Flatwater’s next phase: We’re doubling down on investigative, climate and news serving Nebraska

Every move we’ve made at the Nebraska Journalism Trust has deliberately built for today while positioning for what comes next.  Our vision has remained steady: a thriving news ecosystem that serves all of Nebraska — from metro centers to small towns — with clarity, relevance and impact.

That ethos has shaped our approach to pivotal moments. Our first hires. The acquisitions of Silicon Prairie News and Documenters. An investment from the American Journalism Project that helped us build a resilient business. And throughout, killer scoops and well-told tales that highlighted the very best of Nebraska.

Today feels like another pivotal moment. I’m proud to announce that three new reporters are joining the Flatwater Free Press team as a few familiar faces step into new roles and we grow toward the organization we’ve always wanted to be.

First up, Anila Yoganathan. Anila comes to us from the Atlanta Business Chronicle, where she covered everything from infrastructure and manufacturing to economic development. Before that, she worked at the Knoxville News Sentinel, covering energy and the environment. She’s a 2020 University of Georgia grad, born and raised in Georgia, and a lover of art projects, football and Formula 1. She’s a serious journalist who still loves a good feature — and we love that balance. Anila will take the reins as our first climate reporter, in partnership with Grist. She’ll examine how our farmers navigate our new reality, how we invest our energy and water resources and other issues.  

Next, there’s Andrew Wegley. You probably know his work from the Lincoln Journal Star, where he has been covering courts and state government with equal parts curiosity and care. Fun fact: Over the past year, no reporter in Nebraska has made me say “Dammit!” more than him, as he routinely broke stories that set the agenda. Andrew is one of those reporters who makes people comfortable enough to talk — not transactionally, but genuinely. Then he keeps at it until the full story’s there. He’s curious and insightful and has a knack for making academic concepts concrete. He’s joining us as a Nebraska reporter, a new position we’re creating. More on that later.

And then there’s Henry Cordes.

If you’ve read the Omaha World-Herald at any point over, oh, the past 40-some odd years, you’ve read Henry’s work. He’s one of the best to ever do it in Nebraska — a bulldog with a notebook. I sat next to Henry for six years at The World-Herald, watching up close how he worked. The spreadsheets, the notes, the long (and loud!) phone calls when he knew the story was close. He’s also a fellow Central High grad, which isn’t necessarily important, but sure is cool.

Those are three incredible hires. But the change doesn’t stop there.

Matthew Hansen, who has led Flatwater’s newsroom since the very beginning — before the very beginning — is taking on a new, additional role. As Director of News for the Nebraska Journalism Trust, he’ll guide all of our journalism at a strategic level. He’ll continue to help me add the right skills at the right time in the right places to ensure this thing can continue to deliver. He’ll continue to oversee Flatwater as its executive editor and add the overall strategy for Silicon Prairie News, Documenters and whatever comes next.

Natalia Alamdari, one of our original reporters, will become our Investigative Editor, helping lead our most ambitious work across the organization. If you’ve read her reporting from Greater Nebraska, you already know why that’s the perfect fit. Flatwater has built a reputation for making investigations as interesting as they are important. That’s in large part thanks to Natalia, who understands our mission at her core. In this new role, she’ll infuse all of our stories with her signature mix of big ideas, high stakes and real people.

And finally, Sara Gentzler will become a Nebraska reporter, right alongside Andrew. This new role is our attempt to cover the state’s issues in a fundamentally different way. Rather than march through the capitol talking to lawmakers and bureaucrats, they’ll aim to tell those stories through the eyes of the people those decisions and systems actually affect. This new job includes reflecting perspectives from ALL of Nebraska — Kearney and North Platte and Norfolk and Valentine and Falls City and Ogallala and all spots in between — and then connecting them to officials, policies or discussions in Lincoln.

It’s a lot, I know. But it feels right.

We built Flatwater to complement Nebraska’s news ecosystem — not compete with it. We share our stories freely so local news outlets can use them. We work with reporters across the state. With these hires, and a few more I hope to share early next year, we’re nearer the reality we had in mind as we sketched out this idea on a napkin years ago.

That idea only works, though, if every corner of this state has block-and-tackle journalism taking care of business. I’ll be the first to admit that the shrinking of the legacy media is happening far faster than I expected. As we keep growing, we’re watching carefully for what’s next. What’s missing. What we can help fix.

And for that, I’d love your advice. Shoot me a note with your insights from your corner of Nebraska. What’s working in your news landscape? What isn’t? What could be added that would highlight the best of your place, or make it work better? 

We started this with a small team and a big idea — that Nebraska deserves journalism built for everyday Nebraskans, owned by no one but the public. And with every new byline, every reader who chips in, every story that gets republished or sparks change, that idea gets a little more real.

If you’ve read our stories, shared them, donated or rooted for us, thank you. You’re the reason this exists. You’re the reason it’s getting better. You’re the reason we do what we do.