It’s impossible right now for me to capture in words the feelings I felt Wednesday evening inside a converted barn near Roca on the occasion of Flatwater’s fifth birthday.
I know this because I keep typing and deleting sentences, rejecting them as syrupy or cliched, shaking my editor’s head at my own writing futility, wishing I could snare and cage the various thoughts flapping in my head.
Maybe I should begin here: We started five years ago as a far-fetched idea, a statewide newsroom that could tell important stories that held truth to power, uncovering and helping to solve this state’s problems and also celebrating the best parts of Nebraska and its people.
That’s audacious, buddy. That’s unlikely.
And five years on, co-founder Matt Wynn’s and my wild dreams haven’t been realized. They have been wildly surpassed, lapped like a Ferrari zooms past a Model T.
Our team of journalists and professional staff is bigger than we imagined, more talented than we dared to fathom, churning out more impactful stories every week than I once believed possible in a month.
Far-fetched has become reality. Unlikely has become just another workday.
And it’s working — it’s working — thanks to every single one of you who is reading this work, celebrating it, powering our nonprofit newsroom through donations or simply telling a friend about Flatwater Free Press.
It is working, I think, because at some base level, Flatwater is rooted in the belief that we can do audacious and magical things right here if we commit and struggle and cheerfully persevere. It’s an air-conditioned modern version of the age-old tale of homesteaders sticking a plow into the hard ground and by season’s end harvesting their bountiful cornfield.
It’s working because we’re Nebraskans. It’s working because this is a Nebraska story.
George Packer, the Atlantic writer and author and journalism legend, was so kind to serve as our keynote guest Wednesday night and mesmerize the sold-out crowd of Flatwater supporters at Roca Berry Farm. But I keep thinking about something he said earlier Wednesday as he spoke to a small group of UNL J-school students.
He told them that journalism should be true and beautiful.
True and beautiful. That’s what Flatwater’s fifth birthday feels like to me.
On to the news: Today, Sara Gentzler published her latest story in a string of impactful stories about the Kearney YRTC, that one-stop shop for often-troubled Nebraska kids.
It was state employees who allegedly abused teenagers at that Kearney center. But it will be incredibly difficult to sue the state for what their employees allegedly did. Why? Gentzler explains.
Join us in October: On Oct. 18, Flatwater Free Press and ProPublica are hosting a one-of-a-kind way that you can learn more about the history and impact of lead pollution in Omaha. It’s a short walking tour around The RiverFront Park in downtown Omaha led by Flatwater reporter Chris Bowling and director of civic journalism Leah Keinama. It will feature info, stories and also public art by Omaha artist Watie White.
That sounds pretty cool, no? Learn more and register here for this free event.
I’ll see you there.
Hanson and ICE: Since the immigration crackdown began, Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson has sent dozens of emails to ICE, frequent behind-the-scenes collaboration putting him at odds with the majority of the Douglas County Board. Sheriff Hanson says he’s doing his job and keeping county residents safe. Some board members say he’s undermining trust in local law enforcement. Story by Flatwater Omaha reporter Jeremy Turley.
Night heat: When we think about climate change, we often think about scorching temperatures during the day. But Flatwater and Grist climate reporter Anila Yoganathan shows that higher nighttime temperatures this July — one of the hottest on record — had a serious impact on Nebraskans and Nebraska agriculture, too.
Petition probs: What is being described as the biggest petition fraud in Nebraska history heavily involves out-of-state workers lured to Nebraska by big money, reports Flatwater Lincoln reporter Emily Wolf. Some are criminals. Some of the firms who hired them face fraud accusations in multiple states.
Wolf with a smart story on what has gone haywire inside the democratic process meant to get issues onto the ballot and let voters decide.
Your election guide: The Big Boss, Matt Wynn, wrote a column this week laying out for you what we are offering you in advance of this election season. He unveils our Election Guide and gives you more news you can use. Check it out.
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? Reach our newsroom at [email protected].
Thank you again, to every one of you who made our first five years so special.
— Matthew Hansen, Executive Editor
Thanks to this week’s sponsor
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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:
- It isn’t in Nebraska, but immigration raids appear to be sweeping our neighbor to the south, in situations that remind me of last year’s raid of Omaha’s Glenn Valley Foods. Story by the NPR Midwest Newsroom.
- The effort to recall the mayor of Auburn, Nebraska, has now led to criminal charges. Story by Nebraska Public Media’s Molly Ashford.
- Maybe Nebraska is for everyone now? Tourism is going up in Nebraska, reports 10/11 News Now.
- China promised to buy soybeans and a bunch of other agricultural goods, including corn, from the United States. As the two countries’ leaders meet, the New York Times with a story about how those soybeans have been purchased … but the rest of the promised purchases, including the corn, haven’t materialized.
- To our current knowledge, there are no Nebraska politicians ensnared in what looks like a sweeping bipartisan corruption situation in Congress. But do yourself a favor and read the first story in what is sure to be many of them from our friends at ProPublica. It’s … stunning.
- And finally, a fun and historic one out of Lincoln. Louise Pound was a trailblazer on the UNL campus. She still is today. Learn more about her life and the newly realized effort to celebrate it in this story from the Lincoln Journal Star’s Livia Ziskey. (You may need LJS subscriber access to view.)
