Snow possible morning drive for Omaha Wednesday

IN IOWA, LAWMAKERS ADVANCED A BILL TO TIGHTEN ELIGIBILITY RULES FOR PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP AND MEDICAID. IT WOULD REQUIRE VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION STATUS FOR BENEFITS AND LIMIT RETROACTIVE MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR MANY ADULTS. NEBRASKA SENATORS HEARD TESTIMONY ON A SIMILAR BILL TO ELIMINATE RETROACTIVE COVERAGE. IOWA’S GOVERNOR SIGNS A BILL BANNING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM CREATING NEW CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS. THE BILL ONLY ALLOWS ORDINANCES PROTECTING RIGHTS COVERED BY STATE LAW. IOWA REMOVE GENDER IDENTITY FROM ITS CIVIL RIGHTS ACT LAST YEAR. THE NEW LAW REQUIRES CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT DO HAVE THOSE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE TO REMOVE THEM. THIS IMPACTS AT LEAST SEVEN IOWA CITIES, INCLUDING AMES, WHICH JUST PASSED ITS OWN PROTECTIONS LAST MONTH. THE COUNCIL WAS CONSIDERING WHETHER TO SEND A LETTER TO THE AMES AREA LEGISLATORS, ASKING THEM TO VOTE AGAINST THAT LEGISLATION. BUT OBVIOUSLY, IT’S KIND OF TOO LATE NOW. THE LAW GOES INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. STAYING IN IOWA, DRAKE UNIVERSITY HOLDS A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL IN HONOR OF SARGENT DECLAN CODY. THE 20 YEAR-OLD DRAKE UNIVERSITY STUDENT WAS KILLED IN KUWAIT EARLIER THIS MONTH. THE VIGIL INCLUDED READINGS HONORING CODY’S LIFE AND SERVICE, AND COMMENTS FROM THOSE WHO KNEW HIM. WE WERE BOTH IN ROTC TOGETHER FOR JUST ONE SEMESTER, BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET THE IMPACT THAT HE HAD ON MY LIFE. CODY BELIEVED WITH 100% OF HIS BODY AND SOUL, THAT ANYONE COULD DO BETTER THAN WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD. THE UNIVERSITY’S PRESIDENT SAYS THEY’LL GRIEVE CODY AS A COMMUNITY ON CAMPUS. SOME OF CODY’S FAMILY ATTENDED THAT VIGIL AS WELL. THE REMAINS OF SERGEANT CODY AND FIVE OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS WERE BROUGHT BACK TO THE U.S. IN A DIGNIFIED TRANSFER OVER THE WEEKEND. PLANS HAVE NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR WHEN SERGEANT CODY AND MAJOR JEFFREY O’BRIEN WILL BE BROUGHT HOME TO IOWA, NOR WHEN SERGEANT FIRST CLASS NOAH TIETJENS REMAINS, WILL BE RETURNED TO BELLEVUE. MAKE SURE TO HAVE THE KETV MOBILE APP NEARBY AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANS TO HONOR THE FALLEN HEROES. THE DOUGLAS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHALLENGES A CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR SHERIFF, SAYING A PIECE OF INFORMATION MAKES HIM INELIGIBLE TO RUN. DOUGLAS COUNTY REPUBLICANS PUT TOGETHER A LENGTHY OBJECTION, SAYING THAT MARK MARTINEZ IS LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATION IS EXPIRED. THEY SAY BASED ON A NEW LAW THAT MAKES HIM INELIGIBLE FOR OFFICE. MARK MARTINEZ IS A RETIRED U.S. MARSHAL. BUT THE DOUGLAS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY DOESN’T BELIEVE HE’S QUALIFIED TO RUN FOR SHERIFF. THEY ALLEGE HE HASN’T BEEN CERTIFIED IN 17 YEARS, MAKING HIM ELIGIBLE BASED ON A 2024 LAW. THE LAW’S DIRECT LANGUAGE SAYS ANY CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF SHALL POSSESS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA ISSUED BY THE NEBRASKA COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER. THE WORD ACTIVE IS NOT USED. SO HIS CAMPAIGN GAVE US MARTINEZ’S NEBRASKA LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CERTIFICATION. HERE IT IS. THIS IS SAYS HE WAS CERTIFIED FROM 1984 TO 2009. THE MARTINEZ CAMPAIGN SAYS