This is Ryan Hoffman, FFP managing editor. There are a few constants I’ve seen as a reporter and editor who’s been around a bit. One is “change aversion.” No matter where you go, there will always be a vocal, sometimes sizable contingent of folks who oppose – even fear – change. I’ve witnessed it in every career stop: from southeast Nebraska towns of fewer than 500 people, to Colorado oil and gas communities, to Sierra Nevada ski towns, to my native Cincinnati (Appalachia, as some folks call it).
That’s why it felt somewhat familiar as I started to read today’s story by Natalia Alamdari, FFP’s senior reporter covering Greater Nebraska.
Natalia traveled to North Platte, where a new rancher-owned meatpacking plant is promising to bring an economic boost that most communities would envy. It’s already jump-started a building boom to accommodate the 2,500 people expected to flock to North Platte.
And there lies the change riling some residents. They worry about the type of people who will likely come to town and fill many of these jobs: Spanish-speaking workers and their families. They point to other Nebraska communities with meatpacking plants as cautionary tales – an argument that often overlooks the reality in those places.
Natalia does an excellent job of telling a story that both feels timely and timeless. It feels very human, for better or worse.
A postscript: This is the latest installment in our Nebraska Evolving series, which looks at how immigration is shaping Nebraska. You can read Natalia’s previous reporting for this series here:
–Despite perceptions, many rural Nebraska counties are now growing for one reason. Immigration.
–Nebraska’s Latinos are increasingly native born – and eager to keep traditions alive
Squirrel finds nut: Years ago while walking through Cooper Park in Lincoln, I spotted a squirrel that looked unlike any I’d ever seen. It was black. Not gray. Not brown. Not red. I, being the deep thinker I am, responded with some version of “that’s cool.” FFP reporter Jeremy Turley, on the other hand, spotted one after moving to Omaha and became mildly obsessed. Turns out Jeremy has company. Omaha has over the years become a hub for black squirrel scholarship.
As an editor, I put a high price on reporters who can turn their fascination into an interesting and informative story. That’s exactly what Jeremy did here.
Dose of civics: Chances are if you’re reading this newsletter, you’re somebody who values reliable information. Do you also like money? And do you live in the Omaha area? We’ve got just the thing for you!
Omaha Documenters, FFP’s sister outlet that pays regular folks to attend and document public meetings, is hosting two informational sessions in Omaha this Saturday, Nov. 16. The first is at The Exchange at 11 a.m. The second is at inCOMMON at 2 p.m.
Come meet Leah Wambui Keinama, director of civic journalism, and get all the info you need to become a Documenter. This is open to pretty much anybody, whether you’re a high school student or retiree. So come out and help build a more robust public record.
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,
—Ryan Hoffman, managing 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:
- In light of President-elect Donald Trump’s promised immigration crackdown and mass deportation, legal aid and advocacy organizations are preparing for the “worst case scenario,” according to reporting by Molly Ashford at The World-Herald. (Story might require a subscription.)
- A geology professor became captivated by a technological revolution that swept across Nebraska. The technology: windmills. The year: 1897. Erwin Barbour was so intrigued that he traveled the state documenting the mills. Some of the photos, housed in the National Archives, have been digitized for the first ever thanks to The Atlantic.
- Former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster is on the shortlist to lead the Department of Agriculture in the coming Trump administration, according to Politico. Andrew Wegley at the Lincoln Journal Star has a little more background on Herbster (might require subscription). Given the pace of recent Trump news, it’s possible – even likely – this will be outdated by the time it lands in your inbox.
- Most farmers have one or more jobs in addition to farming. Teresa Homsi with Harvest Public Media unearthed this somewhat startling stat from the USDA: roughly 84% of family farmers rely on off-farm jobs today, compared to 37% in 1974.
- Gov. Jim Pillen is calling on Nebraska lawmakers to address the state’s school aid formula in the upcoming legislative session, reports Zach Wendling at the Nebraska Examiner.
- Nebraska loves its sellouts, but the Huskers volleyball team is taking it to a new level. The No. 2 team in the nation is selling out arenas across the country, reports Sports Illustrated, relying on research by HuskerMax columnist Dave Feit.
- Pedestrian deaths in Omaha are at the highest in at least five years – a heartbreaking reality for the families of those killed, reports The World-Herald’s Dan Crisler. (Story might require a subscription.)
- A man described as “an introvert who tended to live life in the shadows” left a nearly $500,000 gift to the Sandhills Area Foundation – a shocking amount of money that will benefit the community for years to come. Casey Wonnenberg at News Channel Nebraska with the story.
- And finally, one last election story. It’s not about a candidate or issue. It’s about a man who grew up in a refugee camp, came to the U.S., became a citizen, started a small business and, for the first time ever, voted. Oh, and he helped register 20 other folks to vote. A good one from the Journal Star’s Margaret Reist. (Story might require a subscription.)
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