Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announce all U.S. and state flags should be flown at half-staff today, September 11th, in recognition of Patriot Day. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S., killing 2,977 Americans. The flag order is effective from sunrise until sunset.
MUD crews have shut off gas meters for around 100 homes in Central Omaha following a gas outage. The outage impacted residents in the area of 69th and Burt streets up to 70th Street and Western Avenue. OPD sent out a Wireless Emergency Alert Wednesday night to the affected area advising residents of the outage. Utility crews went door-to-door early Thursday morning to turn off the meters. There's no word on what caused the outage or when service will fully be restored.
The city of Omaha is planning to purchase a building that was the scene of a collapse. The city will pay the owners of the Blackstone Lounge in Blackstone 700-thousand-dollars in a settlement to acquire the building on Farnam Street. The resolution comes following the collapse of a subgrade exterior wall of the building at 3810 Farnam Street in June.
The Nebraska Department of Transportation is planning to remove a bridge overlay in Omaha. Officials say a bridge on the West Dodge Expressway has an epoxy polymer overlay that is close to 10-years-old, and they plan to remove it. NDOT officials say the overlay removal requires the use of water, and they may delay removing the overlay until next Spring.
Drought conditions are easing in a part of Iowa that's been dry for weeks. This week's National Drought Monitor Map shows areas of moderate drought in Northwest Iowa cut in half. There's also a slight reduction in near-drought in Western Iowa. This week's map does show a new, very small area of near-drought in Eastern Iowa. Right now, three-quarters of Iowa is drought-free.
Iowa's three public universities are reporting strong enrollment numbers this fall. The University of Northern Iowa says enrollment has reached nine-thousand-366 students, its highest level since 2020. Iowa State University has enrolled more than 30-thousand students, while the University of Iowa reports total enrollment of more than 31-thousand students. Both schools also welcomed freshman classes of more than five-thousand students.
Attendance is down at the Nebraska State Fair. Officials say the 11-day event drew 306-thousand visitors this year, which is a five-point-four-percent drop from last year. Fair organizers say this year's event took place during an unusually persistent stretch of hot weather.