We had a trio of good, important stories this week, so I’m not gonna go flapping my gums today. Let’s let the journalism do the talking, shall we?
First up: Resistance, opposition and some serious hostility to wind and solar energy projects are building in small-town Nebraska.
Nancy Gaarder is a dogged, deeply knowledgeable reporter who has covered energy and environmental issues for decades. She went to Greeley County for Flatwater to try to divine the root causes of this opposition, as well as why it’s growing now.
Chasing the school lunch debtors: A story we published Wednesday has kicked up a decent amount of dust, especially in Lincoln. FFP reporter Jeremy Turley requested information from the state’s 20 largest school districts. Through this work, he learned that Lincoln Public Schools sent a private debt collector after families for unpaid school lunch bills an eye-opening 1,700 times last school year.
A lot of these debts are small, as small as $25.
Three other districts, Kearney, Columbus and Scottsbluff, use the practice of private debt collection on unpaid school lunch debt as well, our analysis shows.
As the story notes, a new bill in the Legislature is seeking to ban this practice.
Detained indefinitely: Sex offenders tend to be among the most hated people on Planet Earth. Sara Gentzler has a smart, insightful story this week on how Nebraska’s desire to prevent rapists and molesters from harming another innocent victim has led to a situation where dozens of convicted offenders are confined years and even decades after their prison terms end.
The focal point of the story: The Norfolk Regional Center, where the state involuntarily commits some sex offenders after their prison terms have ended.
The state argues that it’s rehabilitation, essentially making dangerous people less dangerous to the citizenry until the point they can be released.
Defense lawyers and some advocates and some of the people confined at the regional center are highly dubious of this claim. They believe the state is warehousing people with little oversight while confining people who have committed infractions far less serious than their original sex offense.
It’s an important, highly charged debate. I think Sara did an amazing job showing all sides of this sucker. It’s well worth a read, as, honestly, so is every story we published this week.
Yanqi in DC: Yanqi Xu, one of our original FFP reporters, was in DC this week for a very cool reason. She was invited to speak to a group of young journalists of color at the National Press Foundation, sharing the story of how she found herself at the center of a national story last year after Gov. Jim Pillen disparaged her identity during a talk radio interview.
I think we have probably said as much as need to be said about this. But I remain so proud of Yanqi Xu (that’s pronounced “Yen-chee Shoe”) who handled herself like an absolute pro during the firestorm— even though what she really wanted to do, and all she ever did, was good quality journalism.
If the spirit moves you, shoot her an email to [email protected]. Or simply read her well-reported, well-written story that preceded Pillen’s ire.
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].
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—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:
- A last-minute shocker yesterday. Julie Slama, a young, influential conservative state senator, announced she wouldn’t seek re-election. Andrew Wegley of the Journal Star with the story.
- Speaking of Yanqi’s work … there are now a few bills in the Nebraska Legislature that seek to either use a carrot or a stick to lower the growing nitrate levels in Nebraska’s drinking water.
Here’s a story on a bill that would increase monitoring at feedlots and hog farms from the LJS’ Chris Dunker.
And here’s one from the Nebraska Examiner’s Paul Hammel, on another bill that would incentivize farmers to lower the amount of nitrogen they put on crops. - It’s depressingly familiar to hear news like we heard out of Kansas City this week, when a mass shooting marred what should have been a joyous Super Bowl celebration. During the tragedy, an Omaha man likely saved lives when he tackled a gunman. The OWH’s Luna Stephens has his story.
- The average age of an American farmer: 58. That’s among the eye opening findings in a new ag census. Kate Grumke of Harvest Public Media with the story, appearing in Nebraska Public Media.
- Gov. Pillen changed his mind this week, deciding to accept that $18 million of federal money to feed hungry kids during the summer months. WOWT’s John Chapman and Gina Dvorak with the story.
- The kids are inevitably alright. Here’s a story about a young woman in Lincoln who is fighting for her school, her city and her state to make access to period products a reality.
- And finally, a few days after Valentine’s Day, a heartwarming and heartrending one from the OWH’s Emily Nitcher, who sat with some Nebraskans and asked about the loves of their lives. Just … lovely.
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