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Today’s Highlights:
- Chili and elote are the subject of Sara Locke’s affection this week.
- The City of Omaha hasn’t had a contract for pothole repair since 2019.
- Charges will not be filed against a Lincoln boy who brought a loaded handgun to his elementary school.
A Chili Crawl to Keep You Warm
Six vendors will offer a variety of tastes for your palate Saturday, March 4. In another event, Backyard Elotes celebrates its grand opening today, March 1.
By Sara Locke. Published in The Reader.
AROUND OMAHA
The City of Omaha has not had a contract for pothole repair since 2019. Austin Rowser with Public Works says the contract would be beneficial during peak seasons. He says the lack of a contract is a matter of timing, not funding, and the unpredictable nature of pothole seasons contributes to that.
The City of Omaha plans to widen a stretch of 168th Street between West Center Road and Q Street. The two-lane road will be widened to four, along with other enhancements such as medians and curbs. The biking and walking trail under the bridge by Zorinsky Lake will be closed as a result. Work is expected to wrap up late next year.
Residents of the Millard Public Schools district have until Friday, March 3, to register to vote and request a ballot in the levy override special election. The election is a yes/no referendum on whether the district should continue to have the authority to enforce a higher levy than what the law allows. Ballots must be mailed or dropped off by Tuesday, March 14.
Officials at the Henry Doorly Zoo are investigating a cheetah’s escape. Authorities spotted Gretchen, a 5-year-old who lives at the Scott African Grasslands, outside her enclosure but behind the public barrier. Zoo staff says she was walked back to her night quarters without trouble and that no person or animal was in danger.
Council Bluffs’ school district could be welcoming more students from rural Iowa into its fold. Crescent Elementary School, which has 64 students, is at risk of closing at the end of the school year due to declining enrollment and concern over resources. The school almost shut down in 2017 over financial concerns, but the board voted to keep the school open.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- March 3: The Reader Pop-Up Newsroom
- March 3-April 4: Voices of Choice
- March 7-12: 18th Annual Omaha Film Festival
- March 12: Folklórico
- March 18: Art Battle Omaha City Championship
- March 18: Afrovibe Master Concert
- March 18: David Cross – Worst Daddy in the World Tour
- March 18: Omaha Symphony Gala in honor of Ree and Jun Kaneko
- March 20: Jillian Hernandez – Aesthetics of Excess
Be sure to get the updated booster shot before heading to any of these events.
AROUND NEBRASKA
Charges will not be filed against a Lincoln student who brought a loaded gun into Prescott Elementary School. The boy is 10 years old; kids under 12 can’t be charged with a crime. Police say they are investigating how the boy got access to the handgun and his motive for bringing it to class.
The Legislature is at a crossroads: Will it expand protections for LGBTQ+ Nebraskans, or will it suppress their rights? Sen. John Fredrickson says this session’s attempt at passing transphobic legislation is more aggressive out of the gate than in years past.
State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh is taking a break from being a grade-A badass to call for referendums on tax-increment financing requests over $20 million. Her bill is aimed at increasing public input on big development projects, something she says the City of Omaha did not do with the streetcar line or the Mutual of Omaha tower.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Douglas County Corrections Director Mike Myers reports staffing levels are improving quickly in his monthly report to the Board of Commissioners. The Omaha City Council approves two road maintenance districts.
Click here to read local government reporter Anton Johnson’s full article for The Reader.
FACT OF THE DAY
From Harper’s Index
Factor by which married couples ages 25-34 have
a greater median net worth than their single peers: 9
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
DAILY FUNNY
Comic by Jeffrey Koterba. Support him on Patreon.
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