Imagine an old-timey keyhole in a door. I invite you to walk over to it, hunch down, peer through it and see what you can see about our state and country in 2025.
Natalia Alamdari’s lovely and devastating story today comes from Imperial, where for generations the Chase County Fair has been the Americana apex of the summer. Ferris wheel, cotton candy, holding hands on the midway … and this year, rampant rumors of ICE raids and Latino fear that their immigration status, or simply their skin color, might get them detained.
It is a story about one small-town sheriff, town gossip — some of it proven true by Alamdari’s reporting — one hopeful and helpful and frustrated and fractured community, one concert.
And it is a story where you can peer through that keyhole and see so much more than that.
I couldn’t recommend this one any higher. A must-read.
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Get in here and fill it out. Won’t take long, and we would love your feedback.
Dani Comes Home: She grew up on a farm outside a 600-person town. She got her work boots muddy, or … worse. And now she has returned home to run the No. 1 volleyball program in the country. Correspondent Greg Echlin with the story of Dani Busboom Kelly and the hometown that loves her.
Games of … skill? Veteran journalist Bob Glissmann joined our FFP family a few months ago. He’s proved immediately invaluable — he was up late last night making sure Alamdari’s story hummed, for example. He’s going to proofread this newsletter! But he did something else for us this week. He wrote his first-ever story as an FFP journalist. And it’s a really good and fascinating one.
So-called skill games are spreading all over the state, popping up in gas stations, laundromats, grocery stores. There are nearly 5,500 machines in Nebraska, and more every month. They’re nearly identical to slot machines. And, just like slots, they lead to a lot of problem gambling, experts say.
FlatFest Just Around Corner: Oh my gosh, it’s almost Labor Day and almost September. You know what that means … why, it’s the 3rd Annual Flatwater Free Press Festival, codename FlatFest, and it’s bigger and better than ever.
In the evening, buy a ticket that supports the future of nonprofit news and come mix and mingle with our journalists at the stunning Kiewit Luminarium. Watch as I interview legendary New York Times Editor Dean Baquet onstage. Ask questions. Eat amazing food from the House of Bah. Listen to the groovy cover band Parfait. Drink journalism-themed drinks — my low-key favorite part of planning is getting to help select the cocktails.
Is this heaven? No, it’s Carter Lake, Iowa: “It’s a quintessential Omaha experience: You’re driving to the airport, and all of a sudden, you’re in Iowa. A half-mile later, you’re back in Nebraska,” writes FFP reporter Jeremy Turley.
Moms and babies onstage: I wanted to quickly shout out last night’s “journalism on stage” event we held with the Omaha Community Foundation at the refurbished, reopened Benson Theatre. What a fascinating conversation, both from an expert panel and the nearly 100 in attendance, about why Nebraska is one of the very worst states for Black moms and babies. And also what we can do to make things better.
FFP state government watchdog reporter Sara Gentzler, who wrote the story on this same subject, did a wonderful job moderating. And the panel of State Sen. Ashlei Spivey, Dr. Ann Anderson Berry and Kelly Nielsen was fascinating, educational and … also funny. It was just great to be in the audience and listen. I’m excited to do more of these with OCF. It’s such a great way to talk about important issues, and move our journalism beyond the written word.
Scottsbluff and Gering, Listen Up: This goes for the surrounding Panhandle communities as well. We have started a Documenters program in your neck of the woods — it’s really the first such program ever in rural America. And we want you to be a Documenter, a person who documents public meetings where there’s often not a professional journalist present.
This sound interesting? Join us virtually for a Documenters orientation session next Tuesday, Aug. 26, at noon mtn/1 p.m. central! Whether you’re a high schooler looking to build your resume or a retiree with some free time, we want to see you there.
Documenters are trained and paid to attend public meetings and record what they see and hear. Our efforts put more eyeballs on government officials and build a more robust public record. At this session, you will learn everything you need to know about joining our crew of engaged citizens.
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].
Hot damn, that was a fact-filled newsletter! We’re really doing it these days. See you again next week.
— 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:
- They are calling it the Cornhusker Clink. It’s a planned new ICE detention facility in McCook. And it’s the biggest story of the week. Here is the Nebraska Examiner’s Juan Salinas II on how the plans follow the Trump Administration playbook.
Here’s a news story on what you need to know from the Associated Press’ Josh Funk, appearing here in News Channel Nebraska. Here is continuing coverage on the protests and Gov. Jim Pillen’s announcement in McCook from Nebraska Public Media’s Brian Beach. Here’s the University of Nebraska distancing itself from that name, from the Journal Star’s Chris Dunker. (You may need LJS subscriber access to read this one.) And here is reaction from local political and business leaders in McCook, from KETV’s John Grinvalds. - School bond issues keep failing in school districts around Nebraska. And it’s leading to school leaders, especially those in small-town Nebraska, struggling to try to fix up or expand aging schools. Story by Jenna Ebbers of the LJS, appearing here in the Omaha World-Herald. (You may need OWH subscriber access to view this story.)
- School teacher shortages around the state do appear to be getting a little better, reports NPM’s Jolie Peal, though paraeducators are still few and far between.
- In other immigration news, 16 people from the Glenn Valley Foods raid remain in ICE custody despite a judge in granting their release on bond. Story by Molly Ashford, also of Nebraska Public Media.
- Let’s end on a fun one. Here’s my favorite long read of the week, a fascinating dive into why the fast-casual chain restaurant Chili’s is succeeding while so many others like it fail. I know, I know, a story about Chili’s, published by Slate, doesn’t have much to do with Nebraska. But dangit, it’s good, and also I’m hungry. How America Got It’s Baby Back, Baby Back, Baby Back…
