Tagged: omaha

Legislation that would cut the size of the Omaha Public Schools board to seven members is off the table in the Nebraska Legislature.

Senator Scott Lautenbaugh, the bill’s sponsor, pulled the measure Tuesday  night after other lawmakers threatened to filibuster it. Lautenbaugh’s legislation originally called for reducing the board to five members. It was amended to seven. The bill has been sent back to the Unicameral's Government, Military, and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

 An estimated 250 Omahans commuted to work and home by bicycle during the winter.

Activate Omaha sponsored the Winter Bicycle Commuter Challenge. The 250 cyclists logged 5,350 trips and more than 65,000 miles. Activate Omaha director Julie Harris says exercise is only one reason why some people choose to commute by bicycle. For others, Harris says it's a necessity: commuting by bicycle is less expensive than driving.

The superintendent of the Des Moines Public Schools is OPS’ choice for its new leader.

The OPS board voted Monday to hire Nancy Sebring as superintendent. Sebring has served as superintendent in Des Moines for the past six years. 11 board members voted in favor of Sebring, with board member Nancy Kratky not voting.

Sebring will take over following the retirement of John Mackiel at the end of this school year.

The OPS board will meet Monday night in closed session to discuss the terms of Sebring’s contract.

The Omaha Public Schools board has a special meeting Monday at noon to discuss and possibly vote on a superintendent candidate finalist.

OPS held public meetings last week with the three superintendent candidates. Wednesday, OPS’ current Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Learning, ReNae Kehrberg, took questions. Thursday’s meet and greet was with Daniel Nerad, superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin. Last Friday, Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Nancy Sebring took questions on the achievement gap, leadership, and testing.

Omaha Police are investigating a carjacking Thursday night on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus.

The incident happened just after 7 PM Thursday. Police say the victim, 57-year-old Barbara Simcoe, was in her vehicle and had the door open. The suspect allegedly approached her vehicle, displayed a knife, and told her to get out of the car. Police say the suspect pulled Simcoe from her car and took off in the vehicle, a white 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon.

Simcoe is an associate professor of art and art history at UNO.