One of the many joys of this job is being able to shine a light on Nebraska stories that have been ignored, cast aside, forgotten.
Such it is with our lead story this week, written by skilled writer and amateur history sleuth Blake Ursch.
Did you know that, a century ago, a group of Japanese immigrants settled down to farm and live in towns like Scottsbluff? That they made common cause with their white farmer neighbors, built community hubs where they celebrated Japanese culture and heritage? That they survived and thrived on the High Plains despite some horrific bigotry?
I sure didn’t know. Which is why reading Blake’s story — about a granddaughter’s quest to make sure we remember — was such a joy.
Drama in North Platte: I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that Melanie Standiford, the TV reporter briefly mentioned in our story about small-town abortion bans because she both reported on those bans and circulated a petition to ban abortion in Curtis, was fired by her TV station when that story published last Friday.
Standiford has since defended her actions and portrayed herself as a victim. And the quick firing seems harsh to some, especially to people who agree with Standiford on the underlying issue.
Two thoughts.
One: I and every other reporter I have ever met know we would be fired in two seconds flat if we circulated a petition on any political issue, be it left-wing, right-wing or anywhere in between. There are legitimate debates about how much reporters can participate as citizens in our democratic process. But being a petition circulator? It’s way across any journalism ethics line. It’s a gigantic no-no.
Every journalist knows it.
Two: As I was typing this, news flashed across my Twitter feed. Standiford has been named the new chair of her county’s Republican Party.
And honestly, that seems right. Other people can and should exist to do politics. We’re here to do quality journalism, like Natalia Alamdari’s story on the legal and symbolic impact of small-town abortion bans.
I wish Standiford well in her new role. I’m proud of the important work that Natalia, Yanqi Xu and our team of freelancers are doing. We’re gonna continue to do that.
Sponsoring FFP: Mr. Wynn has been a busy boy this week. He wrote a column for our website explaining why today, for the first time, we have sponsors.
This won’t change the journalism you experience here in the least…only that there will be more of it, thanks to companies willing to support the mission of nonprofit journalism in Nebraska.
Thank you to Alpaca, the start-up company that is working to get supplies to teachers who desperately need a pick-me-up.
And thank you to History Nebraska, whose employees have already proven invaluable to me as we work to get photos for our history stories — and now will sponsor some of those Nebraska history stories.
Thank you to each one of our sponsors, who I will periodically shout out in this newsletter. Your support means a lot to the future of Nebraska journalism.
Questions wanted: Some of our best story ideas come from readers, and they typically start with a burning question that just cries out for an answer. Have a question that our reporters need to look into? Complete this form or reach our newsroom at [email protected].
Sincerely,
—Matthew Hansen, Executive Editor
Here’s what we’re into this week: News from around Nebraska
Every week we like to share great Nebraska journalism, no matter who made it. Here’s what caught our eye this week:
- Ben Sasse shook up Nebraska’s political world Thursday, announcing he’s leaving the U.S. Senate to become president of the University of Florida. World-Herald reporter Henry Cordes asks the question everyone is wondering. Is Pete Ricketts next?
- Our freelancer extraordinaire Carson Vaughan, who recently wrote this fascinating story on a forgotten Nebraska author, travelled to the Nebraska National Forest this week to write about the wildfire that raged there and destroyed a beloved camp. Here’s his timely, poignant story from Nebraska Public Media via NPR’s Midwest Newsroom.
- And finally, because if I have an obvious bias, that bias is Red Cloud, Nebraska…Sarah and I are in my hometown today to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking of a new hotel. Here’s the story on the hotel from the Hastings Tribune’s Andy Raun, the man on the scene at so many important stories in south-central Nebraska over the years. It’s a boutique hotel. In a historic building. On Main Street.
Red Cloud and small-town Nebraska for the win!
