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Cedar County is seeing COVID-19 surge

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HARTINGTON — Cedar County has seen a big increase in COVID-19 cases this week.

Seven new cases were reported in Cedar County on Monday, bringing the total for the county up to 32.

At the start of August, Cedar County had 21 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

Despite the new cases here, Cedar County still has fewer cases than any other county in the four-county Northeast Nebraska Public Health Dept. District.

As of Monday, Wayne County had 41 cases, while Dixon County reported 62 cases. Thurston County is the hardest hit county in the district with 220 cases there.

The recent surge pushed the COVID-19 Risk Dial from middle yellow to high yellow, just below the orange part of the dial. Yellow is considered moderate risk, while orange is considered high risk.

Specific metrics are reviewed to determine the current risk for viral spread in the health district, said NENPHD Director Julie Rother. They are:

Test Positivity for the area

Local and Regional Health Care System Capacity

Availability of Critical Medical Equipment

Community Spread or Clusters of the Disease

Testing Availability

Contact Tracing Availability

To better find people with the virus, there is now a new Test Nebraska site open in the NNPHD Health District, as Wayne Family Medicine is now offering this service to the area Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 9 a.m.-Noon.

Anyone who is a Nebraska resident is eligible to receive testing through Test NE. However, they must register before getting tested.

LAUREL — Laurel area voters will get an opportunity to vote in November on a proposed $23 million bond for school improvements.

Board members reviewed information for a bond election for the cost of the school facilities renovation project for a total amount to be bonded of $23 million to be bonded over 25 years.

The project would require an 11.1-cent bond levy. Projected true interest cost will be 1.903 percent.

The project may allow the school board to reduce the .074344 now being used for the special building fund.

This decision was made after a five-meeting process, which included discussions to formulate options.

The process shows the scope of what will be needed to replace what school classrooms now are used at the high school level. A new front entrance is also suggested.

A November vote in favor of the project would mean design would begin immediately on the project.

Community informational meetings are planned before the vote including at least three public forums.

School board president Jay Hall said the COVID situation delayed everything.

“This project is a renovation of the high school. This is a pretty major decision,’’ Hall said.

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