News Archive

Omaha, NE – The deadline for nominations for the 2012 Freedom Awards is January 16th.

Retired Army Major General Walt Zink Chairs the Nebraska Employer Support to Guard and Reserve Committee. He says 15 employers are recognized with Freedom Awards each year. The three award categories are large employer, small employer and governmental employer.

Zink says the Freedom Award is the highest honor an employer can receive from the Department of Defense. These employers receive award for having a culture of support that goes above and beyond what the law mandates.

By Katie Schubert

Omaha, NE – Western Iowa voters were split in their support of the GOP candidates for president.

Pottawattamie County GOP chairman Jeff Jorgensen says some precincts reported record turnout for Tuesday night's caucuses. Even with the strong turnout, Jorgensen says the caucus process went quickly.

543 Republican voters caucused in Mills County, Iowa. Sharon McNutt, co-chair of the Mills County Republican Party, says things went smoothly.

Omaha, NE – The Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties was created in 2007 by the legislature.

Lorraine Chang, Vice Chair of the Learning Community Coordinating Council, says the Learning Community consists of eleven school districts. She says the Learning Community consists of students from all walks of life; all of whom are worthy of the best possible education. With that in mind, the Learning Community is offering open enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year.

Omaha, NE – The VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa opened a homeless Veterans Day services center in Omaha this past September.

Linda Twomey is the Mental Health Specialty Programs Manager for the VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa. She says the day service center is a clinic where veterans have access to social workers, who function as case mangers and vocational rehabilitation staff to provide a one-stop shop for homeless veterans.

Twomey says when veterans first come in, their needs are assessed. Staff will then assist them in accessing the appropriate VA and community resources.

Omaha, NE – Common Sense Media has been a national partner with Omaha Public Schools for the past three years.

The organization seeks to give educators the resources to instruct students, parents and families on issues such as digital citizenship, safety and security on and offline, as well as research and information literacy.

DeLayne Havlovic, Career Education Specialist with OPS says three Common Sense Media training sessions are coming up next month. He says the program is broken up into three sections.

Omaha, NE – Work continues on the Fontenelle Park Master Plan.

Melinda Pearson is the Director of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department. A public input meeting took place on December 15th. Pearson says the city will now take all the information they've received so far and put that into a plan or a couple of plans and bring those back to a public meeting in early February. Pearson says there are two groups: one that feels the golf course should be left as is, and another that is all over the board.