OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – First Alert 6 has the headlines you need to know to get your Wednesday started.
2 dead after house fire in Harlan, Iowa; incident under investigation
Two people are dead after a house fire in Harlan on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire started just before 4 p.m. Tuesday in a home near 3rd and Court streets, a release from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office states.
Emergency crews got to the scene and saw the house was full of smoke. They first believed three people were inside, but found two victims.
Life-saving measures were performed on the victims after they were brought outside. Both were then taken to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Omaha mayor to highlight first 100 days in office Wednesday
Wednesday marks 100 days since Mayor John Ewing Jr. took office to serve the city of Omaha.
According to a release from Ewing’s office, he plans to share some of his accomplishments thus far to highlight the milestone.
First Alert 6 also expects to hear more about the upcoming celebration for Omaha native Bud Crawford, who on Saturday became the first male boxer to capture three unified division titles.
Ewing is also set to share an announcement about potential future town hall public meetings, the release states. He will speak at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
On June 9, Ewing became Omaha’s 52nd Mayor and the first elected Black mayor. He served as a deputy chief with OPD for 25 years, as well as the Douglas County treasurer.
Gov. Pillen signs executive order to distribute $20M in property tax relief
An additional $20 million in property tax relief will be distributed to Nebraska taxpayers after Gov. Jim Pillen signed an executive order Tuesday.
The additional funds are from an increase in casino gambling revenue, along with unused money in the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund and the School District Property Tax Credit Fund, the governors office says.
The executive order comes after several initiatives led by Gov. Pillen to reduce property taxes during his term. His office highlighted their work such as:
Increasing direct relief to property taxpayers to $1.26 billionRemoving community colleges from property tax rollsPlacing revenue caps on school districts, cities, and counties
Pillen assures that property tax relief remains his top priority. He says there’s still more that can be done while blaming political differences for past failings.
Long-term construction project at 72nd and L in Omaha begins
Off ramps from L to 72nd streets in Omaha are now closed for the removal of the L Street Bridge.
Construction got underway Tuesday at the interchange with the eastbound L entrance and exit ramps closed at 72nd. These ramps are scheduled to reopen “by winter 2025″, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
The long-term goal is to rebuild the intersection with bridge removal and concrete pavement construction taking place over the next 12 months, Jaret Lansford with First Alert 6 Traffic reports.
Lansford encourages drivers to use caution and expect delays in this area. He says alternate routes include using I-80 for eastbound and westbound traffic, and 84th for northbound and southbound traffic.
Track the latest updates on construction and commutes on our First Alert 6 Traffic Blog.
Settlement over Omaha Police Dept. firing approved by city council
On Tuesday, Omaha’s City Council approved a settlement to resolve a lawsuit with a former OPD captain in federal court.
Katherine Belcastro-Gonzalez sued the city last year, claiming she had been wrongly terminated after she successfully sued the city for discrimination. She won $700,000 in damages, lost wages, and benefits for being passed over twice for a promotion.
Belcastro-Gonzalez had been the subject of an OPD Internal Affairs investigation concerning emails sent to her City of Omaha email address, which she then forwarded to her personal address.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer claimed she had been fired due to her poor performance on the job. After the settlement was reached, Ewing said Schmaderer acted appropriately.
The City is set to pay her $500,000, along with attorney fees and costs totaling $160,000.
Nebraska volleyball defeats Creighton before record-breaking crowd
History was made Tuesday night at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
No. 1 Nebraska defeated No. 18 Creighton in five sets in front of a sellout crowd of 17,675 fans. Those in attendance set the NCAA record for the largest crowd for a regular season indoor volleyball match.
Clayton Collier with Sports on 6 reports it was a back-and-forth battle which included a fourth set that featured 14 ties. The Huskers took the fifth and deciding set 15-9.
The Huskers now improve to 24-0 all-time against the in-state rival.
—
Get a first alert to breaking news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for First Alert 6 email alerts.
Copyright 2025 WOWT. All rights reserved.