Omaha News (BETA)

Six people are injured during a shooting near 19th and Miami streets.

More than 200 friends, classmates, friends and family members gather to remember Michael Belitz, 12, at a candlelight vigil.

Tourism advertising for the City of Omaha is the latest victim of the city's budget crisis.

The small town of Red Oak, Iowa, that lost a major manufacturer earlier this year could soon be getting a much-needed boost.

The son of former big-league baseball star Tim Raines is working his way through the minors in Omaha.

The Department of Motor Vehicles recently announced that a number of new driver’s license security initiatives will be introduced on Monday.

The Bellevue Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Kids Summer Fire and Safety Camp will be held Aug. 4-6.

The sixth annual Wear Yellow Ride will take place Aug. 1 at Haworth Park in Bellevue.

Though Mayor Ed Babbitt passed away without even a full term in office, he did live long enough to see some of the most important developments for Bellevue’s economic future get off the ground.

Opera Omaha will begin a weeklong summer workshop for kids Aug. 3 to provide an opportunity to learn about the many disciplines that make up the art form of opera.

I always think the Gretna Days weekend is the best! It is good to have the community come together for just a few special days. The Gretna Days Committee and a number of other organizations have worked hard to make the 49th Annual Gretna Days very special.

In the last week or so, a number of events have been added onto the Gretna Days celebration schedule. A complete and most up-to-date calendar can only be found at the Gretna Area Chamber of Commerce Web site, www.gretnachamber.com.

The next Gretna community blood drive has been rescheduled for Monday, July 20. The drive, which is sponsored by the Gretna American Legion Auxiliary, will take place at the Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1 to 6:30 p.m. To volunteer or schedule an appointment, call Kathy Iske at 332-3827.

The City of Gretna officials took a step in preparing for the future. The Gretna City Council approved a merger of offices and adjusted the professional title for Colleen Lawry.

Chamber luncheon

Professional golfer Woody Austin returned to Omaha to help Brook Valley School raise more than $20,000 at its “Fore” Autism golf benefit. Approximately 100 golfers took part in the fifth annual golf benefit for ESU No. 3 Brook Valley School at The Players Club at Deer Creek on July 6. Austin also held a golf clinic. He was assisted at the auction by his wife, Shannon, who is a niece of Brook ...

The Matt Sakolosky for Congress Liberty Float was the Grand Prize winner in Ralston’s Independence Day Parade.

Incidents July 6- Theft occurred in the 7600 block of Main Street.

One year ago The youth group from the Trinity United Methodist Church in Ralston is organizing a sand volleyball tournament to raise money for the Nothing but Nets organization, a group that purchases mosquito nets for families in Africa.

The Park Drive Shopping Center, 84th Street and Park Drive, hosts car shows every Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the parking lot. Shows will be held through September.

CERESCO – Trucks with wider loads are finding it easier to get weighed at Frontier Coop in Ceresco.

MEAD – In an effort to adopt greener practices, the Army Corps of Engineers is experimenting with new sampling methods at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant near Mead.

Glimpsing at the tall white boxes from a safe distance away, one might wonder what all of the buzz is about.

OMAHA – The Wahoo State Bank Reds captured a pair of wins, and as a result of a tiebreaker, claimed title honors Brown Park Invite in Omaha over the weekend.

WAHOO – The tools should now be in place to allow a new well or irrigated acre expansion in the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District.

Residents of Omaha’s most vibrant neighborhoods have a new rep on city council. Pete Festersen, 38, is the new District 1 city councilman, which includes Benson, Dundee and Florence.

Highway robbery? Omaha and Lincoln represent over half of Nebraska’s population, yet they have seen less than one-fourth of the federal stimulus money distributed in the state for highway projects. Are Nebraska’s urban areas the victim of highway robbery?

The 25th and 26th Avenue crossings have been scheduled to open around 10 a.m. Saturday. (1 comment)

Gambling supporters say the state could be losing revenue while the issue is stalled, while others say the decision to out...

Harolds Squares Square Dance Club, of Columbus, will hold its regular dance from 7:30-10 p.m. Sunday at the VFW Hall.

The Columbus Senior Center will hold Perennial Gardening for Seniors at 1 p.m. July 22 at the Columbus Senior Center.

SATURDAY, JULY 18 SOCIAL/CIVIC Movie and Book Sale Shelby Public Library during regular library hours through July 2...

Kevin Kimle, founder of E-Markets and Decision Commodities, became director of the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative on July 1. In addition to his new role, Kimle also will serve as the Rastetter Endowed Chair in Agricultural Entrepreneur-ship for the college.

The first meeting for the Clarinda High School Class of 1965 to begin organizing its 45-year reunion in 2010 will be Friday, July 17, at 7 p.m in J’s Restaurant. Anyone interested is welcome to attend and being at the dinner does not obligate one to serve on the committee. Those who have input, but cannot attend, are welcome to contact Elaine Armstrong, Duane Meyer or Rick Leeson, local ...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that eligible ranchers and livestock producers could begin applying for benefits under the provisions of the Livestock Indemnity Program in the 2008 Farm Bill as of July 13.

On Aug. 19 in Des Moines, agricultural experts will address the many challenges and changes facing land owners in Iowa, including record grain prices, record input costs and global marketing pressures.

There has been a change in the Iowa State University Extension regional education director position for Region 17 due to an error in the hiring process. Alan Ladd will begin duties of regional director on Aug. 1, according to Jack Payne, vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach.

Paving work for the entrance to the new Crawford County Memorial Hospital is anticipated to begin the first week in August and be completed by October, depending on the weather, according to Terry Crawford, engineer for the hospital construction project.

Odir Isreal Esquivel-Menendez, 25 of Denison, was sentenced on Monday, July 13, to serve 12 years and four months in prison, pay a $1,700 special assessment, and to 10 years supervised release for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Denison.

Of four resolutions introduced Monday evening by Crawford County Memorial Hospital Trustees Tom Eller, Virgie Deiber-Henningsen and Carol Swanson with the intent of better informing board members so they, in turn, could provide more productive guidance, only one received formal action; one was withdrawn and two were informally addressed.

The name of the victim of the July 13 one-vehicle accident near Denison has now been released.

Hello again from all of us at the Denison Care Center. The year is going so fast.

Jeremy Middents, of Southwest Iowa Planning Council, and Aaron Lincoln and Chris Jens, of Veenstra & Kimm Engineering Firm, met with the Logan City Council July 6 to discuss the CDBG grant and procedures for the lagoon project.

The staff at the Logan-Herald Observer consider it an honor to be associated with the paper as it marks its 125th anniversary.

Besides being known for their extraordinary care, Rose Vista can now claim to be the home of the Iowa Western Community College’s Caregiver of the Year award recipient, Margaret “Meg” Kohles.

Nashville entertainer/songwriter/producer Billy Troy will be performing at the Harrison County Fair Free entertainment tent from 6-6:45 p.m. July 23.

A couple of years ago while walking around Arnold’s Park on West Lake Okoboji, you could hear the sound of a band playing oldies rock ‘n roll inside the Roof Garden. After stepping inside, it was hard not to be impressed with a band named BB & the Bullfrogs.