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Flatwater Free Press
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Nebraska's important stories. Well told. 🗞️ https://flatwaterfreepress.org/
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Nebraska’s kickoff of the nation’s 250th anniversary featured a “Founding Fathers” exhibit created by conservative nonprofit PragerU. Historians and Native American leaders see it as a missed opportunity. State officials said a Nebraska-specific exhibit is in development.

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February 18, 2026 at 4:21 PM
The tough-on-China law championed by Gov. Jim Pillen passed easily, with little debate. Now an unnoticed part of it threatens the state tax incentives of 55 companies operating in Nebraska, according to a Flatwater investigation. Why? Because they do business in China.

Read more 🔗 buff.ly/A6jfKIW
February 17, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Famed actor Robert Duvall, who died Sunday, was part of a star-studded contingent who made a movie in Ogallala in 1968. Three films and a miniseries emerged from this Hollywood-Nebraska intersection, including a documentary about a rambunctious rodeo family.

From our archives 🔗 buff.ly/9pRlwGN
Before 'The Godfather,' a Coppola film shot in Nebraska helped set the stage for a changing Hollywood - Flatwater Free Press
Three films and a miniseries emerged from this Hollywood-Nebraska intersection, including a documentary about a rambunctious rodeo family.
flatwaterfreepress.org
February 16, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Immigrants detained by ICE in Minnesota have been quietly transported to Nebraska jails — now, they’re challenging their detention in federal court.

Read why 🔗 buff.ly/Tb1MWiw

Story by Emily Wolf
As Minnesota ICE crackdown continues, detainees quietly transferred to Nebraska jails - Flatwater Free Press
The unprecedented immigration sweeps in Minnesota over the past two months have landed at least 20 detained immigrants in an unexpected place: a Nebraska
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February 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Some companies in Nebraska are being labeled "foreign adversarial companies” by a new, little-understood state law meant to get tough on China.

It may put millions in state tax incentives, and jobs, at risk. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/A6jfKIW
February 13, 2026 at 3:45 PM
New from Sarah Baker Hansen: West Omaha is home to more and more locally owned, chef driven fine dining spots. And now it's got a new, local, chef driven and darn tasty deli in J. Gorat's, off 203rd and Dodge: buff.ly/B0Bo9Yt
February 12, 2026 at 5:51 PM
More and more Nebraska businesses are selling hemp-derived cannabis products — often with THC levels that can produce the same psychoactive, intoxicating effects as marijuana. But a federal ban of intoxicating hemp products is set to take effect in November.

Read more 🔗 buff.ly/GluJlRH
February 12, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Dozens of people detained as part of Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota have been transported to an unlikely holding facility: a Nebraska county jail.

Lawyers have argued that shipping detainees across state lines makes it harder to provide adequate legal representation.

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February 11, 2026 at 6:54 PM
In Lexington, laid-off Tyson employees lined up as early as 2 a.m. trying to get financial assistance. The turnout overwhelmed local nonprofits tasked with helping. Now, the local Community Foundation has paused its efforts to distribute aid money as funds dwindle.

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February 10, 2026 at 3:34 PM
The University of Nebraska is set to take full ownership of Nebraska Medicine for $800M. The announcement in January and the ensuing opposition kicked off a wave of headlines, but what is really going on? FFP Reporter Destiny Herbers helps explain:

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February 9, 2026 at 8:57 PM
The Omaha Housing Authority hasn’t filed evictions in seven months as it sues over a new state law. A few tenants are threatening staff and committing crimes, staff told Flatwater. They still live in OHA housing.

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February 7, 2026 at 8:00 PM
London-born indie musician Cornelia Murr traded city life for Red Cloud, Nebraska. She spent a year renovating a century-old house and turned it into a recording space.

“Everyone was so kind and friendly compared to everywhere else I’d ever lived,” Murr said.

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February 7, 2026 at 4:07 PM
New at Flatwater: Curt Tomasevicz fulfilled his dream of playing football for the Huskers. Then, he became the first American in 6 decades to win an Olympic gold medal … in bobsledding.

The improbable story of Nebraska’s most-decorated bobsledder 🔗 buff.ly/DJjq832
February 6, 2026 at 7:30 PM
New at Flatwater: Lexington organizations raised almost $300,000 to support laid-off Tyson workers. In two weeks, they’d already doled out most of the money.

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February 6, 2026 at 4:56 PM
The conflict between the Governor’s Office and State Auditor Mike Foley over Nebraska’s emergency no-bid bioeconomy contract has entered a new and more serious stage.

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Reporting by Aaron Sanderford
@nebraskaexaminer.com
February 6, 2026 at 12:41 AM
New at Flatwater: London-born indie musician Cornelia Murr had no ties to Nebraska when her mother moved to Red Cloud. She fell in love with the town, bought a house and finished her latest album there. On February 13, Murr is returning for a show at the Red Cloud Opera House.

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February 5, 2026 at 7:07 PM
New at Flatwater: Two Omaha Housing Authority employees pleaded to evict a pair of tenants who had endangered public safety and threatened staff, per emails obtained by Flatwater. The response from their boss: no evictions.

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February 5, 2026 at 3:29 PM
New at Flatwater: UNMC and Nebraska Medicine — long time partners in the state’s health care — are set to grow closer this summer as NU takes full ownership. Experts say the transition reflects a nationwide trend of university hospitals growing into “economic juggernauts.”

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February 4, 2026 at 5:01 PM
New at Flatwater: In a reversal, a new county attorney will allow the mother of a 17-year-old who died at a Pillen Family Farms facility to gain access to his body for independent medical testing. She hopes it will determine what killed him.

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January 30, 2026 at 4:26 PM
TeamMates, a nonprofit founded by legendary Husker football coach Tom Osborne, has received 80% ($11.6 million) of the money from a state initiative supporting mentorship programs. The remainder has gone to 16 other nonprofits.

Read more 🔗 buff.ly/tKjCXra
January 29, 2026 at 10:36 PM
New at Flatwater: Before delaying the long-planned conversion of its North Omaha coal plant, OPPD’s CEO shared some reassuring news: A study found the plant isn’t significantly harming human health.

That characterization is misleading, experts said.

Read more 🔗 buff.ly/qBGMBKb
January 29, 2026 at 6:31 PM
As restaurants and neighborhoods go, Know Good feels like a perfect fit tucked in between Hanscom Park and Field Club. Its neighbors are already lining up for homemade bagels, pastries and eggs, says Sarah Baker Hansen.

Read her latest 🔗 buff.ly/BgHFgpo
January 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM
New at Flatwater: A state initiative supporting mentorship programs has directed $14.5 million in taxpayer money to Nebraska nonprofits. Some 80% of that money went to one organization founded by Tom Osborne.

Read more 🔗 buff.ly/tKjCXra
January 29, 2026 at 1:13 AM
FFP Update: Months after allegations emerged that multiple staffers at a state-run Kearney youth treatment center were sexually abusing teens, state leaders are proposing to move all the boys in custody there to Omaha.

October reporting 🔗 buff.ly/VaRYIOc
January update 🔗 buff.ly/GK6nN87
January 23, 2026 at 6:23 PM
New at Flatwater: When Rachel Woollen gave birth to quadruplets 17 weeks early, they had a less than 4% chance of all surviving. They’re about to celebrate their 18th birthday. Meet the kids once believed to be the most premature surviving quadruplets in the world. 🔗 buff.ly/EhfwDBT
January 23, 2026 at 3:58 PM