FFP managing editor Ryan Hoffman here, filling in for Matthew. Some college journalism students paid us a visit yesterday, and one asked a perfect question: What makes Flatwater different from other news outlets? My answer: time. We get time to sift through data, to make extra calls, to file record requests, to get out of the office and into the world. Our story published earlier this week is a perfect example.
About a month ago, government watchdog reporter Sara Gentzler started looking into a tip that Omaha’s Planned Parenthood clinic was in turmoil. An exodus of employees was making it nearly impossible to consistently provide abortion procedures — a big deal since the clinic is the last procedure provider in the state.
Sara could have talked to the tipster, reached out to Planned Parenthood and turned around a story that day. But Sara had time. She started connecting with current and former employees. She patiently navigated their concerns, ultimately talking with more than a half dozen lower-level workers.
Then she talked with doctors, lawmakers, advocates and, of course, Planned Parenthood officials to produce an honest accounting of issues plaguing an institution cherished by some and despised by others. Take some time and read it for yourself.
Yee haw: When western Nebraska correspondent Heidi Beguin pitched a story about a rising rodeo star, I instantly said yes. Then she informed me this rising rodeo star is a rancher from the Sandhills with a chemistry degree and a love of family (he literally brings his all across the country), and I wondered: What’s a more emphatic word for “yes”?
This week Heidi introduces us to Garrett Shadbolt, who is charging toward the top of the sport at a time when rodeo itself is riding to newfound popularity in the U.S.
THANK YOU: We kicked off our annual spring donor drive with a goal: 200 new recurring donors. Well folks, you crushed it. As of this morning, 215 of you have signed up to be new recurring donors. Another 140 made one-time gifts totaling $35,000. That. Is. Amazing.
I mentioned that one of the key things that makes Flatwater unique is time. Having spent years in the daily grind of the newspaper world, it’s easy to view time as a luxury. But the truth is this: time isn’t extravagance — it’s essential. Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting this work.
And if you aren’t a recurring donor but you’d like to be one, guess what? You too have TIME. Join the ranks of recurring FFP supporters and get your pick from our sick new merch (I’m getting the spider poster). Or if you’d prefer to make a one-time donation, we appreciate that kind of support, too. Thank you!
Go vote: Election Day is just around the corner in Lincoln and Omaha. Want to learn about where the candidates stand on the issues? Wondering what’s the deal with that ballot question in Lincoln? Check out our nifty voter guide.
Tequila time: Did you know that José Cuervo (yes, the tequila José Cuervo) was an actual person? I didn’t, and that’s despite the fact that, as the son of a wine/liquor salesman who loved to save a buck, I’ve been wearing Cuervo-branded clothing since elementary school.
Turns out Mr. Cuervo wasn’t just a dude who liked a good time — he was a pivotal figure in Mexico at a time of revolution. Author Ted Genoways uncovered the hidden history of Cuervo and that iconic spirit, which is documented in his new book “Tequila Wars.” Correspondent Leo Adam Biga caught up with Genoways ahead of a launch party Tuesday in Lincoln (find the details in Leo’s story). I’ll be there to get my copy, so come say hi.
Questions wanted: Some of our best story ideas come from readers, and they typically start with a burning question that just cries out for an answer. Have a question that our reporters need to look into? Complete this form or reach our newsroom at [email protected].
Thanks for reading,
—Ryan Hoffman, managing 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:
- A candidate for the Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education continues to say he works as a paraprofessional in the district, despite the fact LPS says he hasn’t worked there since 2023 … a fact backed up by publicly available documents, reports Jenna Ebbers at the Lincoln Journal Star.
- A Falls City woman has filed a civil rights complaint against the local school district, alleging officials failed to address the steady bullying and harassment her son faced at school. Her son, one of the only Black children at the school, was routinely subjected to racist remarks, according to the complaint. Jolie Peal with Nebraska Public Media has the story.
- Nebraska’s fiscal situation grew gloomier last week with the state’s latest revenue forecast. The Journal Star’s Andrew Wegley did a fantastic job explaining the situation, including how we got here and who will bear the brunt of lawmakers’ fiscal fix.
- It’s been a busy week in the Nebraska Legislature. Among the developments, lawmakers: gave initial approval to a “de facto ban” on delta-8 and similar products; approved a plan to slash some business incentives; advanced a proposal to slow voter-approved minimum wage increases; approved a plan to merge two state agencies; and advanced a proposal to regulate voter-approved medical marijuana. As busy as it’s been for lawmakers, it’s been equally busy for the Nebraska Examiner’s Zach Wendling, who wrote all those stories.
- The annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder convention returns to Omaha this weekend. The World-Herald’s Henry Cordes has an interesting look at the man tapped to succeed Warren Buffett as Berkshire CEO when the time comes.
- Remember that planned canal to bring water from Colorado to Nebraska? Turns out the Colorado landowners who received letters threatening eminent domain aren’t thrilled about how the State of Nebraska is handling the situation. Who could have foreseen this? Fred Knapp at Nebraska Public Media continues to have essential canal coverage.
- A question I’ve wondered many evenings as horrific screams cut through the dusk just outside my office: Why are there so many foxes in Lincoln? Jake Bartecki at News Channel Nebraska dug into this question and got some interesting answers. (And if you’ve never heard a fox scream before, enjoy this YouTube clip … ideally with headphones on.)
