Katie Schubert

A workshop Wednesday in Omaha focuses on severe weather preparedness at home and in the workplace.

The National Safety Council Nebraska is holding the workshop during Severe Weather Awareness Week. Sunday night, an EF3 tornado damaged homes and businesses in North Platte. This year, Nebraska had its first-ever confirmed February tornado.

The city of Omaha is putting $300,000 toward a new job training program for young people.

The Omaha Public Schools board will begin interviews this Friday of six candidates for superintendent.

Board members met Monday afternoon with consultant Marvin Edwards of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates. Last fall, the board selected the Chicago-based firm to lead the search for OPS' new superintendent. John Mackiel plans to retire at the end of this school year after nearly four decades with OPS.

Board members will interview candidates Friday and Saturday. They'll narrow the list to three finalists, who will be interviewed next weekend.

A 23-year veteran of the Omaha Police Department will serve as Interim Chief.

Mayor Jim Suttle’s office announced Monday that Deputy Police Chief David Baker is the new Interim Chief, as of March 31st. He’ll take over for Police Chief Alex Hayes, who is retiring March 30th.

Baker became a Deputy Chief four years ago. Prior to that, he was a Captain in both the southwest and northeast precincts. He’s also OPD’s executive bureau officer.

An Omaha manufacturer with a workforce primarily of blind or visually impaired employees is expanding its operation.

Outlook Nebraska held an open house Friday to showcase its new 7.1 MILE Rewinder. The company employs 62 people, 42 of whom are blind or visually impaired.  Outlook Nebraska makes toilet tissue and paper towels. The product is sold to the government. 

This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska.

Nebraska had its first confirmed February tornado this year. The February 28th tornado touched down in Logan County, near Stapleton. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center says there have already been 312 tornadoes in the U.S. this year, with 55 deaths.

by Greg Echlin, for Omaha Public Radio

There were a lot of empty seats at Friday afternoon's NCAA basketball tournament game at CenturyLink.  But it wasn't because of a lack of action on the court.

Omaha is one of eight U.S. cities to receive a Smarter Cities Challenge Grant this year from IBM.

IBM awarded Smarter Cities Challenge grants to 33 cities worldwide. The grant brings a team of IBM analysts to the city for three weeks. In Omaha, the team will study redevelopment in the city’s east and northeast neighborhoods. 

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle has signed an ordinance banning discrimination in all public places on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Mayor Suttle signed the ordinance Thursday at City Hall. The city council narrowly approved it Tuesday on a 4-3 vote. It bans discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals in the workplace and all public places.

A citizens group called Omahans for Justice Alliance wants the Department of Justice to investigate how Omaha Police use force.

The group includes the ACLU of Nebraska and Nebraskans for Peace. They send a letter Tuesday to the DOJ, asking its civil rights division to investigate OPD. Sam Walker, professor emeritus of criminal justice at UNO and a part of the group requesting an investigation, says the DOJ could order reforms if they find misconduct.