THE 2024 STATUTE DOES NOT SPECIFY THAT A LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATE MUST BE ACTIVE. THE LAW REQUIRES THE CANDIDATE TO HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA. MARK MARTINEZ HAS BOTH CREDENTIALS, SO KETV TALKED TO DANIELLE JENSEN. THE NEW COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER. SHE SAYS SHE’S THE ONE WHO WILL MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION. AS FOR WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN, SHE SAYS IT WILL BE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ABOUT THE ELECTION COMMISSION’S DECISION AS WE LEARN MORE. A FORMER NEBRASKA EDUCATOR CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ABUSE BY A SCHOOL WORKER WILL GO TO TRIAL. CODY PEASTER, WHO WORKED AT PALMYRA MIDDLE SCHOOL, IS ACCUSED OF HAVING AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A FORMER STUDENT. ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, PEASTER BEGAN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VICTIM WHILE HE WAS A WRESTLING COACH. THE AFFIDAVIT SAYS THEIR RELATIONSHIP TURNED SEXUAL AFTER THE STUDENT GRADUATED. HE’S DUE BACK IN COURT IN APRIL. A LINCOLN JURY CONVICTS THIS MAN OF MURDER FOR SHOOTING TWO PEOPLE OUTSIDE A STRIP CLUB. HE’S CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON. HE SHOT AND KILLED A 39 YEAR-OLD CARLOS SILVA AND A 40 YEAR OLD TERRELL JONES IN 2020 FOR SENTENCING. DATE HAS NOT BEEN SET. JOHNSON COULD STILL FACE THE DEATH PENALTY AND THAT WILL BE DECIDED BY THREE JUDGES. DARIUS FLETCHER, ALSO CHARGED IN THIS CASE AS AN ACCESSORY. HE SHOULD BE IN COURT NEXT WEEK. THE OMAHA CITY COUNCIL DELAYS A VOTE ON ONE OF ITS BIGGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS EVER. WELL, LAST WEEK, THE COUNCIL PEPPERED CITY OFFICIALS WITH QUESTIONS OVER CONCERNS OF THE HANDLING OF A $400 MILLION EXPANSION. THIS IS TO THE PAPIO CREEK WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S AARON HEGARTY HAS MORE. THE CITY IS LOOKING TO UPGRADE THE PAPILLION CREEK WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER. IT IS CRITICAL TO GET THAT CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE OFFLINE AND GET NEW INFRASTRUCTURE ONLINE. THE CITY COUNCIL MADE CLEAR SOME THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE FROM WHAT THEY WERE ASKED TO VOTE ON ON TUESDAY. WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AFTER LAST TUESDAY, AND WE’VE HAD I’VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS AND I THINK IT IS IT’S PRUDENT TO LAY THIS OVER. LAST WEEK. STRONG OPPOSITION, INCLUDING FROM THE PLATTE INSTITUTE, A PUBLIC POLICY ORGANIZATION. I’VE NOT SPOKEN TO THIS CHAMBER SINCE I LEFT THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2009. SO FOR AN ISSUE TO BRING ME OUT OF RETIREMENT MUST BE SIGNIFICANT. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS. MCCARTHY BUILDING COMPANIES WAS CHOSEN, BUT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING LAST WEEK, HAWKINS CONSTRUCTION SAID THEY COULD DO IT FOR MORE THAN $75 MILLION LESS THAN PROPOSED. WE KNOW WE’RE. HAWKINS HAS BUILT THE VAST MAJORITY OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WORK IN THIS CITY SINCE 1960. THEY PUT IN AN UNSOLICITED BID LAST DECEMBER. PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JIM TYLER TOLD ME THERE WAS NO LEGAL BASIS TO CONSIDER IT. HAWKINS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID THE CONTRACTOR UNDER THE AGREEMENT ALREADY IN PLACE, WAS REQUIRED TO PUT OUT BIDS FOR FURTHER WORK. THERE’S SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRES BIDDING, I THINK, AND NOW WE’RE BEING ASKED TO REMOVE IT. I