Omaha reservation relies on community support during pandemic

NEBRASKA ARESTRUGGLING TO FINDHEALTH ANDFINANCIALRESOURCES AMID THECORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC ...AND FOR THE NATIVEPEOPLE WHO RESIDEIN MACY NEBRASKA,THIS IS NOEXCEPTION.REPORTER JESSIKAEDSON VISITED THEOMAHA RESERVATIONAND TELLS US HOWTHEY ARE COPINGDURING THESETRYING TIMES.AN HOUR AND AHALF NORTH OFOMAHA, THE PEOPLETHAT THE CITY ISNAMED AFTER, AREFACING THEIR OWNPROBLEMS DURINGTHE COVID-19PANDEMIC.CLOUDY SKIES ANDTHUNDER IN THEAIR REPRESENTS ANAWAKENING FORTHE OMAHA NATIVEPEOPLE,"AROUNDSPRINGTIME, ISWHEN THE OMAHAPEOPLE, WHEN WEHEAR THE FIRSTTHUNDERS AFTERTHE WINTER,SIGNIFIES THE STARTOF OUR NEW YEAR."BUT LIKE MANYTHINGS, THISCELEBRATION...AND LIFE IN THEOMAHA TRIBE HASBEEN PUT ON HOLDBECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUS.THE TRIBE ISSUED ASTAY AT HOMEORDER ON MARCH27, AND PUT ACURFEW IN PLACEFROM 8PM TO 8AMEVERY NIGHT.SO FAR, NO CASESOF COVID-19 HAVEBEEN CONFIRMEDFOR THECOMMUNITY.IN THE WAKE OFTHE PANDEMIC, THETRIBE HAS BEENWORKING AS ACOMMUNITY TOSERVE ITS PEOPLE,BOTH YOUNG ANDOLD."WE HAVEPROVIDED COOKEDMEALS FOR OURSENIOR CITIZENSTHAT ARE 55 ANDOVER, LITERALLYGOING TO THEIRHOMES TO PROVIDEA MEAL FOR THEM."THE LOCAL SCHOOLHAS SENT HOMEENRICHMENTPACKETS AND ISOFFERING ZOOMMEETINGS FORCHILDREN INSPECIALEDUCATION, ASWELL AS PROVIDINGGROCERIES EVERYWEDNESDAY FORFAMILIES.THEIR HEALTHCENTER IS STILLOPEN ANDPROVIDINGSERVICES LIKE TELECOUNSELING ANDPRESCRIPTIONDELIVERY TOPREVENT PEOPLEFROM POTENTIALLYEXPOSINGTHEMSELVES ANDOTHERS TO THEVIRUS.BAXTER SAID THETRIBE IS DOING THEBEST WITH WHAT ITHAS AT THIS TIME,BUT MANY OF THELEADERS SAY THEYARE FEELINGBETRAYED BY THESTATE, ACCUSINGGOVERNORRICKETTS OFBACKING OUT OF ADEAL TO PROVIDEFINANCIAL AID.RICKETTS HOWEVERHAS STATED THATTHIS WAS AMISUNDERSTANDING, AND THAT HEWILL ONLY BEPROVIDINGMEDICAL SUPPLIESFOR THE TRIBE,WHILE THE FEDERALGOVERNMENTPROVIDES 8 BILLIONDOLLARS TO NATIVEPEOPLE THROUGHTHE CARES ACT."THE DIRECT CASHPAYMENTS AREGOING TO BECOMING FROM THEFEDERALGOVERNMENT WITHREGARD TO THAT,AND THAT'S WHYWE SAY THE STATE ISNOT GOING TOPROVIDE CASHFINANCIALSUPPORT, BUTWE'RE HAPPY TOSUPPLY THINGS LIKEPERSONALPROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT IF YOUCAN'T GET MASKSOR GLOVES ORTHINGS LIKE THAT."BAXTER SAYS THETRIBE HAS YET TORECEIVE ANYEQUIPMENT, ANDTHAT HEFTY SUMFROM THE CARESACT ONLY GOES SOFAR WHEN SPLITAMONGST OVER 550TRIBES AND SOMEALASKANCORPORATIONS.IN THE MEANTIME,THE PEOPLE WHOSENAME MEANS TOGO AGAINST THECURRENT, WILLCONTINUE LEANINGON EACH OTHER TOOVERCOME THISNEW OBSTACLE."WHEN WE HAVEDISPARITIES AND WEHAVE STRUGGLE, WETEND TO COMETOGETHER ANDHELP ONE ANOTHEROUT.THAT'S JUST WHOWE ARE.AND THAT'S THEOMAHA WAY."JESSIKA EIDSON, 3NEWS NOWAFTER SEVERALTRIBES FILED A SUITAGAINST THETREASURYDEPARTMENT.A FEDERAL JUDGEFILE A PRELIMINARYINJUNCTION,YESTERDAY, SAYINGALASKANCORPORATIONSWOULD NOT RECEIVEANY FUND FROM THECARES ACT.THE DEADLINE TODISTRIBUTE THATRELIEF MONEY TOTRIBES HAS BEENDELAYED.