The Flatwater Free Press will publish its first-ever story in 20 days.
Typing that sentence is both exhilarating and terrifying.
Typing it also makes me want to get back to work on said story. But before I do, I want to offer you, dear subscriber, a sneak preview of what we have coming in September.
Next month, you will see the aforementioned first story written by me. It’s a story about on-the-ground vaccination during a sweltering and increasingly dangerous late Nebraska summer. A story focused on what this looks like through the eyes of jab givers and takers as local health departments and community health organizations mount a desperate effort — or little effort at all — to protect the state’s residents from COVID as another wave of the virus comes crashing down upon us.
As I report that story, our crack team of freelancers is hard at work on their own stories, which you will also read in September. Among them: A first-person essay on what it’s like to be a doctor during COVID; a statewide look at the federal government’s rental assistance program, and who it’s helping and failing to help; a profile of an Omaha boy who became Alex Trebek’s right-hand man; good news from the Native reservations in Thurston County; a story about the battle over masks in schools; and a feature on a small-town café trying to adapt, survive, and thrive in the Internet Era.
Typing that last paragraph filled me with hope and pride because it’s such a strong start. I know we’re going to provide Nebraskans with quality journalism — and more of it once we bring on board our full-time reporters. (We expect to make some hires in the weeks to come.)
As we work on those story ideas, I’m asking you today — and will ask often in the future — to share your own:
- Do you have a question about Nebraska – its government, history, or culture – that’s never been answered to your satisfaction?
- What’s broken in your community and needs fixing?
- What’s working great in your community and should be shared with everyone?
- What’s a great Nebraska story you haven’t yet read?
You can e-mail [email protected] or complete this online form. I’ll read every submission and share them with our reporters. We’ll be watching for eye-popping stories as well as larger trends that demand investigation. After all, that’s what we’re here for – getting to the bottom of things, and striving to enrich life in Nebraska.
What we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week
In every newsletter, we want to provide you good Nebraska journalism, no matter who produced it. So, what’s good this week?
Nebraska Public Media reporter Christina Stella did a deep and fascinating dive into the environmental disaster in Mead, Nebraska. This topic deserved a good in-depth radio documentary, and it got one. Listen here.
Or listen to the shorter interview Christina did with NPM Morning Edition host Jackie Ourada.
KMTV 3 reporter Jon Kipper provided valuable context after Friday’s heated Nebraska State Board of Education meeting over proposed sex ed standards. Kipper explains that several speakers who used violent rhetoric at Friday’s meeting are linked to extremist groups, including one classified as a hate group. Watch or read here.
And NTV, the ABC affiliate in Kearney, was first on the ground reporting from a scary armed standoff and shootout with police in Juniata, a town of 800 just west of Hastings. Watch here.
Thank you!
— Matthew Hansen, Executive Editor