MEAN, IT’S THAT SIMPLE. DETAILS ON CHANGES ARE YET TO BE OFFICIALLY PROPOSED. THE SOONER WE CAN GET THAT, THE BETTER. THAT’S AARON HEGARTY REPORTING TO D.C. NOW. DOZENS OF HOUSE LAWMAKERS SENT A JOINT LETTER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP SUPPORTING THE NOMINATION OF OKLAHOMA SENATOR MARKWAYNE MULLIN AS THE NEXT HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY. CONGRESSMAN DON BACON, MIKE FLOOD, RANDY FEENSTRA AND ZACH NUNN HELPED WRITE THAT LETTER. THEY SAY SENATOR MULLIN’S COMMITMENT TO BORDER SECURITY, HIS SUPPORT FOR PRO AMERICA POLICIES ALL MAKE HIM WELL SUITED TO LEAD DHS. THE LAWMAKERS FINISHED THE LETTER SAYING THEY LOOK FORWARD TO ADVANCING ADVANCING THE PRESIDENT’S IMMIGRATION AGENDA. COUNCIL BLUFFS IS LOOKING FOR A NEW FIRE. CHIEF JUSTIN JAMES RESIGNED HIS LAST DAY AS CHIEF MARCH 28TH. IT’S NOT CLEAR WHY HE’S STEPPING DOWN. JIM WOOD WILL SERVE AS ACTING FIRE CHIEF UNTIL A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT IS HIRED. COUNCIL BLUFFS MAYOR JOE THANK JAMES FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE AND POSITIVE IMPACT. NEXT, AT NINE, OMAHA POLICE RESPOND TO A SERIES OF DEADLY CRASHES AND PEDESTRIANS HIT BY CARS. WE’LL HEAR FROM OMAHA POLICE WHEN WE COME BACK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN STAY SAFE AS THE WEATHER WARMS OMAHA POLICE ARE DRIVING HOME THE MESSAGE OF SHARING THE ROAD AFTER A STRING OF PEDESTRIAN CRASHES. POLICE SAY THERE HAVE BEEN EIGHT DEADLY CRASHES THIS YEAR, TWO OF THEM INVOLVING PEDESTRIANS. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S IZZY FUNFAIR SHARES THE CRITICAL SAFETY REMINDERS TONIGHT FROM OMAHA POLICE. AS THE WEATHER WARMS, MORE PEOPLE ARE READY TO HIT THE STREETS. THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT WALKING AND JUST OUT IN THE IN OUR WONDERFUL CITY. TO PROTECT OMAHANS SARGENT DEVIN WASHINGTON ASKS YOU TO STAY OFF YOUR PHONE AND OBEY ALL STOPLIGHTS. DON’T SPEED AND MAKE SURE YOU JUST ARE PATIENT WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING. PEDESTRIANS ALSO SHOULDN’T BE ON THEIR PHONES AND THEY SHOULD NOT JAYWALK. OBEY THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS SO THE WALK SIGN AND USE THE CROSSWALK AS WELL. ON MONDAY, POLICE SAY A SEMI TRUCK DRIVER HIT A CYCLIST AT 49TH AND CUMING. THEY SAY JUST HOURS LATER, A TEENAGER WAS HIT NEAR OMAHA, SOUTH HIGH AND IN SARPY COUNTY. DEPUTIES SAY A JUVENILE DRIVER HIT ANOTHER JUVENILE WHO WAS ON A BICYCLE NEAR ASPEN CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL. MAKE SURE THAT YOU LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON A BICYCLE, AND AVOID DRIVING IN THE BIKE LANE. OFFICERS SAY CYCLISTS ARE SUPPOSED TO RIDE ON THE ROAD AND SHOULD ADHERE TO TRAFFIC SIGNALS, JUST LIKE DRIVERS DO. WE HAVE THAT DESIGNATED AREA FOR BICYCLISTS SO THAT THEY’RE SAFE AND THEY CAN TRAVEL ON OUR ROADWAYS. IF YOU WITNESS A CRASH, WASHINGTON WANTS YOU TO STAY PUT. OUR INVESTIGATORS ARE GOING TO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GATHER INFORMATION FROM YOU AND CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP ON ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN. IF YOU SEE THAT SOMEONE’S BEEN HURT, CERTAINLY TRY TO OFFER ANY TYPE OF AID IF YOU CAN. IF YOU WANT TO RENDER AID. OFFICERS SAY THE BEST ADVICE IS TO BE PATIENT AND WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS. IN OMAHA, IZZY FONFARA JUUL KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. NOW FROM OMAHA’S WEATHER LEADER, OMAHA’S CHIEF METEOROLOGIST BILL RANBY. WITH THE ACCURATE FORECAST, YOU CAN TRUST. ALL RIGHTY, IT’S RANDBY FACTOR TIME AND LOOKING AHEAD TO THE MORNING DRIVE. IT’S NOT GOIN