Howdy, Omaha — it’s Jeremy.
The first sighting came just a few days after I moved to Omaha.
I was sitting on my porch when a flash of shiny black fur shot up a tree in my neighbor’s yard. I didn’t get a good look at it. Maybe a bird?
Then, I locked eyes with the beast. And my heart melted.
It was unlike any squirrel I’d ever seen: the same shape and size of its reddish-brown brethren but with jet black fur, as if it had emerged from a chimney covered in soot. Cute as can be.
“I didn’t know they came in black!?” I exclaimed to my girlfriend.
From that day on, I’ve been obsessed with black squirrels. I needed a reason to write about them and I found a really good one in Dr. James Wilson.
The UNO biology professor has been studying squirrels for 15 years, and every fall, he tasks his mammalogy students with performing a census of the critters across the metro area.
The unusual homework assignment has fueled Wilson’s research, which found that black squirrels — “melanistic” as he calls them — are becoming more plentiful in Omaha. Now, he wants to know why.
You can read the squirrely story here (or click the photo above).
Last week, we published a story about Medicaid audits by my partner-in-newsbeat Chris Bowling. I know what you’re thinking: it’s probably a snoozer. Well, in this case, you’d be dead wrong.
Chris talked to 28 mental health providers who say they’ve been subjected to new ultra-aggressive audits by giant health care companies. It’s caused so much heartburn that some have stopped taking Medicaid, health insurance for low-income individuals and families. In the process, therapists say they’ve been forced to abandon longtime patients.
— Jeremy Turley, Flatwater Free Press
Looking for a civics-centric side hustle? Join us for one of two Documenters informational sessions this Saturday, Nov. 16! We will be at The Exchange at 11 a.m. and inCOMMON at 2 p.m. Whether you’re a high schooler looking to build your resume or a retiree with some free time, we want to see you there!
Documenters are trained and paid to attend public meetings and record what they see and hear. Our efforts put more eyeballs on government officials and build a more robust public record. At this session you will learn everything you need to know about joining our crew of engaged citizens!
— Leah Wambui Keinama, Nebraska Journalism Trust
Jeremy started a kitty persuasion offensive on me soon after he moved to Nebraska by introducing me to his two cats, Peaches and Long John. This week, I finally welcomed a new member to my family: a 5-month-old gray tabby I named Tetris.
When she looks at you, you feel like you’re melting. I’ve enjoyed being around her, wondering what she’s trying to say and whether she prefers chicken or fish. The cat-owner internet suggested playing soothing music to help her come out of her shell, so I chose The Servants’ greatest hit, “She’s Always Hiding.”
Here’re some places where you can adopt a furry lil’ baby: The Nebraska Humane Society, Feline Friendz, Felius and Hands, Hearts & Paws, just to name a few.
— Yanqi Xu, Flatwater Free Press
A plan to build a $5 billion “Disney of youth sports” outside Gretna hit a snag, The World-Herald’s Joe Dejka reported. City leaders rejected the terms of a 4,000-acre development that would include a boarding academy for top-tier high school athletes, an Olympic training center, championship golf course, hotels, restaurants, offices and (if the NHL ever wants to come to Omaha) a professional hockey area. (You may need a subscription to read this story.)
A grand jury declined to charge Omaha police officer Adam Vail with a crime after he fatally shot an unarmed Black man while carrying out a no-knock warrant, WOWT reported. Police Chief Todd Schmaderer recommended Vail be fired, but he remains employed at the department while HR reviews his case.
More people have died in traffic accidents this year than in “recent memory,” Omaha police said. That includes multiple pedestrian deaths, writes Dan Crisler at The World-Herald. (You may need a subscription to read this story.)
President-elect Donald Trump’s planned mass deportation would affect about 40,000 people in Nebraska, writes The World-Herald’s Molly Ashford. OPD’s policy is not to seek out a person to check their legal status, a spokesperson said. The Douglas County Sheriff currently has “no plans, nor would it be appropriate, to be involved in standard immigration enforcement efforts.” (You may need a subscription to read this story.)
A 12-year-old girl in Omaha received a racist text message saying she’d been selected to “pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” KETV reported. The FBI is looking into similar texts received by Black men, women and children across the nation following the election.
A 37-year-old man is dead after Omaha police were called to a midtown office building to investigate a domestic disturbance last week, The World-Herald reported. It was initially unclear whether Rafael Crespo was killed by police or a self-inflicted gunshot, but OPD later stated that the man took his own life. (You may need a subscription to read this story.)
The Flatwater Free Press is published by the Nebraska Journalism Trust, a 501(c)(3) public charity