North Omaha Spotlight
Identity Preparatory Academy opens its doors
The first Black-founded all-girls school in North Omaha has opened after receiving unanimous conditional approval from the Nebraska State Board of Education. The school's stated mission includes providing a challenging education while allowing girls to remain in their own neighborhood.
Status: Now open · North Omaha
$125M+ invested through the Omaha Inland Port Authority's first year
OIPA reports more than $125 million in public investment and 24 property acquisitions. Pacific Engineering is expected to become the first Airport Business Park occupant, bringing roughly 150 high-paying jobs.
Status: Ongoing development · North Omaha / airport area
Full-service grocery store moving toward groundbreaking
Heart Ministry Center used 425 surveys and seven focus groups to shape a 24,000-square-foot neighborhood grocery store near 24th & Lake. Plans call for 30–40 local jobs.
Next step: Groundbreaking planned Sept. 19
Five new Lighthouse homes fundraising campaign
Abide's "5 Leaders, One Purpose" campaign aims to raise $775,000 to purchase and renovate five Lighthouse homes, using neighborhood-based leadership and community-building.
Status: Fundraising underway
Free Magis Health Fair
Free medical testing, doctors, food, clothing, women's health resources, addiction support and other community services. Last year's fair drew more than 500 people.
Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 AM–1 PM · North Downtown / 17th Street
Infrastructure & Neighborhood Development
Ames Avenue redesign moving forward
More than two miles of Ames Avenue — from Fontenelle Boulevard to Commercial Avenue — are being redesigned through Omaha's Vision Zero work. Residents can still provide feedback, making this especially important for North Omaha neighborhood voices.
Next step: Feedback through August
New North Omaha innovation hub planned at 30th & Ames
The Omaha Inland Port Authority plans a hub for innovative housing construction, research, businesses and community space, with an emphasis on jobs and entrepreneurship.
Next step: Groundbreaking hoped for 2027
Millwork Commons parking garage goes vertical
Construction is underway on a $25 million, 650-stall city-owned garage with roughly 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, supporting continued development around Millwork Commons.
Status: Construction underway · North Downtown
Education, Youth & Community Opportunity
$25,000 grant supports youth-worker training
United Way of the Midlands awarded Collective for Youth $25,000 for its Train to Gain program, expected to provide professional development to at least 250 youth professionals. Its recent school-supply drive also collected nearly 24,000 supplies for local after-school nonprofits.
Ignite STEM classroom grants open
K–6 public-school teachers can receive up to $500 for books, equipment, supplies, training and other STEM-learning resources through the Omaha Community Foundation. Applications are rolling until available funding is exhausted.
Government, Politics & Public Awareness
Nebraska Attorney General sues Omaha over the city's minimum-wage ordinance
The state is asking a court to block Omaha's ordinance maintaining a $15 minimum for covered young and new workers and using a different future adjustment formula than state law. The outcome could directly affect wages and employers across the city.
Lawsuit filed Aug. 18
School resource officers will no longer carry GLOVEs in OPS schools
Omaha Public Schools formally asked Omaha and Bellevue law enforcement to stop school resource officers from carrying Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters at district schools. Local reporting says Omaha police subsequently removed them from SRO use in schools.
Announced Aug. 18–19
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