Flatwater Free Press - Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.

Teens were allegedly abused by state employees. It will be hard to sue the state.

State senators have introduced bills to let Nebraskans more easily sue the state in cases like the sexual abuse at Kearney’s YRTC. They passed one bill targeting child abuse in schools, but Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed it. The state’s top court has also made it tougher to sue.

Sara Gentzler • Sept. 25

Douglas County sheriff referred cases to ICE and floated deal with agency amid national crackdown

Jeremy Turley • Sept. 24

Rising temperatures present an overnight threat, too

Anila Yoganathan • Sept. 23

Big money a big draw in petition drives marred by circulator fraud allegations

Here’s what you can expect from Flatwater this election season

Records raise more questions about influence of Pillen’s hand-picked no-bid contractor

An 82-year-old master gardener is leading an effort to make South Omaha’s 24th Street bloom again

Rushville, the setting of the HBO superhero show ‘Lanterns,’ encouraged to take advantage of sudden attention

Something in the air: Suburban Omaha is now an Amazon drone zone

Gov. Pillen backs ICE crackdown. His company employs undocumented workers.

Documenters

Sept. 16: Douglas County tax hearing draws concerns over rising property taxes and school funding

Omaha Documenters and Leah Keinama • Sept. 25

Sept. 15: Bellevue City Council approves $50 million bond for water park construction

Omaha Documenters and Leah Keinama • Sept. 21

Sept. 14: Ralston Board of Education discusses enrollment, school vehicles and bond projects

Omaha Documenters and Leah Keinama • Sept. 21

Aug. 25: Nebraska Pardons Board grants more than half of pardon requests during last meeting

Omaha Documenters and Leah Keinama • Sept. 14

WHAT IS DOCUMENTERS?

We train and pay people to attend under-reported public meetings in Omaha and publish the results.

We are part of a national network of organizations that seeks to help people understand what’s going on in their local communities by making important information available to the public, encouraging open conversations, and inspiring people to get involved.

Learn more »

Statewide

As shortfall looms, Pillen installs allies on board originally designed to keep politics out of budget forecast

Andrew Wegley and Sara Gentzler • Sept. 16

Nebraska counties got money meant to combat the opioid crisis. Some are spending it on Flock cameras and other police tools.

Destiny Herbers • Sept. 15

Nebraska Head Starts use vests with ‘talk pedometers’ to boost early literacy

Lauren Wagner • Sept. 14

‘Been through hell’: Boys who allege state employees sexually abused them in Kearney have uncertain support

Sara Gentzler • Sept. 11

Metro

Crowded classrooms: Omaha Public Schools has worst student-teacher ratio in metro area and in state

Henry J. Cordes • Sept. 3

Historic Potter’s Field in northern Omaha became ‘dumping ground’ for city’s poor, homeless and ill

Tim Trudell • Sept. 1

For the first time, more apartments than houses are being built in Omaha

Henry J. Cordes • Aug. 27

Amid North Omaha’s ongoing struggle for fresh food, a new grocery store is coming to town

Kaitlyn Kelly • Aug. 26

Projects & Investigations

Kearney youth center abuse scandal

Covering a pattern of sex-abuse allegations from boys at Nebraska’s Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney

Dying Blind

We don’t know the real number of Nebraskans dying from drugs. It’s costing us.

Stopped in Seward

On a 24-mile stretch of Interstate 80, traffic stops send millions of dollars to a single, small Nebraska county and its Sheriff’s Office.

Refuge at Risk

Thousands of refugees call Nebraska home. Immigration policy under the Trump administration now threatens to upend the lives they’ve built.

Priced out of The Good Life

Nebraska paychecks are stagnant. Home prices continue to spiral. It’s pricing out a generation of buyers.

Buried Truth

Omaha spent decades cleaning up dust from a lead smelter that poisoned residents. But the Flatwater Free Press and ProPublica found that contamination remains.

Things You Didn’t Know You Needed to Know about the Best State In the World.

Flatwater Explains is an occasional series during which FFP reporters explain the people, places and things that make Nebraska what it is, while answering questions that both long-time residents and first-time visitors might have.

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What Nebraska-centric topics, places and things do you want the Flatwater Free Press journalists to explain? Email us »

Flatwater Voter Guide

Voters across Nebraska face major decisions this fall. To help voters make sense of it all, we compiled information on important statewide races and issues that will be on the ballot.