Lord knows that as a lifelong Husker fan, I wish I could write that subject line more often.
But that’s OK. Because as the editor of the Flatwater Free Press, I can write it, I can feel it, I can be a part of it almost every day. And you can, too. Because when we do journalism right, Nebraska wins.
We win when Yanqi Xu’s reporting on water contamination prompts NRD boards and town councils across the state to start talking seriously about solutions, and when our senators introduce four different bills aimed at helping communities get clean drinking water.
We win when reporting by Evelyn Mejia and Natalia Alamdari on Norfolk’s wounded bus system – and the seniors and people with disabilities left stranded – inspires a donor to come forward and keep the buses running.
We win when we bring together hundreds of Nebraskans, all with different viewpoints, into one room to hold a dialogue about prisons, or water quality, or affordable housing, and people come away more informed and less angry than when they arrived.
And we win when we win in court – when a Lancaster County District Judge rules that the state cannot charge $44,000 for records that belong to you, a taxpaying resident of Nebraska.
Say it with me now: “Nebraska wins.” You get to say this because you have signed up to give monthly or every year to the Flatwater Free Press. With your donation – no matter how big or small – you are powering this little newsroom and notching new victories every week.
This message is just to say thanks. That and to give you, as one of our loyal donors, an exclusive sneak preview of what I’m excited about this spring and summer:
We’ll find out how remote work is reshaping the lives of Nebraskans and the state’s economy.
We’re going deep into the big money that influences politics and policy in Nebraska.
We’re looking at how police departments are fighting the illegal drug trade – and how some are seizing millions of dollars in the process.
Sara Gentzler, our Government Watchdog Reporter, is always on the lookout for the misuse of taxpayer money – or in one case, its non-use.
And as always, we have a big data project in the works: Who exactly owns Nebraska’s farm and ranchland these days?
Again, thank you for your loyal support of Nebraska, local journalism, and the Flatwater Free Press newsroom.
With gratitude,
—Matthew Hansen, Executive Editor
