- Sammie Rodriguez, owner of a photography business on 16th Street, is committed to improving her neighborhood, but is facing public safety issues.
- Mayoral candidates John Ewing Jr. and Jean Stothert addressed community safety concerns, discussing plans for potential redevelopment of the area.
- The Omaha Downtown Improvement District plans to enhance alleyway security and lighting, with upgrades expected to start next month.
Sammie Rodriguez shares her commitment to maintaining a clean and safe environment for her community.
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Rodriguez has operated a photography business on 16th Street for a year, striving to be a good neighbor.
"We have fixed up outside, put our own money into the turf and the mulch, and I'm out here cleaning. You'll see me with the leaf blower just about every day," Rodriguez said.
However, challenges remain, particularly regarding safety and the overall appearance of the neighborhood.
"There are a lot of business owners here who have invested so much time and money into giving the community something it deserves," Rodriguez said.
KMTV reporter Hannah McIlree questioned both mayoral candidates at separate press conferences about these concerns.
"One of the areas I worked in when I was at the Omaha Police Department was problem-solving, and when we had issues like this in the neighborhood, we would direct that unit to address them," candidate John Ewing Jr. said.
"There are plans to develop or redevelop 16th Street; we have a vision for that area, and everything starts with a vision," Mayor Jean Stothert said.
In the meantime, efforts to improve security are underway. Last spring, the Omaha Downtown Improvement District pledged to make alleyway improvements using reallocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Executive Director Holly Barrett told KMTV that the project faced delays.
"We are ready to go and were planning to start this winter, but we cannot get in there until the sinkhole is fixed. Since that issue was at a stalemate between the Regis and the city attorneys, we are in a waiting game while they figure it out," Barrett said.
In the interim, the project location will be shifted one alley over, adjacent to Rodriguez's building.
"Not to be ironic or funny, but it would be like a night-and-day difference. I think it's a security issue too if the wicked rabbit people come up this alleyway; they don’t necessarily feel safe doing that," Rodriguez said.
Barrett added that, with permission from the building owners, upgrades could begin next month.
