Good morning, this is Omaha Local Pulse for Friday, October thirty-first. Our morning starts cloudy and cool, with a chance for some drizzle here and there across Douglas County. We can expect highs around fifty this afternoon, so grab a jacket if you are heading out for Halloween festivities. Skies should stay mostly dry, but keep an umbrella handy just in case, especially if you plan to watch high school football under the lights.

Breaking overnight, Omaha police are on the lookout for Ricardo Kirk, age thirty-two, who’s wanted in connection with a North Omaha shooting and a recent homicide. If you live or work near North Twenty-fourth Street, stay alert and contact authorities via the tipline if you spot anything out of the ordinary. Public safety remains a top concern as we head into the weekend.

At City Hall, the debate continues over an apartment project at Thirty-second and Pacific in Hanscom Park. Neighbors have rallied with a petition against a proposed twenty-unit complex, worried about increasing parking congestion and changes to the historic feel of the area. The developer, Urban Village, says transit options would offset the reduced parking but residents say it’s still a problem for families and seniors navigating already crowded side streets. The City Council has not yet given its final approval, so this conversation is far from over.

Food insecurity is making news as Whispering Roots, one of Omaha’s largest food pantries, is struggling to keep up with demand following the federal SNAP benefits pause. The nonprofit, which usually feeds over sixty-five thousand families a year, is now forced to limit support to only the most vulnerable as shelves empty. The city has responded with a new food drive launched by Mayor John Ewing Junior, urging all of us to pitch in with nonperishables. If you want to help, Whispering Roots is located on Edward Babe Gomez Avenue, near the South Omaha YMCA.

Looking to the local job market, Molina Healthcare is hiring across tech positions in Omaha right now, with a focus on artificial intelligence and security roles. Recent job board data shows openings offering pay up to approximately two hundred thousand, a bright spot for mid to senior level professionals looking to land meaningful work before the holiday season.

Housing news has been busy too. With neighborhood development turning heated, real estate agents say homes in Midtown and Dundee are selling faster this fall than last year, averaging under two weeks on the market and median prices just above three hundred thousand dollars. Prospective buyers should move quickly if they see a property they like.

On a lighter note, we’re seeing plenty of Halloween spirit around town this morning. Benson is hosting its annual Trick-or-Treat parade at noon, and the Old Market Ghost Walk sets off at six this evening. No shortage of live music either—local band The Prairie Sons play Slowdown tonight, expect a big crowd and plenty of costumes.

In high school sports, Friday night football is all the buzz. Omaha Westside, Creighton Prep, and Millard South all headline playoff games happening tonight. Don’t miss the action at Westside High on Pacific Street as they take on Bellevue West—should be a great matchup and a reminder of just how much local pride these teams inspire.

Our feel-good story comes from the Whispering Roots pantry. Despite a near-empty warehouse, volunteers are still going door to door for shut-ins and disabled veterans like Barron Gibbs, whose resilience and optimism remind us why community matters most.

Thanks for tuning in to Omaha Local Pulse. Remember to subscribe so you always know what’s happening in our city. This has been Omaha Local Pulse. We’ll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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