday to Saturday – 3P to 6P | 10P-Close Sunday – All Day BOSO – Buy one second one for $.25 SCRIPTOWN 3922 Farnam M-F 4P - 6P $1 Off Beers & $1 Off Well Drinks SMITTY’S GARAGE 7610 Dodge St. Everyday 3P - 6P & 9P - CLOSE $2.50 Domestics THURSDAYS $1 OFF Local Beer Draws THE CASUAL PINT 8718 Countryside Plaza M, W, TH 4P-6P TUES All Day $1 Off All Draft Beers. Friday – 1/2 Price Growler Refills Sunday – Ladies Day. $1 Off All Pints for
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THE DOWN UNDER 3530 Leavenworth St. MON-SAT 3P-7P SUNDAY-All Day THERAPY BAR & GRILL 5059 S 108th St Monday-Friday 3-6pm $.50 cents off Bottles, Drafts, & Wells THE SOCIABLE INN 4917 S 136TH ST M-F 2P-7P $2.50 Pints, $2.50 Domestic Bottles TIGER TOM’S 7103 Military Ave M-F 4P-6P $12 Domestic Buckets TIMBER WOOD FIRE BISTRO 8702 Pacific St – Countryside Village M-F Patio Only 11A-7P M-SAT 2P- 6:30P & SUN 2P-10P $2 Off Local and Craft Drafts,
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CRUZ CONTROL, LEO & THE LION’S MANE, MONKEYFUNK BAZILE MILLS, RAGGED COMPANY, JOCELYN MUSIC & THE ORIGINAL WAILERS RIVERWEST PARK, SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2019
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