M Jane Ford Witthoff has dedicated over 51 years of her life to the public health cause, working diligently to improve the health and wellness of the communities she has served. She began her career in 1963 as a Laboratory Technician, but quickly moved on in her...
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Health Alerts Continue at Bluestem Lake
High E. coli levels found at Branched Oak, Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake, Windmill Lake No. 5 Health alerts for harmful algal bloom continue at Bluestem Lake in Lancaster County. The following lakes were found to have high E. coli levels: Branched Oak in Lancaster...
read moreAlgae and Bacteria Health Alert
Bacteria and Harmful Algal Bloom Results for the Week of August 21, 2017 Harmful Algal Blooms Bluestem was below 20 ppb but will remain on Health Alert for at least one more week. Swan Creek Lake (5A) and Willow Creek Reservoir have been removed from the Health...
read moreLake Health Alerts
Health Alert Ends at Pawnee; Alerts Continue at Bluestem, Willow Creek Reservoir and Swan Creek Lake 5A High E. coli levels found at Fremont Lake #10, Maple Creek Recreation Area, Pawnee Lake, and Wirth Brothers Lake There were no new health alerts this week for...
read moreRabies Risk!
It’s bat season again. Higher levels of bat activity increases the possibility of rabies exposure. “August is the peak month for testing bats for rabies,” said Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist for DHHS. “It’s important for people to be careful around bats and...
read moreNitrate Violation Alert!
NOTICE OF NITRATE VIOLATION FOR STEELE CITY WATER A Nitrate Violation Notice has been issued for users of the Village of Steele City, Nebraska Public Water Supply System. Nitrate was measured at 14 milligrams per liter on a sample collected on August 10, 2017. Parents...
read moreBlue Green Algae & High E. Coli Alert
Blue Green Algae Health Alerts Issued for Bluestem lake, Pawnee Lake, Swan Creek Lake(5A), and Willow Creek Reservoir High E. Coli found in Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake The state has issued health alerts for toxic blue-green algae at Bluestem Lake & Pawnee...
read moreBlue Green Algae & High E. Coli Alerts
Blue Green Algae Health Alerts Issued for Swan Creek Lake, Pawnee Lake High E. Coli Found in Holmes Lake, Pawnee Lake, Fremont Lake No. 10, Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake The state has issued health alerts for toxic blue-green algae at Swan Creek Lake in Saline...
read moreDistrict Farmers’ Markets are Open for the Season!
Farmers markets are underway in your area! Buying local gives you freedom of choice for your family’s health and nutrition while supporting family farms and strengthening the local economy. Shopping at a farmers’ market is a unique experience where you...
read morePrescription for a Healthier You!
Want to learn more about living a healthier lifestyle? Public Health Solutions is teaming up with several community partners to help provide FREE sessions focused on getting healthy. See the schedule below:...
read moreSuicide PreventionTraining Available to the Public!
Community stakeholders will be certified and trained as QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer) gatekeepers. The 90-minute QPR Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention program teaches people how to recognize suicide-warning signs, ask about suicide, and persuade people to...
read moreBeware of Telephone Scam Using Health Department Phone Number
Public Health Solutions (PHS) has been made aware of a telephone scam which involves the misuse of a local PHS phone number. When looking at their caller ID, residents are misled to believe that a call is coming from our office and then hear an automated message about...
read moreHealth Alert Issued for Swan Creek Lake & Kirkman’s Cove Lake Health Alerts Continue for Iron Horse Trail Lake, Rockford Lake
7/7/2017 The state has issued health alerts for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae, at Swan Creek Lake in Saline County, Rockford Lake State Recreation Area in Gage County, Iron Horse Trail Lake in Pawnee County and Kirkman’s Cove Lake in...
read moreFree Fans Available!
It’s that time of the year again! As the temperature rises, PHS will be distributing free box fans provided by DHHS to anyone in our five counties. The fans are completely FREE! PHS will be distributing these at our Crete and Beatrice locations. Clients simply...
read moreHelp PHS Monitor West Nile Virus
Public Health Solutions is now accepting reports of dead birds. We are interested in the corvid species, which includes crows and bluejays (see pictures below). In partnership with DHHS, local health departments begin surveillance of the bird population on June 1st,...
read moreHealth Alerts Issued for Pawnee Lake, Iron Horse Trail Lake
The state has issued health alerts for harmful algal blooms, also known as toxic blue-green algae, at Iron Horse Trail Lake in Pawnee County and Pawnee Lake in Lancaster County. These are the first health alerts issued in the 2017 recreational season. Weekly...
