Good morning, Omaha.

This weekend, Omaha offers many events including the 5th annual NOMAFEST (a live music and arts celebration) at NOMA and Gene Leahy Mall, plus concerts at Veterans Memorial Building and Ta-Ha-Zouka Park.

Local art shows, food markets, and family activities round out the city's offerings.

Nearly 5,000 Christian teenagers will gather on Sunday, Aug.

23 at CHI Health Center for the O,NE event organized by Within Reach to pray for their schools and city (grouped by school districts). A separate prayer night for adults is set for Saturday, Aug. 22 at Waypoint Church.

The 20th annual Nebraska Balloon & Wine Festival will take place in Elkhorn this weekend.

Hot air balloon launches begin at 7 p.m. and a balloon glow is set for 9 p.m. weather permitting, with live music and a wine showcase each night.

Blues musicians from around the world are coming to Omaha for the Playing with Fire festival this weekend.

Attendees will enjoy powerhouse performances and a lively celebration of blues.

On Friday, Aug. 14, Lexi Nolda, Miss Nebraska, and Ella-Kathryn Anderson, Miss Nebraska's Teen, spoke in a First Alert 6 interview as they prepared for the upcoming Miss America Competition, sharing details of their training and goals for the pageant.

Today, Creighton University welcomed over 1,000 new students during move-in day as volunteers and a pep band cheered on the third-largest freshman class in school history (nearly 300 are from Nebraska).

Welcome Week begins Monday.

Faculty in the University of Nebraska System must prepare for fall 2026 by bookmarking canvas.nebraska.edu for course shells, updating their Canvas Teacher app, and setting notifications (live drop-in Zoom support is available weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for help) as they move to a unified learning platform.

At its Aug. 13 meeting, the NU Board of Regents cut three academic programs and approved new degree plans while requesting a 4.25% annual increase in state funding for the 2027-29 budget to support research, scholarships, and updated systems.

The move addresses ongoing statewide budget pressures.

Kendall Dobberstein and Addie LaRock, soccer stars who won state titles and compiled an 83-1 record in high school, are entering their sophomore season with the Omaha Mavericks.

They were named Summit League Players to Watch on Aug. 11 and are set to lead the team after a rebuilding year.

Dana Holgorsen begins his second full season as Nebraska's offensive coordinator today — fall camp showcases new contributors on offense, with three liberos battling for the starting role.