I love this photo of Elijah Wastell. I love it because it oh-so-perfectly captures the spirit of a 6-year-old. And I love it because it’s a poetic image as we talk about how we can grapple with the massive physical and emotional impact of COVID-19 in Nebraska or…not.
There is a part of me that wants to do as Elijah does here. Close my eyes tight, cover them with my hands, and pretend that when I open them, everything will be fine. But then I read stories like our important one today from freelancer Roseann Moring. To me, the story illustrates the fallacy of simply trying to move on from a pandemic that has claimed 4,191 Nebraska lives and changed all our lives. And it drives home the point that we need to help each other, and especially our youngest, if we want to truly move forward.
As the story notes: In Nebraska, childhood anxiety is way up. Depression has skyrocketed. There’s a long waiting list to gain admittance to the Children’s Hospital childhood eating disorder clinic. Calls to Boys Town National Hotline — way up, for both kids and adults. Suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm — ditto.
It’s a serious problem, one we simply can’t afford to ignore. And as the story notes — our schools, our doctors and our childhood health experts aren’t ignoring it. They are working to find solutions, working to help pick up the pieces after a pandemic shattered the routines and scarred the experiences of so many Nebraska kids.
I thought this quote from Millard teacher Tim Royers really captured it: “There are going to be some days where we measure progress in inches not miles. There’s no way to force a kid to move out of trauma at a certain speed. You have to meet them where they are and support them where they are.”
Put another way: We need to stop playing hide and seek with this reality. We need to open our eyes. And they need to stay open.
We’re a Traveling Band: When a story carries the headline, “Flatwater Free Press Revitalizes Nebraska Journalism” you darn well better believe it’s going in this newsletter. The Nebraska Community Foundation interviewed our exec director Matt Wynn and really eloquently captured what we are working to do to hear and tell the stories of small-town Nebraska — sometimes to a national audience.
We have listening sessions coming up in Hastings, Kearney, Scottsbluff and several other communities in the months to come. And exciting updates are on the way on our desire — and our ability — to do even more Greater Nebraska journalism. Thank you to NCF for supporting our mission and for doing the good work they do with smaller communities all across the Cornhusker State.
Steamrolling to 100: As you probably noticed, we’re doing a spring pledge drive. The goal is straightforward: We want to add 100 new “recurring” donors, Nebraskans who sign up to give us a few of your hard-earned dollars each month or year.
I’m thrilled to report we’re barreling toward our goal like Corey Schlesinger barreled toward the end zone at the 1995 Orange Bowl.
Thank you, from the bottom of my Old-School Husker Heart, to the 76 of you who have given JUST THIS WEEK. Including the 62 of you who are now recurring Flatwater Free Press donors.
Care to join them and push us into the end zone? You can do so right here.
All new recurring donors get a free Flatwater Free Press t-shirt, mug or tote! Now, excuse me while I fall down a 90’s Cornhusker football YouTube rabbit hole.
With Gratitude,
—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:
- If you spent Thursday under a rock, we’re here to help. The biggest story of the week — one of the most important Nebraska stories of the year — came from the Nebraska Examiner’s Aaron Sanderford yesterday. He detailed eight alleged groping, unwanted touching and alleged sexual assaults committed by Charles Herbster, candidate for Nebraska governor — including his alleged assault of state senator Julie Slama. This story was exhaustively, meticulously, responsibly reported. Simply put: It’s crucial journalism. Thank you to Aaron, long one of this state’s finest reporters, and to our friends at the Examiner.
- This horrifying and oh-so important story isn’t about Nebraska. But it was incredibly reported and co-written by none other than Paula Lavigne, UNL journalism grad, Omaha resident and one of the finest investigative reporters you could ever hope to meet.
If you haven’t yet, make some time for the story of the serial sexual predator who got away with it at Penn State…years before Jerry Sandusky. - And finally, Nebraska Public Media’s Fred Knapp catches up with ex-senator Mike Groene, who now believes the real victim of his repeatedly photographing a female staffer without her knowledge and captioning the photos with things like “tight rear” was…Mike Groene.
