Good morning, this is Omaha Local Pulse for Saturday, November eighth.

We begin today with power restored in West Omaha after last night’s outage, which left nearly thirteen hundred homes and businesses without electricity. A faulty cable along West Dodge Road, stretching from Harvey Oaks Drive between 123rd Court and 154th Street, was the cause. Crews worked through the night and have everything back on for us, so we can expect a normal weekend ahead.

In city news, a new candidate has entered the race for our Nebraska Legislature’s Sixth District. Patrick Leahy, a major in the Army Reserves and former staffer to Senator Ben Nelson, announced this week he’s running. As the head of First Star Recycling, he’s promising a fresh approach to economic growth and environmental stewardship in our district.

The mayor’s office is keeping things moving, and later this month, November twenty-first, the Nebraska Judicial Resources Commission will hold its annual meeting downtown at the State Capitol. They’ll discuss judicial vacancies and how to use judge resources more efficiently. Anyone interested in city justice can attend in person or join via Nebraska Public Media online.

We’ve also got a new federal immigration detention center opening up in rural southwest Nebraska, in the former minimum-security prison in McCook. It’s currently housing about sixty detainees, with plans to reach two hundred by Thanksgiving. There is some controversy, with residents challenging the governor’s decision, saying only the Legislature should have the final say in repurposing such facilities.

On the medical front, Governor Pillen signed an order yesterday impacting Medicaid funding for abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood here in Omaha. Providers terminated from Medicaid in other states may soon find their services dropped in Nebraska too. This will impact patients and clinics, so we’ll be watching closely for any changes that might affect care in our area.

For our schools, congratulations go out to Omaha North High’s debate team, who clinched first place at the state regional qualifiers held at UNO. Their win is a bright spot for our local pride, and we look forward to hearing more from these talented students.

Turning to sports, Creighton’s Bluejays basketball team took a commanding win over the University of Northern Iowa at CHI Health Center last night. The Jays are rolling into the season with big momentum, giving us something to cheer about as colder weather settles in.

Speaking of weather, today we’re starting chilly, with temperatures in the low forties rising to the mid-fifties by late afternoon. It’ll be a dry Saturday, with mostly clear skies perfect for catching the fall colors at Heartland of America Park or joining the Pumpkin Patch Festival out on 204th Street in Elkhorn.

There’s good news for music lovers: this evening the Slowdown venue hosts local singer-songwriter Malaya Jones, whose soulful homegrown sound is gaining regional attention. Doors open at seven, and tickets are still available.

On the real estate front, Omaha listings hold steady with about seven hundred homes listed this week and the median price around three hundred thousand dollars. The job market sees about six hundred new postings, mostly in healthcare, logistics, and IT. Local recruitment agencies report wage growth for entry-level jobs near Westroads Mall.

In crime news, Omaha police made two arrests overnight related to a string of car break-ins near Cass Street in Midtown. There’s an active advisory out for unlocked vehicles, so let’s remember to double-check before heading in for the night. Police say the suspects are in custody, and no injuries were reported.

Finally, on a positive note, our own youth justice system is earning praise, with Omaha organizations launching new restorative practices to help at-risk teens...