Get paid to do no work? That seems like a good gig if you can get it, though I’m not sure taxpayers would agree.
The story we published this morning, by Flatwater Lincoln reporter Emily Wolf, dives into the strange case of Paul Gausman. The Lincoln Public Schools superintendent abruptly announced his retirement last year, after only two years on the job. The LPS school board agreed to pay Gausman for six months — at his annual salary of $333,720 — and kicked in more in separation pay for him to be superintendent emeritus and an as-needed adviser.
Except Gausman appears to have done no advising, Wolf reports. He appears to have sent no work emails to school leaders. And the school board president confirmed in today’s story that Gausman’s services weren’t needed when he was being paid.
If you could see me right now, you could see I’m raising my eyebrows.
Take That, Texas: Long ago, when your great-great-grandpappy was wearing short pants, Nebraska was big. Huge. The Nebraska Territory, in fact, was a bigger chunk of land than every modern U.S. state save for Alaska — bigger even than Texas.
If you could see me right now, you could see that I’m doing the “Horns Down” hand gesture. (OK, that’s a lie, I’m just sitting at my desk.)
State Jewel: Until recently, Jewel Rodgers was probably best known for being the daughter of Heisman Trophy winner Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers.
But that is changing, because Jewel — at age 28 — is making her own way, in a big way. She has been named Nebraska’s State Poet, the youngest ever to hold that title. And she’s transforming the role, reports Flatwater correspondent Tynan Stewart in his nice profile of Jewel Rodgers.
Out and About: We have a couple free public events coming up that you should attend if we’re in your ZIP code.
Yours truly and several others are holding a public listening event in Ogallala on Thursday, Oct. 23. More details to come on that shortly.
On Nov. 2, Flatwater journalists will be at the the lovely Lincoln bookstore Francie & Finch. The event and time will be added to our events page and this one soon.
On Nov. 15, we will be at the beloved Bookworm in Omaha. More info to follow on that soon, too.
And don’t fret, central Nebraska — I’m coming to Rooted Books and Gifts in Grand Island before the end of the year as well.
We love visiting your places, meeting you and hearing from you about what stories we should be working on. I hope to see you soon!
Thanks to our sponsor: This week it’s JPMorgan Chase. The latest in their “Mastering Money” series gives some practical tips on how to help college students make the financial transition to higher ed.
Thank you to JPMorgan Chase for supporting the mission of nonprofit news, both in Nebraska and around the country.
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Matthew Hansen, Executive Editor
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:
- The Santee reservation still doesn’t have clean drinking water. Nebraska Public Media’s Brian Beach has been following this story for years, and he has an important one this week on continued efforts to get clean drinking water in Santee … and continuing frustration about making that reality.
- College budget cuts have been in the news at the University of Nebraska campuses. Now they have come to Nebraska Wesleyan University, too, reports the Journal Star’s Jenna Ebbers. (You may need LJS subscriber access to view this story.)
- A Nebraska farmer is quoted in this new Politico story about growing anxiety in ag communities around the U.S. as trade wars continue to batter crop prices and as an expected bailout — and other government help — is in limbo because of the government shutdown.
- In this Harvest Public Media story, published by Nebraska Public Media, roughly half of farmers surveyed believe the U.S. economy is on the brink of a farm crisis.
- The Trump administration continues to promise that they will offset the tariff-and-trade war losses with federal aid, reports the New York Times. It hasn’t yet happened, though.
- One potential bright spot for Nebraska farmers … this story from the Iowa Capitol Dispatch suggests that the new Tallgrass Trail Pipeline makes Nebraska — instead of Iowa — the new leader in ethanol.
- Speaking of Iowa: You may have heard of the shocking story about the Des Moines superintendent arrested by ICE agents. This New York Times story adds far more detail to the tale.
- Gov. Jim Pillen says he’s open to the mid-decade redistricting that states like Texas and Missouri are doing amid President Trump’s pressure campaign. But there’s little to no action on this visible in the Nebraska Legislature, and observers tell the Nebraska Examiner’s Juan Salinas Jr. that there is little chance that the plan can get the needed 33 votes.
- Gigantic news at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine, which is pushing forward plans on a new, $2 billion hospital and medical training center. The Examiner’s Cindy Gonzalez with that story.
- Ord is an undeniable small-town success story. The Brookings Institute is examining how they did it.
- And finally, a fun one. Longtime Nebraska journalist Andrew Nelson — once my co-worker at the Journal Star and the World-Herald — is now writing for Courthouse News. He has a good one on what it was actually like to live in a sod house.
