News Archive

Omaha, NE – Work continues on the Fontenelle Park Master Plan.

Melinda Pearson is the Director of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department. A public input meeting took place on December 15th. Pearson says the city will now take all the information they've received so far and put that into a plan or a couple of plans and bring those back to a public meeting in early February. Pearson says there are two groups: one that feels the golf course should be left as is, and another that is all over the board.

Omaha, NE – The City of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department is holding two summer employment job fairs on Wednesday.

Bob Baber is the city's Golf Manager. He says the parks and recreation department is hiring for all areas in the department, including aquatics, park maintenance, golf courses and concessions.

Omaha, NE – With the end of the year rapidly approaching, UNO's Sustainability Force reminds people that the holidays are a good time to start creating a greener environment.

Patrick Wheeler, Senior Specialist in Environmental Health and Safety at UNO, says one thing you can do is recycle Christmas lights rather than throwing them out. He also advocates getting rid of clutter and donating items to family, friends or local needs-based charities.

Wheeler says another way to practice sustainability is to recycle that Christmas tree.

Omaha, NE – 25 agencies and projects in North and South Omaha are recipients of this year's turn-back tax grants.

Omaha City Councilman Garry Gernandt says the turn-back tax grants are generated through the sales tax that the state gets from the Hilton Hotel and Century Link Center in Omaha.

He says the city receives a percentage of that back every year and via state statute the money is put toward grants for areas with high concentrations of poverty. Gernandt says the program assists with cultural-historical projects.

Omaha, NE – The Census Bureau released its summary of state population estimates Wednesday.

David Drozd, Research Coordinator at UNO's Center for Public Affairs Research, says the data covers the state from April 2010, when the census was taken, through July 1st of this year.

He says Nebraska has had a fairly strong growth year, though not as strong as he thought it would be. Drozd says the reasons for slower growth may include the lower birthrates in the state and a slowdown in international immigration.

Omaha, NE – Dr. Dele Davies, a pediatric infectious disease expert, is the new vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies at UNMC.

Dr. Davies is currently a professor and chairman of the Pediatrics and Human Development Department at Michigan State University. He says he is excited to become a part of UNMC.