Nebraska | featured news

Democrat Deborah Neary led the field by a wide margin in the District 8 primary for the Nebraska State Board of Education, positioning herself as a formidable challenger for incumbent Republican Pat McPherson in November.

The deputy commander of the Northwestern Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has stepped into the division’s top job.

Secretary of State John Gale had predicted a statewide turnout of 28 percent of registered voters. Early figures put turnout at about 23 percent as votes continued to be counted.

A pair of Omaha Public Power District incumbents, one long term and one new, struggled in separate primary races Tuesday.

The city invites the public to the final open house on the South 14th Street and Old Cheney Road safety and traffic flow improvement project Tuesday.

Ricketts, the Republican incumbent, was far outpolling Krystal Gabel of Omaha, a freelance writer who ran on a pro-marijuana platform. Krist, the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, was ahead by a wide margin over Omaha community activist Vanessa Ward…

The City of Omaha’s bond package passed overwhelmingly Tuesday. The capital improvement bonds will help pay for new streets, another police precinct, firetrucks and other projects.

Democrats fielded no candidate, so the race is effectively over. The winner, State Sen. John Murante, is known for pushing conservative causes, including voter ID.

The win will allow the Omaha Public School District to fund major school construction projects, including two high schools in far northwest and South Omaha, two elementary schools and a middle school at 42nd and U Streets.

Safety projects are likely to be the first addressed as the Papillion-La Vista School Board spends the $109.9 million bond issue approved Tuesday.