Flatwater Free Press
Nebraska's important stories. Well told. 🗞️ flatwaterfreepress.org
- New at Flatwater: Curt Tomasevicz fulfilled his dream of playing football for the Huskers. Then, he became the first American in 6 decades to win an Olympic gold medal … in bobsledding. The improbable story of Nebraska’s most-decorated bobsledder 🔗 buff.ly/DJjq832
- New at Flatwater: Lexington organizations raised almost $300,000 to support laid-off Tyson workers. In two weeks, they’d already doled out most of the money. 🔗 buff.ly/exrHN29
- The conflict between the Governor’s Office and State Auditor Mike Foley over Nebraska’s emergency no-bid bioeconomy contract has entered a new and more serious stage. 🔗 buff.ly/tVpT9nq Reporting by Aaron Sanderford @nebraskaexaminer.com
- New at Flatwater: London-born indie musician Cornelia Murr had no ties to Nebraska when her mother moved to Red Cloud. She fell in love with the town, bought a house and finished her latest album there. On February 13, Murr is returning for a show at the Red Cloud Opera House. 🔗 buff.ly/i1yPlHq
- New at Flatwater: Two Omaha Housing Authority employees pleaded to evict a pair of tenants who had endangered public safety and threatened staff, per emails obtained by Flatwater. The response from their boss: no evictions. 🔗 buff.ly/3y2sFqG
- New at Flatwater: UNMC and Nebraska Medicine — long time partners in the state’s health care — are set to grow closer this summer as NU takes full ownership. Experts say the transition reflects a nationwide trend of university hospitals growing into “economic juggernauts.” 🔗 buff.ly/gauMCEl
- New at Flatwater: In a reversal, a new county attorney will allow the mother of a 17-year-old who died at a Pillen Family Farms facility to gain access to his body for independent medical testing. She hopes it will determine what killed him. 🔗 buff.ly/bFeHRZ9
- TeamMates, a nonprofit founded by legendary Husker football coach Tom Osborne, has received 80% ($11.6 million) of the money from a state initiative supporting mentorship programs. The remainder has gone to 16 other nonprofits. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/tKjCXra
- New at Flatwater: Before delaying the long-planned conversion of its North Omaha coal plant, OPPD’s CEO shared some reassuring news: A study found the plant isn’t significantly harming human health. That characterization is misleading, experts said. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/qBGMBKb
- As restaurants and neighborhoods go, Know Good feels like a perfect fit tucked in between Hanscom Park and Field Club. Its neighbors are already lining up for homemade bagels, pastries and eggs, says Sarah Baker Hansen. Read her latest 🔗 buff.ly/BgHFgpo
- New at Flatwater: A state initiative supporting mentorship programs has directed $14.5 million in taxpayer money to Nebraska nonprofits. Some 80% of that money went to one organization founded by Tom Osborne. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/tKjCXra
- FFP Update: Months after allegations emerged that multiple staffers at a state-run Kearney youth treatment center were sexually abusing teens, state leaders are proposing to move all the boys in custody there to Omaha. October reporting 🔗 buff.ly/VaRYIOc January update 🔗 buff.ly/GK6nN87
- New at Flatwater: When Rachel Woollen gave birth to quadruplets 17 weeks early, they had a less than 4% chance of all surviving. They’re about to celebrate their 18th birthday. Meet the kids once believed to be the most premature surviving quadruplets in the world. 🔗 buff.ly/EhfwDBT
- New at Flatwater: The mayors of Nebraska’s 2 largest cities have the power to pardon misdemeanor violations of city law. But one grants far fewer pardons than the other. 🔗 buff.ly/Qn5dl7V
- New at Flatwater: Months after allegations emerged that multiple staffers at a state-run Kearney youth treatment center were sexually abusing teens, state leaders are proposing to move all the boys in custody there to Omaha. 🔗 buff.ly/2sBoAUm
- At First United Methodist Church in Lexington, the congregation is already feeling the toll of Tyson’s looming closure. The church has seen its Spanish-speaking congregation shrink from 65 to about a dozen. Its pastors wonder -– what comes next? 🔗 buff.ly/8CB7TAc
- Wesley Dacus doesn’t mind talking with strangers about his eye-catching, 116-year-old home in North Omaha. It has quite a story. Now, it's officially in the National Register of Historic Places. Read the full story 🔗 buff.ly/D0SntFc
- New at Flatwater: In the months since Tyson announced its Lexington plant would close, a church has seen its Spanish-speaking congregation shrink from 65 to about a dozen. Its pastors wonder -– what comes next? 🔗 buff.ly/8CB7TAc
- New from SBH: Masa Luna opened in September to much buzz. Food writer Sarah Baker Hansen says she can see why. It has a retro-fun look and a succinct but creative menu of tamales, shared plates, tacos, tortas and some uber-creative cocktails. Read the review 🔗 buff.ly/5d9PqBn
- New at Flatwater: It has been a family home, a hotel and a safe place for Black travelers during Jim Crow. Now, the castle-like house in North Omaha is officially in the National Register of Historic Places. 🔗 buff.ly/D0SntFc
- “It came from those Midwest heathens,” “Nope — straight to jail” and “What kind of savage does this” are printable Reddit reactions to chili and cinnamon rolls. But Nebraskans love it—and proudly claim the dish. 🔗 buff.ly/jtL9z8r
- A Nebraska woman received dozens of court appointments to manage the lives and finances of vulnerable adults with little oversight. In most cases, she maintained her control even after she was accused of financial abuse in November. 🔗 buff.ly/iq67axs
- In late 2022, Archer Daniels Midland’s facility in Fremont experienced a dust explosion. Days later, federal safety inspectors found some areas inside with about an inch of combustible dust — about eight times the acceptable limit. From Investigate Midwest reporter Sky Chadde 🔗 buff.ly/SHj773M
- In four years, the all-woman punk band Estrogen Projection has gone from unknown act to local headliner. Now, they want to lift up the next wave of musicians in Lincoln. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/wcbXlwp
- Nebraska legend Jordan Larson is retiring from pro volleyball after this season. Read our 2024 story about Jordan's incredible journey -- a prodigy from Hooper, a single-minded drive, professional and personal highs and lows and finally a newfound peace. Link: buff.ly/6Hwu7xO
