Hi, Omaha!
This is Henry Cordes, an investigative reporter who is not new to these parts but new to Flatwater, and today I get to write my first Flatwater newsletter!
At Flatwater we don’t delve a lot into day-to-day politics. But we do pick our spots. As claims grew louder that John Cavanaugh’s congressional candidacy endangers the “Blue Dot” for Democrats, it seemed like one of those spots.
We wanted to dig into this question: Could it indeed prove politically costly to Democrats to lose State Sen. Cavanaugh’s reliably progressive seat in the Legislature to an appointee of Republican Gov. Jim Pillen? Or, as Cavanaugh has said, are Democrats set to make big gains in the statehouse this election?
Answering that requires understanding the political battleground where this year’s fight for the Legislature will play out. I talked to nearly a dozen political operatives and stakeholders from both parties to get a handle on that.
Most of them spoke on background and not for direct publication. That was something I was willing to agree to to get their honest assessments – not the varnished outward-facing ones they give in public statements. Most of my sources were people I’ve known and dealt with for years, with a lot of mutual trust built up.
So what did we find? Well, the answer is certainly a lot more complex and nuanced than what you get in any campaign flyer or 30-second TV ad. And that’s that point – and why we write these kinds of stories.
You can read it for yourself here (or click the photo above). Plus, I wrote a short companion piece on the state legislative races that could decide the balance of power in the Unicam.
We’ve also got a story this week from my old World-Herald colleague Jessica Wade!
Jessica, now working for Nebraska Public Media and The Reader, dug through newspaper archives and black-and-white photos to paint a vivid picture of the defunct streetcar that shaped early Omaha.
For decades before cars became the transportation of choice, Omahans maneuvered the growing city in iconic-looking trolleys. The original rails got paved over 70 years ago, but history is cyclical, and a new modern streetcar under construction is slated to open in 2028.
Check out Jessica’s written story here and listen to the radio version here. Stay tuned for more streetcar stories as our collaboration with The Reader continues!
— Henry Cordes, Flatwater Free Press
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As we move into May, I realized that I’ve been an Omaha resident for over five months now, and my exploration of the city’s bar scene was still wholly lacking.
Enter: trivia.
For the past two weeks, I’ve spent my evenings as a trivia host-in-training, where I’ve learned from seasoned mentors what it takes to run a successful game and be a stand-out host.
Trivia works well in any environment where players can enjoy a plate of greasy, fried bar food or a cold beer as they deliberate on obscure questions about Maine’s land area or architectural landmarks in Los Angeles.
I learned that hosts can foster a great game by putting their own spin on it. Some curate a perfect playlist with clues in each song or pipe in suspenseful sound effects at particularly fraught moments. Others bring fun pins for their winners or get to know the players by memorizing each team name.
Every successful host in Omaha has managed to attract a loyal band of regulars who show up wherever they’re emceeing. Time will tell if I have the chops to become one of them as I venture off on my own, but either way it’s been a great opportunity to explore Omaha’s bar scene and meet some of its best characters.
You can check out my shows at Varsity Sports Cafe in Bellevue on Tuesdays and Dinker’s on Wednesdays!
— Emma Croteau, Flatwater Free Press
Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting saw lighter attendance this year under new CEO Greg Abel, but “Woodstock for Capitalists” still draws a bigger crowd than any other corporate meeting, the AP’s Josh Funk reported. In interviews with Business Insider reporter Theron Mohamed, attendees noted that former CEO Warren Buffett and his late business partner Charlie Munger gave the event a luster that will be hard to match. Buffett, still chairman of the company’s board, attended the meeting and publicly praised his successor’s business acumen.
Douglas County Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson has decided not to seek reelection in 2027. Borgeson, the longest-serving commissioner in county history, has been an advocate for mental health services, writes The World-Herald’s Dan Crisler. (You may need a subscription to read this story)
Omaha food truck owners went to the Omaha City Council to weigh in on a proposal that they make daily trips to licensed kitchens. The only problem: The proposal passed nine months ago. That was news to truck owners and council members who are trying to figure out how to undo the change, writes KETV’s Aaron Hegarty.
Valley’s police chief is leaving to take a job with Metro Community College, writes The World-Herald’s Kevin Cole. Bobby Martinez is one of two Valley employees who filed a complaint against the city with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, according to the Valley Enterprise/Waterloo Gazette. (You may need a subscription to read these stories)
Terence “Bud” Crawford reached the top: the world’s best boxer and, he’d argue, the best athlete ever from Omaha. He talked about his career, retirement and connection to the city with Leo Adam Biga for The Reader.
The priority candidate to be the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center is its current interim chancellor, writes Jolie Peal at Nebraska Public Media. Dr. Dele Davies has held that position since 2024. Prior to that, he oversaw all of the school’s colleges and health sciences library since 2017 and had been a dean of graduate studies since 2012.
The Flatwater Free Press is published by the Nebraska Journalism Trust, a 501(c)(3) public charity