LINCOLN, Nebraska - Governor Pete Ricketts will be holding daily news conferences at 2 p.m., Monday through Friday for as long as necessary.
On Monday, Ricketts thanked everyone in the state for working together to help one another. He says he asked people to use common sense and it is working. That means hand washing, social distancing and staying away from those who are sick. Also, those who are ill are self-quarantine and that is helping to prevent the spread of the virus.
The income tax filing deadline has been extended to July 15th. Ricketts did ask everyone not impacted by COVID-19 coronavirus to file their taxes by the April 15th deadline.
Ricketts says, "If everybody who normally files on April 15th were to file on July 15th, we would see $385 million, our estimate, move from this fiscal year to next fiscal year that starts July 1st. We have analyzed this and we at the State of Nebraska can manage that. But, I am asking those not impacted by coronavirus and you can file by April 15th, please do so. From a cash-flow perspective, we don't know how this all impact us from the standpoint of what will happen with sales and income taxes moving forward."
Ricketts also puts an end to a national rumor that the National Guard would be called out to enforce martial law and that is false.
Nebraska has also fixed a problem with their online unemployment application. Many people were denied because of a question asking if they were looking for employment. That question is waived. Ricketts says those who were denied are asked to reapply for that assistance.
This is Agriculture Week in Nebraska and one company is stepping to help fill the void in hand sanitizer. Todd Becker is CEO of Green Plains ethanol manufacturing in York and says they produce 55 million gallons of industrial ethanol. It was approved today to be used in hand sanitizers and other cleaning agents. That ethanol is being donated to the state. Green Plains is partnering with the Nebraska Department of Corrections will convert that ethanol into hand sanitizer.
The next update from state officials will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of 6 News.