Big news at Flatwater — and you’re invited to celebrate

Since we launched the Flatwater Free Press way, way back in the olden times of 2021, we’ve been lucky in a way I never expected: people don’t leave.

In fact, up until now, not a single full-time journalist had.

So one big part of today’s announcement is a bittersweet first.

Our first-ever managing editor, Ryan Hoffman, is leaving Flatwater to help build something ambitious. He’s joining Village Media, a Canadian news organization branching out into the U.S. They have wisely put him in a leadership role to launch a new local newsroom in Wisconsin that is backed, in part, by the Knight Foundation.

Ryan helped build Flatwater. His hire, to my mind, was the moment we went from startup to enterprise. He helped set the standards. Helped instill the culture. He was able to work with journalists, the public and donors alike in building this thing. And, in a way that makes absolutely no sense to this grizzled journo veteran, he was a delight the whole time. 

Now he gets to take those lessons somewhere new.

Selfishly, Executive Editor Matthew Hansen and I would rather keep him. But it’s hard not to be excited to see someone who helped shape Flatwater get a chance to strengthen local journalism elsewhere. That’s exactly the kind of ripple effect I had hoped this organization could have. (No pressure, Ryan!)

Fortunately, we’ve found a great replacement.

I’m excited to welcome Jeff Robb as Flatwater’s next managing editor.

Jeff has spent decades reporting and editing across Nebraska, including years at the Omaha World-Herald. He also happened to be my editor there, briefly, so I know exactly what our newsroom is getting: someone with great judgment, high standards and an uncanny ability to make every story better than when it landed on his desk. He is curious and plain ol’ good. I am eager to see how his presence impacts our work. 

He also has ties to Kearney, which is only sort of relevant — except as a segue to another milestone.

For the first time, Flatwater now has reporters based in Omaha, Lincoln and Central Nebraska.

When Natalia Alamdari became our projects editor last fall, we made a deliberate decision not to refill her statewide “Greater Nebraska” position. Instead of having someone tasked with telling stories from across the entire state, we wanted to try putting people in the place they cover, full time.

Pierce Gentry is the first reporter to take that on.

Pierce joins us from Tennessee and is now based in Kearney, where he’ll cover Central Nebraska. His job is simple: spend his days talking to people, finding stories worth telling and helping us better understand one of the most important parts of our state. His first piece published this week.

If you’ve got an idea, a tip or just want to introduce yourself, send him a note.

Pierce’s role feels like a promise kept. It’s also a testament to how we grow this operation: in lockstep with Nebraskans who believe in important stories, well told, and help us line up the resources to deliver.

Hundreds of readers in Central Nebraska have donated to Flatwater. Now we’re turning that support into dedicated journalism for that region. Every membership, every contribution, every vote of confidence helped make it possible to put a full-time journalist there. We were able to build on that with the generous support of Report for America, which graciously agreed to help us pursue this all-Nebraska strategy.

This is exactly how nonprofit news is supposed to work. 

And on that note, you’ve probably noticed that we are, once again. set to party. Flatwater’s fifth(!) birthday party is all set for Sept. 23 at Roca Berry Farm. The weather will be fantastic. We’ll be back in a barn. We’re bringing out National Book Award winner, multiple Pulitzer finalist and one of the greatest minds in the business, George Packer. And, for the first time, friend, co-founder and editor extraordinaire Matthew Hansen and I are going to allow ourselves to share a stage and talk about this wild, unexpected blast of a dream come true, and where we plan to go next. 

I hope you’ll join us to celebrate.

Five years ago, Flatwater was an idea.

As we roll into kindergarten, we’re welcoming a new newsroom leader, planting a flag in our third Nebraska city and continuing to grow in ways that would have once seemed awfully ambitious. 

As always, thanks for reading, supporting and making it possible for us to do the best dang journalism in Nebraska. I’m honored for this opportunity and sincerely hope we continue to make you proud.