Natalia Alamdari here, filling in for Matthew this week. Normally, you’ve heard from me as FFP’s Greater Nebraska reporter. But after three years of zipping around the state in my aging red Subaru, I’m changing roles here. Today, I’m writing to you as FFP’s new investigative editor. I’ll oversee our hard-hitting investigations and keep writing a few myself. I couldn’t be happier.
Let’s get into today’s roundup of news: As someone living in Omaha, reliable internet access is something I’ve come to take for granted. But for thousands of Nebraskans in the most rural corners of the state, it’s not always easy to come by.
Millions in federal funding was meant to change that. About 30,000 locations in Nebraska were set to be eligible for funding to improve their high-speed internet access. That means internet access to help make it easier to run a business, to work a remote job, to take virtual college courses.
But federal changes cut thousands of Nebraskans out of that program. Now, Nebraska might need to return more than $350 million in unspent federal funds, a huge chunk of the $405 million that was originally allocated. FFP reporter Joshua Shimkus takes you through how this all happened, and how it affects the Nebraskans who thought they’d finally get a broadband boost.
Nursing home nightmare: Staffing shortages, mounting costs, not enough money coming in — it’s a challenge to keep nursing homes open, and even more challenging in rural parts of the state.
But in Laurel, the local nursing home faced an extra challenge. Former employees allege the nursing home’s former administrator mismanaged the center and mistreated staff. They also say that city officials ignored their warnings about financial mismanagement and a toxic work environment. Now, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office is investigating the former administrator.
Star intern Shelby Rickert takes you through the years of financial challenges that led to the nursing home’s closure.
Jail cell or self deport? Omaha reporter Jeremy Turley has probably spent more time sitting in immigration court than any other Nebraska reporter. His hours spent sitting on a stiff wooden court bench — and his well-trained ear for stories — led to this week’s story from court.
Since the start of the Trump administration, the number of people waiting for immigration hearings from behind bars has ballooned. It’s putting even more strain on one of the country’s most backlogged courts.
This stretches out the wait time for everyone needing to appear at the Omaha Immigration Court. It also means people waiting for their hearings from jail stay there longer.
Many of those people are choosing to give up and self-deport, attorneys told Turley.
With the ICE detention center in McCook up and running, they worry the backlog will get even worse for their detained clients.
A little help: Hey, it’s editor Matthew Hansen here to quickly speak a few truths. This is the first-ever week that this newsletter has gone to 19,000 Nebraskans. Each week, our reporters do their damndest to deliver you, our lovely and loyal readers, two things: In-depth Nebraska stories you won’t find anywhere else. And nice human features like this one and this one that we call “stories that bind the state together.”
Look at the stories Natalia linked to above. Those are three important stories you simply aren’t going to find anywhere else, because in all three cases, our talented reporters found them and told them well.
You help us by reading them. You help us by telling your friends about Flatwater and this newsletter. And from now to the end of the year, you can help us tell more important Nebraska stories by donating a bit of your hard-earned money to support this little nonprofit newsroom that could.
We have come so far. I will never forget the first day I wrote this newsletter, on Labor Day weekend 2021. It went to, oh, 150 people. Now we are 19,000 strong! And Flatwater itself — once two dudes named Matt borrowing two desks in a church basement — is about to begin 2026 with more than a dozen journalists. It’s mind blowing. It’s awe inspiring. It’s reality.
We couldn’t have made those leaps without your help. And we can do even more. If you find what Flatwater does valuable, chip in and we’ll deliver even more good stories for free to more Nebraskans and also to every Nebraska media outlet that wants to publish them.
If you have already given, thank you so much.
If you haven’t given yet in 2025 … thank you for considering it.
Thanks to our sponsor: This week, it’s the Nebraska Community Foundation. Yours truly and a whole table of Flatwater journalists were at NCF’s annual celebration last week, and it’s always so instructive — and inspiring — to hear the good things happening in towns like McCook, Nebraska City, Ogallala and Red Cloud.
Thank you to the Nebraska Community Foundation for making our communities stronger. And thank you to NCF for supporting the important mission of Nebraska nonprofit news to tell the stories of Nebraska.
— Matthew
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,
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:
- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Faculty Senate issued a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Rodney Bennett earlier this week. The 60-14 vote is believed to be the first time in university history the faculty senate has formally signaled its lack of confidence in the campus’ top administrator. Read more in the Lincoln Journal Star and the Daily Nebraskan.
- The Epstein news cycle has been a tough whirlwind to keep up with this week. Earlier this week, every member of Nebraska’s all-Republican congressional delegation voted “yes” on the bill to release all files related to the DOJ’s investigation into Epstein. The Nebraska Examiner’s Juan Salinas II with the story.
- The crowded playing field to replace Rep. Don Bacon is bringing in a boatload of cash. KETV reports that nearly $700,000 in out-of-state donations have poured into the race this year. That’s 37% of the total $1.8 million in donations.
- Earlier this month, the Omaha Children’s Museum abruptly announced it was pausing fundraising efforts for the planned $100 million museum on Omaha’s riverfront. Jessica Wade, back on the Omaha beat for Nebraska Public Media, reports the reason why — the project was facing a fundraising shortfall. The sudden change is casting uncertainty on a nearby apartment development.
- In the Legislature, a group of conservative staffers is trying to persuade their lawmaker bosses to sponsor bills that champion “biblical values” and “reflect the righteousness and goodness of God.” They call themselves the Dove Caucus and hope to load up the queue of bills in 2026 with “socially conservative legislation.” Lincoln Journal Star reporter (and soon-to-be FFP reporter) Andrew Wegley brings you the story.
- A Lincoln city program gives landlords grants to help pay for building improvements like new windows, insulation and roof repairs. In exchange, they have to pledge to keep rents affordable. Now, the city is on track to hit its goal of rehabbing 1,000 rental units in the next decade. The New York Times takes a look.
- Omaha native and writer I love Roxane Gay just won a huge lifetime achievement award — the National Book Foundation has awarded Gay the 2025 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. You might recognize her work from the New York Times, her short story collections, a Marvel Black Panther comic series and more.
