6 News investigation leads to filling of dangerous repair hole near La Vista school

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - When school gets out at La Vista West Elementary, many kids still get one more painstaking lesson.

“She tells us to stay away from the hole,” said one student.

That after-school instruction comes from daycare provider Lori Rodr, who says for a month, a repair hole has been left open on the sidewalk.

“I think they need to come out and fill that [hole],” Rodr said. “It’s been that way for over a month. There’s a little tiny piece of caution tape around there and this is right next to a school. Look at all the kids walking by. It’s not safe.”

So, Rodr has been escorting eight children across a neighbor’s yard to avoid the hazard, but not all the kids have parents with them.

Some youngsters are on their own to stay out of deep trouble. Should some curious kids decide to go around the caution tape, they’re going to be very close to a dangerous hole that’s five feet deep.

The hole exposes some sort of line and has been open since Sept. 1.

“It’s super dangerous,” said nearby resident Craig Rooker. “It’s ridiculous after 30 days to just leave it like that. It’s not even roped off right.”

There are no signs to tell neighbors and parents who is responsible for digging the hole and leaving it open during the school year.

The hole and dirt dug from it cause anyone taking the sidewalk to walk into a busy street or cut across someone’s front yard. That’s a choice between danger and disrespect that many school kids and parents are being forced to make.

6 News contacted a La Vista official who says that this is the first the city has heard of the hazard. He says records at Public Works indicate that CenturyLink dug the hole for repairs in early September.

After being contacted by 6 News on Sunday evening, the hole has since been filled.

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