Early experience with the coronavirus in Nebraska points to meatpacking plants and long-term care facilities as the danger zones.
And we probably could have anticipated that.
The elderly are the most vulnerable in terms of survival, and the meatpacking work force is the most dangerous in terms of community-spread.
Do you close down plants? Institute more safeguards and increase medical attention?
Or do you take action to try to apply the statewide standard of six feet of physical separation to distance workers from one another on the meat-processing production lines?
That presumably would slow production, increase costs, reduce profits.
And it presumably could result in worker layoffs or lead to reduced work hours that eliminate or diminish worker income at a time of economic stress and instability while delivering yet another blow to Nebraska agriculture.
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That's the natural assumption.
But worker advocates say there may be ways to counter that by being creative in adjusting the production schedule, perhaps changing some work shift hours, perhaps adding another shift, perhaps operating production lines seven days a week.
Workers also want the plants to continue operating; unemployment in this economy is a deep black hole.
As the virus spreads in Grand Island and Lexington and Dakota City and who knows where next, there does not need to be a choice between worker and community safety versus food production, worker advocates contend.
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The Democratic congressional candidate in western and central Nebraska's 3rd District lives in Omaha.
Huh?
Mark Elworth Jr., lives on S. 23rd St., a long ways from North Platte, Chadron and Scottsbluff.
But you're not required to live in the congressional district that you seek to represent.
The U.S. Constitution says members of the House must live in the state they represent, but not necessarily in the same congressional district.
"I'm running for Congress in rural Nebraska," Elworth says on Facebook.
"I want to let our farmers grow and prosper.
"They should be allowed to grow hemp as a bumper and cash crop.
"I'm fighting for their livelihoods."
In 2000, Tom Osborne was elected to the 3rd District House seat.
Although Osborne was a Lincolnite, he grew up in Hastings and he established residency in a house he owned at Lake McConaughy near Ogallala to remove any criticism or doubts about his attachment to the district.
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Finishing up:
* The Washington Post, Page One: Union Bank in Lincoln, NE., shows the nation how it's done in becoming a national leader in processing small-business loans under the new Paycheck Protection Program. Thanks, Union Bank, for making us all look good out here. Great photos.
* The National Governors Association urges caution in reopening states, pointing to a lack of sufficient testing to even measure the current coronavirus threat.
* In addition to Sen. Julie Slama of Peru, Janet Palmtag of Syracuse and Dennis Schaardt of Steinauer, whose names are on the May 12 primary election ballot, Mike Powers of Palmyra is an active write-in candidate in Legislative District 1.
* My eyes will be on primary results in District 43, where Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon is being challenged by Tanya Storer of Whitman. Both are Republicans and they'll both be nominated and there are very sharp divisions already in play. Let's see who starts ahead on May 12 and by how much.
* Sen. Ben Sasse has an eye focused on alarm bells that may affect the lives of children who are growing up in America, as well as today's adults. Current forecasting says Medicare will deplete its reserves in 2026 and Social Security will deplete its reserves in 2035.
* Gov. Pete Ricketts scores an A in terms of keeping Nebraskans informed about the coronavirus challenge that has so distorted our lives with his daily news briefings and weekly town hall appearances on NET.
* Spring, the rebirth of nature, the return of color, the annual victory of light over darkness, the departure of the cold north wind, scrambling squirrels and blossoming flowers and green grass, all here now to help usher us through this dark passage.