Hey Omaha, it’s Emma.
I’m the new Howard reporting fellow here at Flatwater, and for my first assignment, I’ve spent the past month answering a question I’ve always been curious about: How are THC products sold in states like Nebraska where weed is illegal?
If you’ve ever gone to stores like Total Wine & More and seen the aisles of THC drinks bursting with colorful cans and bottles, you’ve likely wondered the same.
Born and raised in Colorado, I know this certainly took me by surprise when I moved here.
Yet through my reporting, I learned that not only are these products legal here under federal law, they have become a staple for many Omaha businesses.
I’ve talked to many industry experts and business owners who have seen firsthand how the demand for these drinks has skyrocketed. But concerns about them have risen in equal measure, as no state regulations exist to ensure the safety of these products. Soon, they may be disappearing entirely.
You can read the story here (or click the link up above).
We also published a story this week about immigrants arrested in Minnesota being held in Nebraska jails, including two near Omaha. FFP reporter Emily Wolf dug into why those detained by ICE two states away have ended up in places like the Sarpy County Jail and how the transfers have challenged their lawyers.
Click here to read Emily’s story about Nebraska’s role in ICE’s Minnesota operation.
— Emma Croteau, Flatwater Free Press
New deli with an old name
It has been fun to watch west Omaha get more and more chef driven, locally owned fine dining spots. I’ve written about a lot of them, and most are so good they could be successful in any part of town. Now, West O is giving some of midtown and downtown’s locally owned sandwich shops a run for their money. J. Gorat’s Deli, owned by a member of the famed Gorat’s Steakhouse family, is part bodega, part lunch destination, with an array of cool food gifts and locally made products next to a shortlist of tasty sandwiches.
Read my latest review by clicking the photo above or right here. Thanks, as always, for reading.
Sarah Baker Hansen is an award-winning writer who has covered Omaha’s food scene for more than a decade. She posts restaurant reviews and food news on her blog, sarahbakerhansen.com.
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At its Feb. 10 meeting, the Douglas County Board approved a resolution honoring Capt. Patrick West’s nearly 36 years of service to the Department of Corrections. West, who died of cancer last year, was honored for his contributions to security operations, technology implementation and mentoring of staff. The board also recognized Joseph Godek, who is retiring after 17 years of service in Corrections.
When the board met as the Board of Equalization, County Assessor Michael Goodwillie explained that he recommended denial of the 2025 tax exemption for North Omaha Church of Christ because the applicant filed one year late despite multiple reminders, including a certified letter that was unclaimed.
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— Bob Glissmann, Nebraska Journalism Trust
Some people go to the Iowa State Fair to chow down footlong corn dogs or to lay eyes on the iconic butter cow. My girlfriend Elisa and I go for the rabbit tent.
As we meandered through rows of chubby-cheeked French Lops, Mini Rexes and Flemish Giants last year, Elisa turned to me and said, “We should get bunnies.” Charmed by the scrunchy faces and fluffy tails around me, I was in no position to disagree.
When we got home, Elisa made sure our state fair dream came true. She found a bonded pair — a black Netherland Dwarf and a blue Dutch — in a foster home overseen by Town and Country Animal Rescue.
We transformed our spare bedroom into bunny digs and went to meet our new friends. When I first gazed into their soft eyes, I melted like a butter cow in peak corn sweat conditions. We renamed them Cowboy and Beans, and five months on, they have become family. Our relationship is symbiotic: They make me calmer and less dead inside, and I make them fatter with fresh cilantro and strawberries.
If you’ve got the space and time for bunnies, I would highly recommend them as companions — plus, there’s a great need for adopters in our community. The affordable housing crisis drove such a significant rise in pet surrenders last year that Town and Country decided to stop taking rabbits to focus on dogs and cats, KMTV reported. (The Papillion shelter is still a first-rate place to adopt your next pup or kitty.)
Luckily, there’s a new small animal rescue to fill the gap. Hops and Co. currently has nine precious bunnies up for adoption, as well as guinea pigs, mice and a pig named Wilbur. Hop to it!
— Jeremy Turley, Flatwater Free Press
Omaha is at a pivotal moment in acknowledging and reversing the exodus of educated young people, a presenter told members of the Greater Omaha Chamber at their annual meeting. Analysts say if Omaha continues to lose early-career professionals to places with better wages, it could spell a period of decline for the city, Silicon Prairie News’ Lev Gringauz reported.
At that same Chamber meeting, Omaha Mayor John Ewing and business leaders announced a public campaign to tackle “brain drain,” WOWT reported. A soon-to-be-released plan, dubbed “Brain Gain,” is paired with a legislative package that aims to incentivize businesses to locate in Omaha.
Alisha Owen, who spent years in prison after publicly alleging sexual abuse tied to the Franklin Credit Union scandal, spoke to Omaha Magazine about the torment of her perjury conviction and how the handling of the Epstein scandal mirrors her own experience and pursuit of justice. Journalists Natalie Veloso and Isaac Nielsen dove deep into Owen’s attempts to blow the whistle on Omaha’s rich and powerful 35 years ago.
Omaha police are investigating an alleged fraud scheme that parents of youth baseball players say scammed them out of thousands of dollars, KETV’s Beth Carlson reported. Parents paid for their kids to play with the Omaha Nighthawks, but the team was disbanded before many of the players had received a uniform or played a game.
Omaha Steaks told hundreds of restaurants it will stop supplying them with beef as the company pivots to other retail models, KETV’s Eddie Messel reported. The owner of Paddy McGown’s Pub and Grill said the abrupt change leaves his business in the lurch.
A fire at Stella’s Bar and Grill in Bellevue caused the restaurant to close indefinitely, WOWT reported. The home of the Stellanator burger challenge suffered electrical, plumbing, structural and smoke damage in the fire. Local fire investigators are looking into a pile of used rags as the possible source.
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