For 36 straight Fridays, Matthew Hansen has painstakingly crafted this email to each and every one of our subscribers sharing the best of Nebraska news. It’s a time-intensive practice, apparently. It takes hours of meticulous tweaking to get each word just so.
Those hours are precious. Those hours are necessary. Those hours can’t possibly be diverted to, say, cleaning one’s desk. Or rinsing one’s coffee mug.
After 36 weeks, Matthew is taking a well-earned vacation. So this week you have me, the B team, gracing your inbox. Luckily, we still have some incredible stories to share.
A same-sex marriage about-face: First and foremost, today’s missive from freelancer Tim Trudell. Back in March, the tribal council of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska held a vote to recognize same-sex marriage. That motion failed. That’s when the tribe’s LGBTQ community and their allies kicked into gear.
They spoke out, using any avenue available. There were marches. Testimonials. Education efforts. And on social media, a viral TikTok over the vote that was viewed by some 1.5 million people.
Then a funny thing happened, something all-too-uncommon in American government in 2022: The council changed its mind.
If you, like me, find it hard not to be a little cynical about politics these days, you owe it to yourself to give it a read.
One of our four coverage areas here at the Flatwater Free Press is historically excluded groups. That’s people who didn’t have their stories told well, or told fairly, or heck, sometimes even told at all, for far too long. We’re especially grateful to writers like Tim who spot these stories as they arise and are willing to share them with you, us, media across Nebraska and often the globe.
Nebraska ag in wartime: Don Hutchens is a farmer. He is the son of farmers. He spent 28 years representing Nebraska farmers as the executive director of the state’s Corn Board. So when war broke out in Ukraine, the breadbasket of Europe, he felt he had to do something.
Reporter Natalia Alamdari spent two weeks with Don in an incredible hotel in Poland that’s become a waystation for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion. She got to know Don, and what makes him so convinced that his fellow Nebraska farmers need to get behind their agricultural kindred spirit, a nation that was producing 6.6 million tons of grain and oilseed each month before the war.
The month after Russia attacked? That dropped to 330,000 tons.
Definitely check out Don’s story. And while you’re at it, read up on how Nebraska Extension connected with a Ukrainian ag expert helping farmers stay afloat during the unprecedented invasion.
Growing Nebraska’s journalists: It has taken every ounce of self control I possess not to share this until now. Starting next month, the Flatwater Free Press will be partnering with NOISE on something we’re calling the Omaha News Academy. The idea is to teach the basics of journalism. The class is open to anyone over 18, whether they just graduated high school, are between semesters in college, or haven’t set foot in a classroom in decades. Attendees will learn about it all: Ethics. Writing. Interviewing. Records requests. And more.
We plan to offer the academy every few months. If you’d like to apply for the inaugural class – or know someone who should – fill out the application. There is no cost to attend, but enrollment is capped at ten.
We want to see your shirts!: Many of you have already sent in your photos of you in a Flatwater shirt or drinking coffee from one of our mugs or carrying a stylish tote. Matthew has a great idea to show off those submissions come July 4th in a celebration of America and my personal favorite amendment, the First. Let’s welcome him back to the office in style with even more submissions!
Send your photos by hitting reply to this newsletter or by emailing him at [email protected].
Thanks for sticking with me. I promise your regularly scheduled guide will be back next time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to wash out my coffee mug.
–Matt Wynn, Executive Director
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:
- Afghan refugees have been able to find jobs in northeast Nebraska. They haven’t had nearly as much luck getting support services that help them apply for a social security number, fill out forms at the doctor’s office and the like. Nebraska Public Media has the story.
- Every now and again, a great Nebraska story comes from someplace outside of Nebraska. Despite that geographic shortcoming, we still think they’re worth sharing. The Atavist spins the tale of Howard Farley Jr., the leader of one of the largest drug-trafficking rings in state history.
- Finally, an Omaha native — and public transit expert — is raising concerns about the cost and scope of Omaha’s nascent streetcar project. Jessica Wade and Henry Cordes of the Omaha World-Herald explain.
