A one-time truck driver from Kenya and the daughter of central Nebraska organic popcorn farmers have done a highly unlikely thing in Grand Island. They are building a new kind of coffee empire. Their company, Zabuni, puts more money into the pockets of Kenyan coffee farmers while connecting Nebraska to Nairobi. It’s an intriguing story, very nicely written by Rebecca Svec, who I met all the way back in 1999 — the 20th century! — when I was a lowly Hastings Tribune intern and she was that paper’s best writer. It’s Svec’s first story for us. Photos by Jazari Kual, who has now shot several assignments for us. They made a fantastic team on this one.
CLK is joining FFP: It’s a big-time announcement we made yesterday on social media. Cindy Lange-Kubick, talented columnist and trusted voice in Lincoln for decades, recently retired from the Journal Star. There was zero chance, zip, none, that I was going to let her quit writing for a Nebraska media outlet. Which is why I’m happy to report that starting this month, Cindy will be doing a monthly story for FFP. Like all our stories, we will put it out ourselves and also distribute it to media outlets for free across the state. Which means that Cindy is going statewide for the first time in her career. I have always admired CLK, her ability to find and tell important stories, and the deep connection she makes with her subjects and readers. Welcome to the FFP squad, Cindy. We’re so glad to have you.
The small matter of money: You likely noticed that, for the first time, we sent you a fundraising email earlier this week. The occasion is NewsMatch, a national program that doubles every dollar you give or pledge. As I hope you can tell, we’re using the funds we have already raised to build a statewide journalistic force that you can take pride in. Want to join the cause as a donor or a member with a reoccurring monthly contribution? Do so here.
Our first full-time reporters are here: Yanqi Xu and Natalia Alamdari are sitting mere feet from me as I write this email newsletter, both diligently working on their first assignments for FFP. It’s been a joy to have them join us from North Carolina and Delaware, respectively. Look for their stuff soon. Learn more about our new reporters.
One last thing: Remember that these stories are your stories, and the Flatwater Free Press could always use your help. Do you know of a story that needs to be told? Send us your news tips using this form or via [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:
- Lincoln Journal Star go-getter Chris Dunker has another important story on the Mead environmental disaster and cleanup. His latest showcases this eye-popping fact: The amount of pesticide-laced wet cake on the site would nearly fill Memorial Stadium.
- A three-year state investigation uncovered evidence that 258 Nebraskans were sexually abused by employees of the Catholic Church, a number that is surely a vast undercount, authorities say. The number of Catholic Church employees going to prison as a result of this investigation: Zero. Nebraska Public Media’s Will Bauer with that story.
- The Omaha Reader and reporter Addie Costello had a very good idea. Costello rode every bus route in the Omaha metro, talked to her fellow riders along the way, and produced a podcast about our transportation opportunities and challenges in 2021. Listen here.
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