read moreWater Warning for Steele City, NE
A water warning has been issued by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for residents of the Village of Steele City. Parents are advised that Infants who are six months or younger, nursing mothers, and pregnant women should not consume Village of...
read moreWarmer Days Bring Ticks to Nebraska
Ticks are generally found near the ground, in brushy or wooded areas. They can’t jump or fly. Instead, they climb tall grasses or shrubs and wait for you to brush against them. When this happens, they climb on and seek a site for attachment. Ticks can cause a number...
read moreNational Prescription Drug Take Back Day
On Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 13th opportunity in 7 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous...
read moreControlled Burns in Kansas Temporarily Affecting Outdoor Air Quality
Extensive agricultural burns in Kansas have caused temporary air quality issues in our area. Winds carrying particles and gases from these fires can make conditions like heart disease, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema worse and trigger asthma attacks. While most...
read moreNebraska Mission of Mercy
Free Dental Care for Adults & Children This spring, Nebraska will host another Mission of Mercy event where children and adults can get free dental care. Over 150 volunteer dentists will provide an estimated 1,200-1,400 patients, with $750,000 in free dental care...
read moreNational Wear Red Day
Wear red. Know your numbers. Reduce your risk. PHS staff members observe national Wear Day to bring attention to women’s heart health. Five numbers, that all women should know to take control of their heart health are: Total Cholesterol HDL (good) Cholesterol,...
read moreFalafel King Issues Allergy Alert for “Tzatziki Sauce”
FALAFEL KING ISSUES ALLERGY ALERT ON UNDECLARED MILK IN “Tzatziki Sauce” The following recall alert was received from Nebraska Department of Agriculture, after the FDA initiated a recall of Falafel King Tzatziki Sauce. Falafel King of Boulder, Colorado is...
read moreGood Question – Do you have a cold or the flu?
The flu is different from a cold. A cold will come on gradually with various symptoms, and the flu will come on suddenly. People who have the flu may experience some or all of the following symptoms: Fever – chills/feeling feverish Cough Sore throat Runny or stuffy...
read moreDental Day Is Coming! -Feb 3rd
Annually, the first Friday in February UNMC College of Dentistry hosts a Dental Day for children across Nebraska. Public Health Solutions has partnered with UNMC to make sure that the uninsured and underinsured children of our district are able to get free dental...
read moreIs Your Vehicle Winter Ready?
In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car including: Jumper cables: might want to include flares or reflective triangle Flashlights: with extra batteries or hand crank flashlight First Aid Kit: remember any necessary medications, baby...
read moreSabra Issues Voluntary Recall of Hummus Products
Sabra Dipping Company Issues Voluntary Recall Of Hummus Products Sabra Dipping Co., LLC is voluntarily recalling certain hummus products made prior to November 8, 2016 due to concerns over Listeria monocytogenes, which was identified at the manufacturing facility...
read moreColon Cancer Campaign Winner
Of cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, but it does not have to be. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads...
read moreLB 1013: Increasing Tobacco Tax
Public Health Solutions’ Board of Health supports LB 1013. As Board of Health members committed to ensuring the public’s health, we support the increase in tobacco tax for Nebraska. This is a proven strategy that results in reduce smoking rates, saves lives, and...
read moreSmart Moves Class to Help Pre-Diabetics
One out of three American adults has pre-diabetes (borderline diabetes). Most of them do not know it. Having pre-diabetes means that your blood glucose (sugar) is higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. This raises your risk of type 2...
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read moreNew dentist in our District!
Public Health Solutions would like to welcome Dr. Andre Rossini, a new dentist in our District! Working out of Crete, Dr. Rossini is hoping to make an impact in our community and improve the oral health of the children in our District. Dr. Andre Rossini grew up in...
read moreFlu Season
Flu season is upon us. Public Health Solutions would like to remind everyone to take the steps necessary to help prevent influenza and keep your family healthy: Get a flu shot each year. Everyone age 6 months and older should receive a flu vaccination yearly. Flu...
read moreDiabetes Prevention Program
November is Diabetes Awareness Month Public Health Solutions is working with community partners throughout the District to reduce the incidence of diabetes by identifying individuals that are pre-diabetic. These individuals can reduce their risk of getting diabetes...
read moreWinterize Your Home
Prepare Now for the Winter Months Ahead Once again here in the Midwest, old man winter is upon us. Public Health Solutions District Health Department would like to take this opportunity to provide some pertinent information to help you better prepare for the upcoming...
read moreAre you prepared to use CPR?
CPR we have all heard of it but are we all prepared to use CPR? What if someone we know has a cardiac event? I know I was not prepared to do CPR. But after going through an easy 30 minute training and several meaningful conversations with Kate, our public health...
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