Nebraska
Diaper drive helps Omaha organizations replenish Nebraska Diaper Bank
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A third of Nebraska families struggle to afford diapers for their children.
That’s according to the Nebraska Diaper Bank, which provides 80,000 diapers to more than 1,200 area children.
Tuesday, a few local organizations — North Omaha Community Partnership, Nebraska For Us, I Be Black Girl, and Black Men United — worked together to help take a little pressure off the Diaper Bank and help families in need.
A stack of diapers and baby wipes is a prize to such families.
“It’s something that you really don’t think about, but it is a huge expense to families,” said Tamika Mease, executive director of North Omaha Community Partnership.
She says the need for diapers in the community is growing.
“We get about, I would say, five to 10 new clients per week that call in for our diaper and wipes program,” Mease said.
The organization also helps families with baby items and formula.
“In addition to offering formula, we offer baby essential items. We offer personal hygiene items for the families, and other kids in the family,” she said.
They also help with other hygience items and baby food — but diapers are the main focus.
Nebraska For Us Executive Director Angie Lauritsen says diapers are an expensive necessity.
“So families are having to make choices when the cost of necessary goods go up,” she said. “They’re making choices: ‘Do we fix the car? Are we late for a rental payment? Are we not going to make our medical payments?”
Mnay people who donate often give the smaller, or newborn diapers; but there is also a need for pull-ups or diapers for little ones moving around.
“You need those bigger diapers for a longer period of time,” Lauritsen said. “The other issues is with shelves in the stores — less diapers are in those large diper sizes. You need more of those; that doesn’t mean that you need them less, or less often. They just come in smaller packages.”
All the diapers and baby supplies are here for free for families in need. Mease says it’s about helping people, not about income brackets.
“There are so many families that are experiencing crisis, you know; that’s not my main focus. I focus on the need,” she said.
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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Thursday that he has asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for damage caused by storms that hit the state May 15-18.
The storms spawned tornadoes and flash flooding across Buffalo, Fillmore, Gage, Howard, Jefferson, Nemaha, Thayer and Thurston counties. There were numerous downed power poles and lines as well as extensive damage to schools, building and roadways. Damage just to public infrastructure is estimated at nearly $5 million.
In addition to the disaster declaration request, Pillen said he also has requested access to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which provides funding to governments to allow them to rebuild in ways that will reduce or mitigate future disaster losses. Approval would allow the state to apply for such grants.
Thursday’s disaster declaration request is the second in two months. Back in May, Pillen requested one for historic wildfires in March that impacted Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morill counties. At the time of the request, it was estimated there was at least $9.7 million in damage from the fires, which were the worst in Nebraska’s history.
Nebraska
Bandits back in the win column with tournament-opening victory in Nebraska – East Idaho News
OMAHA, Neb. – The Bandits opened the Omaha, Nebraska tournament with a 7-4 win over Fremont.
The Bandits, coming off two losses to Billings at last week’s Bandits Invitational, trailed 4-3 in the fifth, but tied it up on a sac fly by Cole Croft.
They scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth for the win.
Carter Bowen finished 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Conner Cannon and Taye Lords each knocked in two runs for Idaho Falls (10-2).
Tyson Christenson picked up the win with four innings of relief.
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LOWELL, Neb. (WOWT) – On this day in 1872, the boomtown of Lowell, Nebraska was named the seat of Kearney County.
The Nebraska State Historical Society says the Burlington and Missouri River Railroads chose it as a town site the year before.
For a short time, it became a major shipping point for central Nebraska.
Its status would be short-lived.
Later that year, the railroad expanded to Kearney, which became the center for regional trading.
Lowell’s land office was removed in 1874.
Four years later, the boom town was nothing more than a village.
MORE LOCAL HISTORY
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On July 4, 2026, our country will celebrate its 250th birthday. Every day leading up to it, First Alert 6 will take a look at the people and events that shaped our area.
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