Pete Festersen
Omaha City Councilmember
- Omahans in Sicily, Italy build upon ‘sister city’ ties with Carlentini nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/27/o...
- I just took a super interesting tour of the Scott Technology Center with a discussion of its AI capabilities. I wasn’t allowed to take any photos, however! omaha.com/news/local/b...
- I took a tour and played the drums today at the updated North Omaha Music and Arts building at its historic 24th & Lake location. The jazz club and new classrooms for students are looking great.
- Mayor Ewing was the featured speaker at my Greater Omaha Chamber board meeting this morning.
- This morning, I participated in the State of Youth Programming in Omaha with this great panel of young people and community organizations who are supporting this important mission.
- The stage is up, and city teams are mobilizing to get Memorial Park ready for Ringo on Friday!
- Some great community leaders were honored at the Women's Center for Advancement (WCA) annual event yesterday, and the keynote speaker gave a powerful speech regarding a personal experience with stalking and sexual harassment.
- This heat is no joke. Be careful, and stay hydrated out there and at the College World Series. Here is a list of The Salvation Army Western Division cooling centers for those in need, in addition to our homeless shelters.
- Today was the ribbon-cutting for the accessory dwelling unit demonstration project on the Riverfront. Units for under $200,000 with pre-approved and shareable plans are coming soon.
- Oh, man. Tough way to lose for Arkansas in the CWS tonight. My heart goes out to those college players. But it should be a great Coastal vs LSU final!
- I presided over the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) Council of Officials meeting today, providing an update on the $1 billion terminal transformation project at Eppley Airfield - OMA. It's really important to the future growth of our region and our 5 million passengers per year.
- I look forward to working with Mayor John W Ewing Jr to address the economic disparities we know still exist in our community. Federal funding cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, CDBG and early childhood education would not be helpful to the effort. omaha.com/news/local/a...
- It's a good call on the tarp and rain delay. Storms are coming in from the west right now.
- It’s official! The first phase of the $800 million redevelopment of Crossroads is now underway.
- The first phase groundbreaking for Crossroads will take place today at 2 p.m. This phase includes the family entertainment component, which will be followed later this summer by public green space, underground garages, housing, and retail.
- Yesterday was a successful Native Omaha Days parade ahead of the Juneteenth national holiday. And I got to patronize one of my favorite taquerias on South 24th Street. It was a day that made me appreciate the diversity of our community.
- It was a great first day at the College World Series! I enjoyed the evening game with Mayor John Ewing, state senators, and the Greater Omaha Chamber and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry presidents.
- It's great to see this newly renovated field at Memorial Park being put to good use. My sisters used to play Memorial Little League there 40 years ago! Way to go, Memorial Little League. omaha.com/life-enterta...
- Today was the groundbreaking for new Creighton University softball and baseball fields — just in time for the College World Series. It's all part of an impressive campus master plan coming to fruition.
- Here are some initial resources and ways to assist families impacted by yesterday’s immigration enforcement.
- I spent the first morning of my next city council term touring a funeral home. An unusual first appointment! There are over $500,000 in renovations coming to the historic Kremer Funeral Home in Benson.
- We're almost ready for tonight’s inauguration of a new mayor and seven city council members in the Legislative Chambers.
- The city inauguration is tonight, but here is the coolest thing I will do today! Proud to support Girls Inc. and look forward to helping get the new South Omaha location open soon. Strong, Smart and Bold.
- A come-from-behind buzzer-beater in the NBA Finals, double overtime in the NHL Stanley Cup, and now the longest French Open final in history — it’s been an exciting and heart-wrenching week in professional sports!
- The Bob Kerrey Bridge is about to go orange for National Gun Violence Awareness Month. @momsdemand.bsky.social
- This will bring us to a total of seven mental health co-responders covering every police precinct, including an adolescent specialist. www.wowt.com/2025/06/04/o...
- I attended the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance annual banquet last night. Some great neighborhood champions and organizations were recognized for their many contributions.
- From WOWT: Benson housing project creates new option for older adults and first-time homebuyers www.wowt.com/2025/06/02/b...
- I am grateful for Chancellor Emeritus Christensen's leadership during an important decade of transformation at UNO. I also appreciate his leadership on the city-county building commission. Rest in peace. omaha.com/news/local/a...
- City pools opened today for the summer! Just in time for the 91 degree forecast.
- It’s almost College World Series time in Omaha! Here are some future sluggers enjoying the annual CWS field at the Dundee “Sunks" today. Thanks, Dundee Bank.
- Major progress has been made in the last few weeks with the massive airport expansion project at Eppley Airfield - OMA. Here’s the new main terminal forming and the new main entrance under the canopy.
- Thank you to Black Police Officers Association of Omaha, Police Athletics for Community Engagement, & private donors for a great improvement to youth athletics at Bowling Green Park. The baseball field has been named in honor of Omaha’s first Black deputy police chief. omaha.com/news/local/a...
- $500 million invested over the last 10 years is creating a real sense of place. I'm also excited about the Burt Street pedestrian and bike mall connection. From the Omaha World-Herald: Creighton University's Central Park'—a green space that will transform a growing campus and Omaha's urban core.
- Remembering what was by far the worst day in office for me too. I participated in the ER situation and made the first public announcements as Acting Mayor that day. It changed our community forever. www.ketv.com/article/omah...
- I’m proud of our strong, steady leadership and the many accomplishments that helped us earn 70% of the vote again yesterday. I look forward to serving the citizens of Omaha for another four years—and surpassing this guy as Omaha’s longest-serving City Council member.
- Thank you to all the poll workers today! We appreciate your professionalism and attention to detail during what is also a long day of serving the public.
- There were incredible stories of resilience at The Salvation Army annual scholarship event honoring graduating seniors today.
- Finished running the race this morning. Get out and vote, Omaha! Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Be sure to return your vote-by-mail ballot to the Election Commission office or a drop box. Sixty percent of voters are casting their ballots early or by mail this time.
- Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there. Mine was one of the very best—and always one of my biggest supporters.
- Thank you to this Saturday morning work crew in Florence! They're keeping our landscaping and bio-swales looking good ahead of the Florence Days Parade next weekend.
- Thank you to mail carriers today for helping to stamp out hunger. Today’s the day to fill your bags and put them out for pick up!
- It’s a gorgeous day for my neighborhood spring clean-ups, the Cinco de Mayo parade and major festivities in South Omaha, and tonight’s Boys and Girls Club annual event.
- I met with my Country Club Hills neighborhood association and representatives of an infill housing and street improvement project yesterday. After negotiating and compromising for many years, we’re about to get it right for all parties involved.
- Congrats to my neighborhood associations that received city grants today! Benson First Friday, Benson, Gramercy Park, and Peony Park received grants for projects such as tree planting and beautification, little libraries, alleyway safety, and community gardens.
- I had a great discussion today about the future of Omaha with Paul Allen at 1st Sky Omaha. We talked about everything from public safety, mental health, housing, public transit, economic development, to arts and entertainment and more!
- There was a great turnout today for the Omaha Police Foundation lunch honoring the officers of the year.
- Omaha police made arrests in last week’s assault and carjacking at Westroads Mall. Thanks, Omaha Police Department.
- I attended a service last night at First United Methodist commemorating the 50th anniversary of Omaha’s 1975 tornado. I was in preschool across the street at Temple Israel earlier that day. There were some great stories of resilience and community in the aftermath.
- I’m proud that after two years of planning and fundraising, we’ve broken ground on this project in my district. It’s going to be a community-builder for the Saddlecreek area with safer streets and more businesses and spaces to gather. www.wowt.com/2025/05/05/o...
