This is managing editor Ryan Hoffman, here to take you down memory lane … my memory lane. I’ll never forget the day I arrived in Nebraska. My wife and I pulled into Lincoln shortly after 10 p.m., cruising past a glowing Memorial Stadium and what felt like – after two days speeding through the nothingness of Nevada, Utah and Wyoming – Manhattan-sized buildings.
We stumbled into the shabby single-story home that we agreed to rent for the next year, and my wife broke into tears. The floors slanted, a stench hung in the air, dirt coated the kitchen and the bathrooms were … we’ll say interesting.
“What have I done!?” she said through tired tears and pangs of guilt for having brought us halfway across the country to live in this dump of a house (it probably didn’t help that I nostalgically said it reminded me of my college rental).
We look back now and laugh because that dump didn’t turn out to be that bad, especially compared to what some other renters deal with.
In the Omaha area, tenants at five apartment complexes detailed a laundry list of issues: busted appliances, mold, plumbing problems and parking lots riddled with potholes. And they say their landlords are entirely unresponsive.
The frustration led renters at four complexes – all owned by the same Minnesota-based company – to unionize, a seemingly unprecedented step in Nebraska. Now renters at a fifth complex, this one under local ownership, are moving in that direction.
FFP Omaha reporter Jeremy Turley noticed the trend while talking with sources. Then he did the work. He went to weekend meetings and followed organizers around as they canvassed. He reviewed building inspection records. He talked to tenants and legal experts, including an organizer in New York, where tenant unions have been common for decades. He also tried to talk with the landlords to get their side of the story, though they declined to answer questions.
Jeremy’s piece is worth taking a few minutes to read … especially if you’re like me and thinking, “tenants can unionize?”
Back to his roots: In some ways Anthony Warrior’s story feels familiar. A challenging childhood fueled by food that most dietitians would deem garbage. Heavily processed items, carbs, more carbs and school meals from a bygone era (anyone else ever reflect and wonder how you could possibly eat two slices of pizza, a breadstick and two chocolate chip cookies, then continue with your day like nothing … or is that just me?).
Warrior’s adolescent dietary habits continued into adulthood, building into an eventual crash when he was 40. At nearly 500 pounds, he was heading into a diabetic danger zone and realized he’d have to change or suffer life-altering consequences.
Warrior, a respected chef and Absentee Shawnee citizen, turned to the foods of his ancestors. He dropped more than 200 pounds, got his diabetes in check and tapped into a lifestyle that he felt compelled to share.
And, as our correspondent Tim Trudell skillfully writes, that is exactly what Warrior is doing today.
Lights, camera, action: One of the positive developments in Nebraska’s journalism scene over the past few years is the growing collaboration between outlets. One example: FFP reporters and editors regularly sit down with 10/11 News Now in Lincoln to talk about our reporting.
Last week, Editor Matthew Hansen chatted with 10/11’s Danielle Shenk about FFP’s recent deep dive into the political spending of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and his family.
If you missed that story and don’t have time to pore over the excellent reporting by FFP’s Sara Gentzler and data journalist Alex Richards, we published a quick hit to give you the highlights. And if you’re going in the opposite direction and clamoring for more, we have a piece on some of the top political donors in Nebraska.
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].
Sincerely,
—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:
- Short corn? Some farmers are trying out a new variety of corn that is half as tall as the typical plants. Scientists developed the smaller crops – which can withstand strong winds, use less water and allow for greater planting density – in response to climate change, reports the Associated Press.
- When Gov. Jim Pillen announced the state was eliminating its waitlist for developmental disability services, it stunned families and advocates who wondered how he would accomplish a task that has bedeviled officials for decades. Six months later, details remain scarce and the list has actually grown, reports The World-Herald’s Martha Stoddard. (Readers may need a subscription to view this story.)
- There’s something happening in Hastings. The fire chief resigned amid an investigation that he said was “rooted in malice rather than merit.” The city said the probe was in response to employee complaints. Then on Monday, City Council fired the city administrator after less than two years on the job. This reporting comes via Will Vraspir and Andy Raun at the Hastings Tribune.
- Nebraska Auditor Mike Foley’s office has been busy, per recent reporting by the Nebraska Examiner’s Cindy Gonzalez. Earlier this month, Foley issued a warning about the increasing reliance on TIF. This week he rebuked a school district for using nearly $125,000 in a student nutrition fund to help buy a pair of scoreboards. And on Monday he announced the City of Auburn put $658,003 back in the public coffers after his office questioned some of the city’s TIF practices.
- The controversial Perkins County Canal project is moving forward, reports Nebraska Public Media’s Fred Knapp. The plan to transport water from Colorado to Nebraska continues to raise concerns in, you guessed it, Colorado, Knapp reported in an accompanying story.
- By now you’ve likely heard about the dramatic (supposed) finale to Nebraska’s winner-take-all saga. Outlets like the Examiner, Lincoln Journal Star and others were all over this story, which also earned a torrent of national attention, with headlines like this one via the Washington Post: Nebraska’s ‘blue dot’ district suddenly at the center of election.
- Beyond the dot, a GOP Senate group is directing money to Nebraska to boost U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer’s campaign against nonpartisan Dan Osborn in a race that appears to be closer than many expected, reports The Hill. Meanwhile, the Osborn camp is touting the findings of a recent poll. KETV’s Aaron Hegarty has the details.
- And finally, this racket called journalism is all about getting answers to dire questions. For example, how far do you think you could travel on a gassed-up riding mower? A News Channel Nebraska crew in the Sandhills cut through the BS and got an answer.
