LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – 10/11 NOW is taking a look back at some of the top news-making events in Lincoln and the surrounding area from the last 365 days.
In 2024, Nebraskans experienced everything from tornadoes, fires, and damaging winds, to crimes that shook people’s lives.
It was a year of extreme weather rocking the community. One of the most notable events, a tornado touching down just outside of Lincoln, tearing through Garner Industries on April 26th with 70 employees inside.
“I mean, this classified as a mass casualty, I mean, we had more than a few patients,” said Jared Rains, Waverly Fire Chief. “So we just hit the everybody come button and we’ll sort it out later.”
Miraculously, nobody was seriously hurt, but in the aftermath, dozens were laid off and the building that once stood remains in a state of disrepair.
In May, what started as a tornado warning in Wahoo ended with a rush of flash flooding, damaging fields and homes and leaving residents to pick up and rebuild.
Then, on July 31, straight line winds tore through the Capital City, leaving a massive mess of downed tree limbs and damage behind.
“Limbs were everywhere,” said Mitch Lee. “Leaves were everywhere. it was quite the commotion.”
From winds and rain, to wind and fire. A deadly combination that led to wildfires across Lancaster, Seward and Butler counties in October.
Firefighters also battled fires in the city limits.
“I got a call and a bunch of texts on my way to work today,” said Rick Peters, Owner of AMS Insurance Center. “I was a little concerned because of the wind it’s blowing right at our business.”
The blaze at the abandoned Village Inn on 27th and O streets forced evacuations of nearby homes and leveling of the rubble left behind.
2024 also brought strange and tragic crimes. Starting in January, with a man going on a rampage on a skid steer in the parking lot of a Home Depot, damaging vehicles and businesses.
A Bennet teen facing charges of derailing a train, now being tried as an adult, as deputies said he was the one who recorded the video of the incident.
A Waverly nursing home is under investigation after a failure to follow procedure led to a 74-year-old woman found alive at a funeral home where she had been sent for embalming.
In Saline County, a mass shooting rocked the small town of Crete after a neighbor opened fire injuring seven people.
“The biggest thing is the community is realizing it was a one incident situation, and that we need to deal with it, help the family out and then be able to move on,” said Crete Mayor Dave Bauer.
A tragic loss of two lives in a double homicide at The Office Gentleman’s Club, a case now tied up in the court system because the bailiff for the original judge as a witness.
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