You may have seen newspaper articles about this new report from the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Nebraska Health Insurance Coverage: A Profile of the Characteristics of the Insured and Uninsured:
http://cpar.unomaha.edu/documents/hireport.pdf

Some highlights:

About 190,000 Nebraskans are not covered by any form of health insurance, equating to
an uninsured rate of 11 percent for the state.

Health insurance coverage through an employer or union provides the bulk of Nebraska’s
health insurance (1.1 million persons covered or 57 percent of all coverage plans).

In Nebraska, more than 12 percent of men did not have health insurance, versus about 9
percent of women.

Uninsured rates are highest among those of college age (18-24 years, 22 percent) and
those of early working age (25-34 years, 17 percent). Nearly universal coverage exists
among those 65 and older due to eligibility for Medicare. Uninsured rates are relatively
low among children under 18 and those aged 55-64 (7 and 8 percent respectively).

Nebraska uninsured rates are higher among minority population groups. Uninsured rates
are highest among Hispanics and Blacks, at 28 and 22 percent respectively, compared to
8 percent for non-Hispanic Whites. Differentials in health insurance coverage rates by
race and ethnicity are larger in Nebraska than those that exist nationally.

Uninsured rates are quite high among Nebraska’s foreign born population (35 percent),
especially those foreign born residents who, regardless of legal residence status, are not
United States citizens (45 percent).

Those experiencing economic hardships have higher uninsured rates, as 42 percent of the
unemployed, 28 percent of those in poverty, and 21 percent of those receiving food
stamps did not have health insurance.

The uninsured rate declines for each successive increase among educational attainment
categories, ranging from 26 percent among those aged 25 and older with no high school
education, to only 2 percent of those with a graduate or professional degree.

Free legal forms available online are definitely among our most-requested items. The Nebraska Judicial Branch has added a lot of forms to their web site.

http://www.supremecourt.ne.gov/forms/index.shtml

From the web site: "This page provides access to the forms currently available to the legal community, local courts and the public through the Administrative Office of the Courts. These forms are from Supreme Court rules, the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Nebraska Supreme Court Committee on Pro Se Litigation and other organizations. They are organized under the court in which they are used, or you may enter the topic or title of the form in the search box above for quicker access.

If you are interested in representing yourself in court, there are a number of forms designed specifically for your use. The Self Help page of this Web site contains forms, instructions and resources. "

Other sources for legal forms are linked from our NebraskAccess page
Where Can I Find Nebraska Legal/Business Forms?

Genealogists and other patrons of the Archives/Library Reference Room at the Nebraska State Historical Society will be very happy to learn that the library will be reopening soon. From the NSHS web site:

"After fourteen months of construction and renovation, the Library/Archives Reference Room will reopen to researchers on Tuesday, March 9th. Our regular hours remain Tuesday-Friday, 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00; and Saturday, 8:00-5:00.

While the Reference Room is slightly smaller, bathrooms have been added nearby. We thank you for your patience during the long construction phase and look forward to providing you with the research materials that you need"

A new leaflet for genealogists is available at http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/flyer.pdf

The full announcement and pictures of the renovations are posted at
http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/closing_notice.htm

A January 2010 revision of RULE 10 REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF SCHOOLS has been released. It is available online from the Department of Education web site and is also part of our state document epubs collection.

http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/E2000/R092.0010-2010.pdf

Rule 10 includes a quality indicator for school media centers:

006 Media and Technology Resources

006.01B Each elementary school acquires a minimum of 25 new library media
resources in print format, exclusive of textbooks and encyclopedia, of different
titles, per teacher per year, up to 150 titles during one year. The minimum
number of new titles in print format is 75 if library media resources are also
available through electronic format. Each middle and high school acquires a
minimum of 150 titles each year in either print or in full text electronic format.

Click here to see a list of publications received 02/04/10 - 02/22/10.

County Health Rankings http://countyhealthrankings.org is a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

The site has been updated with 2010 data. It compares the overall health of counties within a state, as well as comparing the factors that contribute to health, such as obesity rates, the quality of health care, or high school graduatlion rates. The data is provided by state health and human services agencies.

Individual counties can be selected to bring up detailed data, or a state can be selected, bringing up an interactive map. Some counties are not ranked (15 in Nebraska are not), presumably because the population is too low for accurate comparisons.

A summary report for each state is also available. The Nebraska summary is available at
http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/sites/default/files/CHR2010_NE_0.pdf

for more information about Nebraska data contact

Colleen Svoboda
Program Coordinator
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health
colleen.svoboda@nebraska.gov

Click here to see a list of publications received 01/01/10 - 02/03/10.

Issues of the 2009 Nebraska State Government Publications are now available in print and online. If you would like to receive a print copy please contact Jennifer Wrampe, 402-471-2045, 800-307-2665, or e-mail.

The NEDOCS list of publications for Fall 2009 is now available.

http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/docs/shippinglists/edocsalerts.html

With the dire condition of the economy and record deficits, libraries may experience more interest than usual in the Budgest of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2011 released today by President Obama. Beginning at 10 am Eastern Time today, afficianados are able to search or browse the entire document via the Government Printing Office Federal Digital System, also known as FDSYS http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/home.action

The format is PDF, with many of the tables also available for separate viewing and downloading as spreadsheets in xls and comma delimited formats. The PDF versions are digitally signed by GPO to assure users of the authenticity of the documents.

Tangible copies (4 books and 1 CD-ROM) will be distributed to Federal depository libraries as soon as stock is received by GPO. Additionally, copies are available for purchase from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at
http://bookstore.gpo.gov/collections/budget.jsp