Gina Dvorak
Digital Director
Omaha, Neb.
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Gina Dvorak joined the WOWT newsroom as digital director in 2018. Gina has strong roots in Nebraska, growing up in a multigenerational farm family and graduating from the journalism college at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. During her two decades of journalistic experience, she moved from editing and design to digital platforms in 2010. She spent much of her career in the Los Angeles area before returning home to Nebraska in 2014.
Updated: 1 hours ago
|By Gina Dvorak
While street crews were ramping up snow plow efforts around Omaha, fire crews were working to battle a blaze northwest of the city on Monday night.
Updated: 10 hours ago
|By Gina Dvorak
The FBI Omaha Field Office said Monday that agents had arrested an Omaha man on a federal warrant relating to the Jan. 6 protest at the U.S. Capitol.
Updated: 16 hours ago
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts is hosting an update on the state’s COVID-19 vaccine response. Watch it live in our app, online, and on Facebook.
Updated: Jan. 22, 2021 at 8:34 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts took a moment during his news conference Friday morning to make a political comment on the impeachment of former President Trump and call on President Biden to stop the trial from moving forward.
Updated: Jan. 22, 2021 at 9:10 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak and Cecelia Jenkins
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday that the state is preparing to move its COVID-19 vaccination plan fully into Phase 1B the first week of February, with more details expected next week.
Updated: Jan. 21, 2021 at 10:25 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Kim Reynolds shared more details about the next phase of COVID-19 vaccine rollout across Iowa in her first news conference since Dec. 22.
Updated: Jan. 19, 2021 at 9:48 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
The Douglas County Health Department on Tuesday launched its notification portal for COVID-19 vaccine distribution for residents ages 65 and older.
Updated: Jan. 14, 2021 at 5:19 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha Police are looking for a suspect they said fled the scene of a shooting Thursday afternoon near the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium.
Updated: Jan. 14, 2021 at 9:29 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts gave his annual State of the State address Thursday, touching on the state’s efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 before property taxes, education, wide broadband access, and proposed Nebraska build a new state penitentiary.
Updated: Jan. 13, 2021 at 3:14 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Douglas County Health Department confirmed Wednesday that those ages 65-74 will be able to get COVID-19 vaccinations when Phase 1B is implemented in the coming weeks.
Updated: Jan. 13, 2021 at 2:49 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
News that Huntsville, Ala., has been selected as the preferred site of the U.S. Space Command headquarters has not deterred Nebraska leaders from pushing forward with their bid to house it here.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2021 at 7:42 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Talking security ahead of calls for protests at state capitals around the country, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday that he would not prohibit the carrying of weapons in the state Capitol because of the second amendment.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2021 at 5:20 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
In her annual “Condition of the State” address to the state’s general assembly, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called on the state legislature to immediately send a bill to her desk allowing parents the option for 100% in-person learning.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2021 at 9:52 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts urged patience Tuesday as the state continues work on the digital rollout of its general COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2021 at 1:01 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said during his news conference Monday morning that the riot at the U.S. Capitol last week shows there’s a lot of people who are still skeptical about the election results and a lot of “middle-class folks” who are unhappy about U.S. policies that don’t put “America first.”
Updated: Jan. 11, 2021 at 9:06 AM CST
|By Harper Lundgren, Leigh Waldman and Gina Dvorak
State officials said Monday they are planning to launch the website for Nebraskans to sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations in late January.
Updated: Jan. 8, 2021 at 7:39 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said he doesn’t think pursuing the 25th Amendment to impeach President Trump following Wednesday’s riot at the U.S. Capitol would serve the country well.
Updated: Jan. 8, 2021 at 12:13 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
A mistake in reporting Douglas County COVID-19 deaths led to a spike in Thursday’s report on the Nebraska COVID-19 dashboard, a DCHD spokesman said Friday.
Updated: Jan. 8, 2021 at 9:23 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
In his update on Nebraska’s COVID-19 response Friday, Gov. Pete Ricketts reported the state’s hospitalizations had fallen below 500 for the first time since October.
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021 at 7:48 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
A three-vehicle crash Thursday about 20 miles southwest of Omaha left one driver dead and two others with life-threatening injuries, according to Papillion Police.
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021 at 7:06 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Several officers responded Thursday night to a neighborhood in the southeast part of the city where someone was barricaded in a home.
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021 at 5:34 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a new proclamation Thursday lifting all spectator limitations imposed on sporting events and recreational activities, including high-school sponsored events.
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021 at 5:15 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Thirteen Omaha Police officers are heading to the nation’s capitol later this month to serve on the protection detail team for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Updated: Jan. 7, 2021 at 11:10 AM CST
|By Harper Lundgren and Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon released a statement weighing in on calls circulating for the 25th Amendment following Congress’ confirmation of Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2021 at 9:15 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
The U.S. Attorney’s Office put any Nebraskans participating in riots at the nation’s Capitol on notice, vowing to prosecute them “to the fullest extent of the law.”
