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: 2 hours ago
|By Gina Dvorak and Brian Mastre
After meeting in closed session on Tuesday morning, the Sarpy County board moved forward with its hearing in the afternoon on whether to remove its treasurer.
Updated: 7 hours ago
|By Gina Dvorak
One of the six cases being examined in relation to the blood clot reports that halted the distribution of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccinations Tuesday is a Nebraska woman, according to a CDC report.
Updated: 21 hours ago
|By Gina Dvorak
The founder of a north Omaha nonprofit sparked conversation among the city’s arts community after stating in a blog that “the white supremacy culture of Omaha’s cultural sector” had made the rules of membership for a nebulous group of 12 local arts nonprofits — which were awarded the bulk of CARES Act funding set aside for Douglas County’s arts, entertainment, and cultural nonprofits — a moving target.
Updated: Apr. 12, 2021 at 5:55 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Alex McLoon
The Papillion-La Vista school board heard comments Monday on the controversy caused by a children’s book on racial injustice, which many parents found offensive.
Updated: Apr. 12, 2021 at 3:24 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
An Omaha Police spokesman said Monday afternoon that officers were providing assistance with monitoring the Creighton campus after the department was notified of “a possible threat.”
Updated: Apr. 12, 2021 at 9:36 AM CDT
|By Leigh Waldman and Gina Dvorak
State officials said Monday that the Douglas County man who suffered a blood clot after receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccination is still in the hospital.
Updated: Apr. 10, 2021 at 1:29 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha Police on Saturday made available documents detailing citations filed against the owner and staff of Rosewood Academy daycare, which has been closed since a COVID-19 outbreak was reported at one of its locations last month.
Updated: Apr. 9, 2021 at 6:34 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on Friday issued a statement in response to the gun control actions announced by the president, saying “won’t stand by and let President Biden shred the Second Amendment.”
Updated: Apr. 9, 2021 at 4:23 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Alex McLoon
Rep. Don Bacon, who recently revealed he almost certainly had COVID-19 in late November, is getting his vaccination Friday afternoon.
Updated: Apr. 9, 2021 at 1:10 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Brian Mastre
RJ Neary will face incumbent Jean Stothert in the Omaha mayoral election in May, the Douglas County Election Commission reported Friday.
Updated: Apr. 8, 2021 at 6:39 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
U.S. Congressman Don Bacon, who represents Nebraska’s 2nd District, said Thursday that he had COVID-19 in “late 2020.”
Updated: Apr. 8, 2021 at 10:50 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Local fire authorities lifted the current burn ban for Douglas County at 7 a.m. Thursday.
Updated: Apr. 7, 2021 at 1:42 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
An elderly couple reported missing from Cherokee County, Iowa, were hurt in a three-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in west Omaha.
Updated: Apr. 7, 2021 at 10:51 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is giving an update on the state’s COVID-19 response at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Updated: Apr. 7, 2021 at 10:32 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Ashly Richardson
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday a contract with Creighton University and CHI Health to provide COVID-19 variant testing for the state.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2021 at 7:46 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha Police shut down eastbound West Center Road from 171st to 173rd streets after a serious crash during rush hour Tuesday.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2021 at 11:58 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
If you had tickets to the 2020 Olympic Swimming Trials, organizers have some good news and some bad news.
Updated: Apr. 5, 2021 at 3:21 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
A convicted killer sentenced to death a second time in 2003 for the murders of two children in Douglas County died at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution over the weekend.
Updated: Apr. 5, 2021 at 9:32 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Pete Ricketts opened Monday’s news conference with a word of caution about containing the spread of COVID-19, noting that after 18 weeks of declining hospitalizations, Nebraska was seeing an increase.
Updated: Apr. 4, 2021 at 11:55 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Pete Ricketts tweeted in support of Georgia’s embattled governor on Saturday, stating that Nebraska stands in solidarity as “(Gov. Brian Kemp) is expanding voting options” in his state while corporate critics “are promoting Democratic disinformation.”
Updated: Apr. 2, 2021 at 8:48 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha voters are already casting their ballots for the city’s primary election — or will be soon.
Updated: Apr. 2, 2021 at 6:09 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Citing “drier than normal conditions,” Douglas County Fire chiefs put a “burn ban” into effect Friday morning.
Updated: Apr. 2, 2021 at 3:40 PM CDT
|By Taleisha Newbill and Gina Dvorak
SNAP recipients in Nebraska getting benefits for March will also receive an emergency 15% increase to their minimum and maximum allotments on Tuesday.
