UNMC Infectious Disease Training: University of Nebraska Medical Center broke ground on a $17.4 million Infectious Diseases Air Transport training facility, expected to open in early 2028, to prepare U.S. Air Force and healthcare teams for safe transport of patients with high-consequence infections. Military Medicine Expansion: The same event launched UNMC’s Office for the Advancement of Military Medicine, underscoring Nebraska’s role in biodefense and public health readiness. West Nile Update: Nebraska reported its first West Nile death of the season in Lancaster County, with state mosquito testing showing very high activity statewide and heaviest risk in eastern and central Nebraska. Tick-Borne Alerts: DHHS detected Heartland and Bourbon viruses in tick pools in Sarpy and Richardson counties; no human cases reported, but officials urge tick-bite prevention and prompt care for symptoms. Medical Cannabis Upheld: The Nebraska Supreme Court rejected challenges to 2024 voter-approved medical marijuana petitions, keeping both initiatives valid. Rural Primary Care Boost: Bryan Medical Center received a $750,000 federal grant to develop Nebraska’s first rural family medicine residency program, targeting first students in 2029. Wound Care Education: Registration opened for the 2026 Regional West Wyo-braska Wound Care Conference in Scottsbluff on Oct. 7.