Natalia Alamdari here, I’ll be filling in for Matthew Hansen on newsletter duty for the next two Fridays.
I’m a Texas girl, so I’ve been to my fair share of giant Houston rodeos. But today’s photo essay from Flatwater correspondent Lori Potter captures a spirit of rodeos that you don’t feel in a stadium.
The Sumner Saddle Club has hosted its 4th of July rodeo for 75 years. That’s 75 years of bucking broncs, daring bullriders and family traditions.
Lori’s photographed the rodeo every year since 2011, and her photos make you feel like you’re right there in the middle of the dusty arena. Read more here.
Interrogation room: One of the most common police questioning techniques exploded into popularity because of a 1955 Lincoln homicide investigation. But that case — much like the Beatrice Six — ended with a false confession and eventual exoneration. You can read Flatwater correspondent J.J. Harder’s story about how law enforcement and researchers view the interrogation strategy here.
Water guzzlers: We all know data centers can consume vast amounts of water. But what we don’t know is exactly how much. That’s because in Nebraska, the only way to know how much water and energy a data center guzzles is if the company that owns it chooses to be transparent. New state legislation could soon force those companies to disclose their annual water use. Flatwater climate reporter Anila Yoganathan brings you another story diving into data centers in Nebraska.
Five years of Flatwater: Come party with us! This year’s Flatwater Free Press Festival is a celebration of our fifth birthday. Join us at Roca Berry Farm where we’ll eat, drink and be merry in a barn — a perfectly Nebraskan fall night. Get your tickets here.
Free speech rules: Omaha’s Free Speech Society is hosting a picnic and variety show this weekend at Gene Leahy Mall to celebrate both America’s 250th birthday and Omaha’s 172nd birthday. What’s more American than celebrating our right to free speech? Join the free, nonpartisan fun at 4 p.m. July 12.
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? Reach our newsroom at [email protected].
See you next week,
Natalia Alamdari, Investigative Editor
Thanks to this week’s sponsor
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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:
- Abortions rose in Nebraska by nearly 8% in 2025, Erin Bamer of the Nebraska Examiner reports. The main reason? An influx of Iowa patients crossing into a state with less-restrictive abortion laws.
- Flatwater reporter Andrew Wegley originally reported on Becky Stamp, a court-appointed guardian for vulnerable Nebraskans. She had been charged with theft and abuse of a vulnerable adult in November. But for more than a month after her arrest, she remained the guardian of at least 25 other vulnerable Nebraskans. Now, she’s facing dozens of charges involving 20 more vulnerable people, the Lincoln Journal Star’s Lori Pilger reports. You might need a subscription to read this story.
- As of Wednesday, the state’s under a hiring freeze, except for law enforcement hires. Gov. Jim Pillen announced the freeze and other cost saving-measures this week, Omaha World-Herald reporter Josh Reyes writes. This all comes as the state plans to enter a legislative session staring down a potential deficit of $874 million.
- American corn growers are paying out the nose compared to their Brazilian counterparts: A new report found that U.S. corn growers pay twice as much for crop inputs as producers in Brazil. The reasons include product mix, availability of generic products and different regulatory policies in the two countries, writes Rural Radio’s Steve White.
- Zebras and emus and alpacas, oh my! The Nebraska Humane Society confiscated about 60 animals from a west Omaha home this week, after an anonymous tip about the residence. NHS has been in contact with the Henry Doorly Zoo to find proper accommodations for the zebra.
- Here’s a depressing one for you: Fewer than half of all adults report having read a book of any kind in 2022. Adult literacy scores are dropping. Americans are reading more words than ever — in emails, texts, Instagram captions. But our reading comprehension and ability to think deeply about writing is suffering. Could the end of reading be here? Read what The Atlantic has to say.