Updated: Jan. 6, 2021 at 2:41 PM CST
|By Harper Lundgren and Gina Dvorak
Talking from Washington, D.C., Nebraska lawmakers described what it was like to watch the chaos unfold at the Capitol after protestors stormed the federal building while the joint session was debating the 2020 Electoral College results.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2021 at 11:29 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
During his news conference Wednesday morning, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts took a moment to address a tweet from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about comments he made Monday on vaccine distribution to undocumented immigrants.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2021 at 9:29 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Back in session Wednesday morning, members of the Unicameral were sworn in by the state’s chief justice, Michael G. Heavican.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2021 at 9:18 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska officials said Wednesday they are on the lookout for the new strain of COVID-19 positively identified in Colorado as the state’s vaccination rollout continues.
Updated: Jan. 5, 2021 at 5:02 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska’s senior senator on Tuesday shared her plans to vote in favor of certifying the Electoral College votes to elect Joe Biden president.
Updated: Jan. 4, 2021 at 7:07 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday that he supported creating a Congressional commission to investigate voter fraud but ended his comments on the matter saying he thinks Congress should certify the 2020 Electoral College results.
Updated: Jan. 4, 2021 at 9:01 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and other state officials gave an update on the state’s COVID-19 vaccine plan during Monday morning’s news conference.
Updated: Dec. 31, 2020 at 6:57 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska issued a pointed rebuke of GOP attempts to object Jan. 6 to the Electoral College tally of the presidential election.
Updated: Dec. 30, 2020 at 3:13 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reported Wednesday that a suspect in the death of an Omaha realtor was in custody.
Updated: Dec. 29, 2020 at 3:11 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that authorities were conducting a homicide investigation into the death of a local realtor whose body was found in a rental property in southwest Omaha.
Updated: Dec. 29, 2020 at 11:10 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak and Alex McLoon
Additional cities around the Metro area declared snow emergencies Tuesday morning as crews worked to keep major arteries passable ahead of several more inches of predicted snowfall.
Updated: Dec. 28, 2020 at 10:43 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Owners of a beloved cardboard likeness of one of Omaha’s most famous residents are asking social media to help return their greeter to his longtime spot of honor.
Updated: Dec. 28, 2020 at 6:14 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Snowplow crews were out preparing the streets of Omaha all day Monday ahead of the impending winter weather forecast for Tuesday.
Updated: Dec. 23, 2020 at 5:36 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
A winter storm caused blizzard conditions in various parts of Nebraska on Wednesday, causing a fatal crash on Interstate 80 near North Platte that left three people dead.
Updated: Dec. 23, 2020 at 2:46 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Pete Ricketts’ office issued a statement Wednesday saying Nebraska will further downgrade the state’s COVID restrictions effective at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
Updated: Dec. 22, 2020 at 12:02 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Douglas County Health Department on Tuesday received doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, which the FDA approved last week.
Updated: Dec. 22, 2020 at 10:24 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will give an update on the state’s COVID-19 response on at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Updated: Dec. 21, 2020 at 10:07 AM CST
|By Brian Mastre and Gina Dvorak
While the numbers of new positive cases are declining, the more concerning number — positivity rate — is still high: 29%.
Updated: Dec. 21, 2020 at 9:50 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Reporting on Monday that COVID-19 hospitalizations at the lowest rate since October, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state is on track to lessen restrictions in a few days.
Updated: Dec. 18, 2020 at 10:39 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is giving an update on the state’s COVID-19 response at 9 a.m. Friday.
Updated: Dec. 18, 2020 at 9:47 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
The Omaha Police Cold Case Squad on Friday announced that a suspect in a 2013 homicide was in custody in Arizona.
Updated: Dec. 17, 2020 at 6:57 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
The Omaha City Council released the names of 17 contenders for appointment to the city’s 5th District seat.
Updated: Dec. 17, 2020 at 3:57 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Federal officials on Thursday said a man wanted by the Council Bluffs Police Department was shot and killed Wednesday in New Mexico after he exchanged gunfire while fleeing from Border Patrol officers.
Updated: Dec. 17, 2020 at 3:05 PM CST
|By Gina Dvorak
Creighton University announced Thursday that fans will again be allowed to attend men’s basketball games — up to 10% capacity — starting with Wednesday’s game against Xavier.
Updated: Dec. 16, 2020 at 10:06 AM CST
|By Gina Dvorak, Ashly Richardson and Associated Press
Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that restaurants and bars in Iowa may return to normal business hours with some restrictions.