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

Mr. President goes to Wilber: Kolaches baked, polka played as Czech leader visits ‘Czech Capital of US’

President Petr Pavel’s visit to Wilber was a historic first for the town. Dressed in their Czech best, they gave him the grand tour.

Natalia Alamdari • Oct. 2

Red, blue or purple: Unique Omaha-area congressional district draws national election spotlight

Margery Beck • Oct. 1

YRTC

State employees abused Omaha teen, who was then punished when he reported it, lawsuit alleges

Sara Gentzler • Oct. 1

Flatwater Free Press celebrates five years as Nebraska’s first statewide nonprofit newsroom

Counties receiving opioid settlement funds lean toward regional approach

‘The game has changed’: New reality is altering Nebraska’s prairies

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

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

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

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

Documenters

Sept. 24: Lincoln StarTran Board discusses bus delays, fare payment upgrades and accessibility

Omaha Documenters and Leah Keinama • Sept. 30

Sept. 17: Metro Transit Board approves 2027 budget and maintains current tax levy

Omaha Documenters and Leah Keinama • Sept. 28

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

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

They want to keep their babies as safe as possible. They’re also choosing free birth.

By Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga, Midwest Newsroom • Sept. 28

Rising temperatures present an overnight threat, too

Anila Yoganathan • Sept. 23

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

Andrew Wegley • Sept. 18

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

Andrew Wegley and Sara Gentzler • Sept. 16

Metro

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

Christopher Burbach • Sept. 17

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

Chris Bowling and Jeremy Turley • Sept. 10

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

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.