The COVID spring and summer have wounded Nebraska's child care system.

Steph Allen has already weathered one unimaginable crisis, the nightmare scenario that struck Grand Island and her new Teaching Tree childcare center this spring.

She had to close the Teaching Tree for eight weeks as the COVID pandemic hit Hall County earlier and harder than almost any other spot in Nebraska.

When she reopened in June, her enrollment and revenue plunged by 40%. It’s only now that enrollment is back up and daily operations are starting to feel somewhat normal.

The good news is that both Steph and her high-quality child care center are still standing.

The bad news is that she ca...