General News

There are approximately 1500 homeless veterans in Nebraska and around 200,000 nationwide.

A new partnership announced this morning would work to make Nebraska the first state to end veterans’ homelessness.  Mayor Jim Suttle and Mike Fornear of the Homeless Veterans Project, were joined by civic and business leaders to discuss the new project called “Vets Town.” 

The Iowa DOT wants to hear from metro area residents about the Chicago-to-Omaha rail study.

A public meeting is scheduled Thursday in Council Bluffs about the passenger rail study. The combination state-federal project seeks to identify a “reasonable and feasible” high-speed passenger rail route between Chicago and Omaha. The preferred alternative route travels through the Quad Cities, Iowa City, and Des Moines, following I-80.

VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa officials estimate several thousand veterans in their service territory are homeless or living below the poverty line.

The VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa is partnering with Omaha’s Together Inc. to offer a food pantry for homeless and low-income veterans. The pantry opened April 18th and will operate on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa spokesman Will Ackerman says they hope to provide another resource to veterans struggling to get by.