BEATRICE – This holiday weekend, Beatrice police will conduct their annual Stuff the Cruiser event at Walmart…..Friday through Sunday….where people can donate toys for needy children this holiday season.


Beatrice Police Chief Bruce Lang says, "There will be a drop box. Customers who choose to participate and help us out....they can put their item in that cart and leave. After they're gone, an officer will then move those things into the bus or cruiser."


Lang says some have already dropped off toys at Beatrice Police Headquarters prior to this weekend’s drive.
"People still want to help, still want to give....and probably more so this year than others people really need the help.....so it's a good thing."


The hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for Stuff the Cruiser at the Walmart Store, are 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Command Bus used at last year's Stuff the Cruiser
Command Bus used at last year's Stuff the Cruiser  

 
The Wednesday night prior to Thanksgiving Day has traditionally been a big evening for bars or restaurants, as students and others return home to renew friendships and be with families.
Lang says it may be a little muted this year, given the coronavirus pandemic. Just recently, the City of Beatrice Health Board enacted a mask mandate for indoor places where the public gathers, and Lang says the reaction to that so far, has been good.


"We've had really strong compliance with it. The majority of the phone calls I've received of late here at the police department and as it relates to the health board, both have been people that were concerned that maybe this business wasn't following it exactly like they were supposed to. We've had very strong compliance in the community."


The goal, Lang says, has been voluntary compliance with the mandate and to this point, police officers have not had to issue citations for any violations.
"We're not out here to be the mask police that are going to have to take enforcement action, if we don't have to. We've had really good voluntary compliance and we hope that continues on, until December 15th."


That date is when the health board order will expire or be extended.
"One of the reasons that we picked December 15th as the date when it will be reviewed and reconsidered was that would give us time to evaluate the results of Thanksgiving and shopping and those kind of things this coming weekend. By the 15th, we should have a pretty good idea of where we're at as far as the surge.....whether it is going up, or starting to come back down."


Lang says addressing the mask issue by individual cities is likely to be the focal point, not a statewide mask mandate in Nebraska. Governor Pete Ricketts has resisted enacting a statewide mandate.


"The CDC is talking a lot about directed health measures, meaning we're addressing individual hotspot problems. You ramp up your restrictions when things are getting worse, and then as things get better you relax your restrictions in those specific areas....instead of a blanket, across-the-country one-size-fits-all. That wasn't very effective. We know that now based on what we did back in March and April."