Updated: Apr. 1, 2021 at 4:15 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
The Douglas County Treasurer’s Office is warning property owners about a tax scam letter some residents have reported.
Updated: Apr. 1, 2021 at 11:46 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is unveiling the new permanent home for Stingray Beach on Thursday.
Updated: Mar. 31, 2021 at 10:06 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Democratic Iowa Congressional candidate Rita Hart on Wednesday conceded the very close race for the state’s 2nd District House seat to Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, congratulating her opponent.
Updated: Mar. 31, 2021 at 4:53 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday that he would not allow vaccine passport programs in Nebraska.
Updated: Mar. 31, 2021 at 10:50 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state will allow its health districts to open vaccines to all Nebraskans starting Monday.
Updated: Mar. 31, 2021 at 9:26 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Kim Reynolds is giving an update on Iowa’s COVID-19 response Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.
Updated: Mar. 30, 2021 at 6:15 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Former Dodge County Attorney Oliver Glass pled no contest at a probation hearing Tuesday after admitting he had violated the terms of his probation.
Updated: Mar. 30, 2021 at 5:44 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
The City of Omaha is rolling out its emergency rental assistance program next week.
Updated: Mar. 30, 2021 at 9:48 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Brian Mastre
Mayor Jean Stothert announced Tuesday that the city has signed a $93 million Memorandum of Understanding to support Project NExT expansion at the University of Nebraska Medical Center over the next decade.
Updated: Mar. 29, 2021 at 6:23 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha Performing Arts has begun construction on its new live music venue downtown.
Updated: Mar. 29, 2021 at 10:29 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha Police made an arrest in an overnight shooting that left two men dead this weekend.
Updated: Mar. 26, 2021 at 6:55 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
The Omaha Federation of Labor announced its endorsement of Democratic mayoral candidate RJ Neary.
Updated: Mar. 26, 2021 at 3:54 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Alex McLoon
The Douglas County Health Department on Friday said 100 positive cases of COVID-19 — most of them the UK variant — have been traced to a northwest Omaha daycare; and that a possible second outbreak tied to “an event” is under investigation.
Updated: Mar. 26, 2021 at 1:25 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
A Sarpy County judge sentenced a woman Thursday to 60 years in prison for her role in the 2018 murder of 38-year-old Brent Quigley in Bellevue.
Updated: Mar. 26, 2021 at 12:45 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Corrections officials are looking for an inmate who went missing from Community Corrections Center-Lincoln on Friday.
Updated: Mar. 25, 2021 at 8:16 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Two Omaha health centers and another in Council Bluffs are on the receiving end of $19.1 million in American Rescue Plan funds, according to an announcement Thursday night from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Updated: Mar. 25, 2021 at 3:23 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
As Democrats call for expanded gun control in the wake of two mass shootings in a week, Gov. Pete Ricketts issued a statement Thursday reiterating his firm stance against any further restrictions for gun owners.
Updated: Mar. 25, 2021 at 2:26 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Kim Reynolds joined the Iowa Republican Party’s news conference calling out Democrats for their actions involving the state’s 2nd Congressional District.
Updated: Mar. 24, 2021 at 8:33 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert met with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff at the end of his stop in the area on the “Help is Here” tour.
Updated: Mar. 24, 2021 at 4:59 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
One of two inmates allegedly involved in the attempted escape at an Iowa state penitentiary on Tuesday had ties to the Omaha-metro.
Updated: Mar. 24, 2021 at 10:41 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Gov. Kim Reynolds is giving an update on Iowa’s COVID-19 response Wednesday morning at 11:15 a.m.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2021 at 2:43 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak and Emily Dwire
Mayor Jean Stothert and her two children were at the Douglas County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning, at which time the board issued a proclamation honoring the mayor’s husband.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2021 at 1:26 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Authorities advised westbound Interstate 80 drivers traveling with plans to travel past Gretna should find an alternate route after a turbine blade slipped onto the roadway.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2021 at 11:06 AM CDT
|By John Chapman and Gina Dvorak
Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, is scheduled to visit a local hospital Tuesday.
Updated: Mar. 22, 2021 at 6:11 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
An Omaha couple was sentenced in federal court Monday to at least a year of home confinement and three years federal supervision after submitting false Social Security documents indicating the couple no longer lived together.
Updated: Mar. 22, 2021 at 4:25 PM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
The presiding judge of the Douglas County District Court on Monday called for a grand jury to investigate 15 in-custody deaths that occurred in 2018 and 2020.
Updated: Mar. 22, 2021 at 11:55 AM CDT
|By Gina Dvorak
Pottawattamie County Republicans are hosting former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at an event on Thursday.