OMAHA — Nebraska dropped a notch — from No. 9 to No. 10 — in a national ranking for overall child well-being, according to the latest Kids Count data book, a 50-state examination of how youths are faring in post-pandemic America.

I best watch my language, because the world, as it has for a couple millennia, is changing once again. And the words and tools by which we both described and navigated yesterday may not be accurate or effective tomorrow.

I was reminded of this syntactic phenomenon last week after Nebraska State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha announced his candidacy for the U.S. House in the state’s 2nd Congressional District.

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. nonprofits provide vital services, such as running food banks and youth programs, supporting public health initiatives and helping unemployed people find new jobs. Although this work helps sustain local communities, obtaining the money and staff they require is a constant struggle for many of these groups.