Omaha Public Schools officials said they will be able to make up an expected $50.6 million shortfall in state aid by raising their tax levy. “It’s unfortunate that we have to go to our property taxpayers to help fill this hole,” Shane Rhian, OPS chief financial officer said. “We appreciate their patronage of the district […]
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Bill would withhold state money from municipalities that do not enforce public camping bans
A bill heard by the Nebraska Legislature’s Judiciary Committee Wednesday would make “public camping” a misdemeanor offense and withhold state money from subdivisions, like cities and counties, that do not enforce the ban. LB925, called the Safe Parks and Public Spaces Act, was introduced by Sen. Bob Andersen of Sarpy County, and would make it […]
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Former Nebraska first lady Susanne Shore runs for NU regent in Omaha
The political divide between Nebraska’s Democratic former first lady, Susanne Shore, and her husband, Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, a former two-term governor, has drawn attention for more than a decade. Shore has said she and Ricketts regularly disagree on politics at the dinner table and come together as a family. But this week, the […]
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Judge upholds Omaha city ordinances banning bump stocks, ghost guns
A yearslong legal fight over city gun regulations in Omaha is over after a Douglas County judge ruled that ordinances banning ghost guns and bump stocks are not preempted by the state’s constitutional carry law. The lawsuit, brought against the City of Omaha and former Mayor Jean Stothert by the Nebraska Firearm Owners Association and […]
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Booze, drugs and hijinks: Traditional country band draws from personal experiences on new album
Lightning Stills is a traditional country band out of Omaha started by Craig Fort with a majority of lyrics focusing on booze, drugs and the hijinks that go along with using both. The project started when Fort was in treatment for addiction and has been a cathartic release during his years of sobriety since. The […]
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Eyes in the sky: New technology has changed policing in Omaha
Omaha Police Lt. Allen Straub can see much of the city from his desk. With the help of more than a thousand cameras, he and other specially trained officers can monitor traffic hazards, assist emergency responders and track suspects — all without leaving the police department’s central headquarters in downtown Omaha. Straub oversees the Real-time […]
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Snow sculptors push through warm weekend for shot at nationals
Armed with shovels and scrapers, competitors gathered in a West Omaha park Saturday to turn snow into art. The warm weather didn’t stop the six teams from creating various snow sculptures. One group went for a Valentine’s Day rocket ship, while another one leaned into a gnome theme. Matt Seeley, an international award-winning snow sculptor […]
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DHHS ‘error’ in case of Nebraskan with disabilities hits home with lawmaker
Isaac Rountree’s parents were more than puzzled when their adult child, a member of the state’s developmentally disabled community, was suddenly cut from his Medicaid coverage. The rationale from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services made no sense to the Rountrees, who felt deprived of the detailed explanation about their son’s benefits they […]
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Omaha Police Union warns staffing levels approaching ‘dangerous low’
The Omaha Police Officers Association raised the alarm Friday on what the group calls an urgent and dangerous staffing crisis. In a widely shared Facebook post, the police union wrote that from March 1 to April 4, some areas of the city typically covered by five to 10 officers will be covered by one. That […]
Posted inMovies
ChatGPT Grokked Claude while Gemini watched
“Send Sam Rockwell back in time to stop AI from becoming evil” is both the setup for Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die and a more robust tech policy than any political party has put forth this decade. Writer Matthew Robinson and director Gore Verbinski deliver the cinematic equivalent of shotgunning a beer made out […]