Ladies and gents, I present to you, in one photo, the power of an important story.
On a Tuesday night, so many people showed up to our event in Norfolk to discuss Yanqi Xu’s “Our Dirty Water” series that we didn’t have enough chairs. The fine folks at Northeast Community College had to drag in more. They counted 250 people in the audience, including farmers, concerned citizens, lawyers, experts, state leaders, NRD board members and advocates.
You will be shocked to learn that not all of them agreed about what we should do about the high nitrate in some Nebraskans’ drinking water.
But you may also be shocked to learn that we had an earnest and courteous conversation despite the serious subject matter and despite those differences.
Read about it, watch a News Channel Nebraska recap or watch the whole forum.
I may have witnessed a few people try to see things from a stranger’s point of view. I may have even witnessed a few bridges being built, instead of burned.
We’re gonna host many more “journalism on stage” events around the state in the months to come. Executive director Matt Wynn is already planning two more on water quality.
What’s especially gratifying about this is it flows directly from important FFP journalism. People are talking about water quality in Nebraska, educating and being educated about it and discussing solutions — including how to protect themselves and their loved ones. That’s… exactly how it’s supposed to work.
Thank you to Northeast Community College for hosting, the Norfolk Daily News for publicizing the event and News Channel Nebraska for covering it live. Thanks to the panelists from the Med Center, Northeast, the local NRD, a local farmer and of course Yanqi for an informative convo. And most of all: A sincere thank you to everyone who showed up and watched live.
A eyebrow-raiser in the Legislature: A serious potential plot twist came from Lincoln this week courtesy of 80-year-old Ralston-area state senator Merv Riepe. Until Wednesday, he was viewed by everyone as a reliable “yes” vote for a six-week abortion ban that seemed to have the votes to become state law. He had co-sponsored the bill, for Pete’s sake!
And then, on Wednesday, he started talking. Expressing profound doubt. And he offered an amendment that would still tighten abortion restrictions in Nebraska, but would do so in a way that would allow many more Nebraskans the chance at a legal abortion than the six-week ban would.
I’m an astronaut and can do anything: Clayton Anderson, bona fide Nebraska hero and new director of the SAC Museum near his hometown of Ashland, delivered a quote I adore to our new freelancer Bob Glissmann for a story we published today.
“And do I know a lot about running a museum? No, but I didn’t know a lot about being an astronaut, either. And that turned out pretty good.”
A little cocky? Perhaps. But also very hard to argue since the man has spent a fair bit of time floating around outer space.
Anderson is now tasked with changing the fortunes of the struggling museum, which has had 10 (?!) directors in 25 years, and is now facing a COVID-era attendance slump as well as an employee exodus.
I am very pleased to welcome Bob Glissmann, a 33-veteran of Omaha journalism, to our growing stable of talented and experienced freelancers. This is Glissmann’s first story for FFP, and he already has his second assignment. Everyone wave hello to Bob!
Thanks to our sponsor: This week it’s Ho-Chunk, the economic engine of the Winnebago Tribe. In the Winnebago language, Ho-Chunk is a shortened version of Hochungra, which means, “The People.” That’s pretty cool. So is the fact that Ho-Chunk supports Nebraska nonprofit journalism. Thank you to Ho-Chunk.
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:
- Omahans may have noticed that there are a few potholes on the city streets right now. World-Herald reporter Dan Crisler brings a new angle to a very old story… and he has the receipts. Crisler’s story shows that 466 most likely frustrated Omahans submitted a claim to the City of Omaha after their car was allegedly damaged by a pothole.
The city has paid out a grand total of 25 of those claims. Hello! - For weeks now, Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh slowed the Nebraska Legislature to a crawl, mounting a marathon filibuster to signal her staunch opposition to a bill that would outlaw gender altering care for Nebraskans younger than age 19. Here’s a good story from the Associated Press’ Margery Beck about why Cavanaugh was doing it, and how it’s affecting the session.
Cavanaugh has gotten national attention for this marathon filibuster, getting featured on a segment from The Daily Show, a podcast from The New Yorker and many, many more.
And, an update: On Thursday, Cavanaugh announced she would at least temporarily suspend her filibuster effort. There’s some indication that Cavanaugh and allies believe that they have the votes to kill the bill outright. - At least 16 small-town Nebraska Catholic churches are losing their weekend Mass, according to this Journal Star story written by OWH reporter Julie Anderson.
- DMV worker shortages are so severe that, in six Nebraska counties, you now can’t go in to get your license until May. Including in my hometown! A sobering small-town workforce story from 10/11 in Lincoln.
