Erosion is to blame for a large sinkhole in downtown Omaha. City officials say the sinkhole was reported Tuesday at Ninth and Farnam, and the erosion of exposed gravel and soil during construction work is common. Officials say there was never a safety concern, and the parking garage was evacuated due to a miscommunication.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen is launching a new property tax hotline. Pillen says the hotline will give taxpayers a way to share information about increasing valuations and rising property tax bills. The hotline number is 4-0-2-4-7-1-9-5-5-4.
A Chinese national who illegally took photos of aircraft at Offutt Air Force Base is sentenced. Tianrul Liang pleaded guilty to photographing defense installations and was sentenced last week to one year of supervised release. Liang took photos of Offutt Air Force base on March 31st without prior approval from the base commander. Liang was arrested at JFK International Airport in New York on April 7th.
The Blair City Council is not passing an application for a development project. The project was aimed at building over 150 apartment units and three commercial lots on vacant land just south of the YMCA in Blair. Many community members voiced their opinion about the topic at Tuesday's town meeting, both arguing for and against its passing. The issue didn't get the support needed to advance.
The Hastings City Council has voted to maintain Lake Hastings' natural water level without adding water through city intervention. The resolution passed on a six-to-one vote. The issue was brought up to the council earlier this year after water levels dropped, causing concern. Residents with homes around the lake said they wanted the water to be kept in the lake, saying the city needed to "take into account ways to fill it when the water isn't high enough."
The South Fork Fire burning near Fort Robinson State Park is now 100-percent contained. Officials say there are still areas of heat, including smoldering stump holes deeper in the interior of the burn area. Firefighters will continue to look out for remaining heat, use hose lines to soak priority areas and finding hazard trees that could pose risks to the public. Officials warn there's also an increased risk of flash flooding and urge visitors to use caution when traveling in the area.