Freddie Gray stands fast on her handling of Sebring scandal

by Leo Adam Biga

Freddie Gray knows being second-guessed and scrutinized comes with the job of Omaha Public School Board President. But when she came under fire over her handling of the Nancy Sebring scandal she got more than she bargained for, including allegations she'd violated the public trust and calls for her resignation or ouster.

Sebring is the former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent OPS hired...

Impact One Stands by Its Clients

by Kietryn Zychal

Impact One’s youth are preparing at Blackburn High School for a talent show. They look innocent, full of talent and potential, alternating between adolescent awkwardness and bravado. The next day, Executive Director Jannette Taylor sends a text message with context to the work Impact One does:

“Forgot to mention; the group yesterday had 1 person who witnessed an uncle be killed 2 months ago;...

Dedicated to Teaching And Students

by Deb Walters

Dr. John Mackiel served the Omaha Public School District for 40 years, first as a reading and English teacher at Burke High School and for the last 15 years as superintendent, overseeing $254 million in school improvements, legal challenges to the state's school finance system and the formation of the Learning Community. He retired from the district on July 31.

What have been the best...

Go on and Lie to Me

by Tim McMahan

I knew when she started looking through her inventory screen at Barnes & Noble that the cute little clerk would come up craps. I’d already done the online research. They’d already expunged the book from Amazon and a half dozen other websites. But I thought I’d try. Just for the heck of it.

The story begins about a week and a half ago. I was doing what we all aimlessly do to kill time on the...

Something, but is it enough?

by Kietryn Zychal

Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale approved the Douglas County Election Commissioner's polling place restorations this week. The addition of polling places follows an unprecedented removal, far exceeding any changes in the two previous U.S. Census, after which redistricting is implemented.

From an initial cut of 88 polling places, 28 are slated to be added, leaving 208 polling places for...

The Woody Allen of Indie Folk

by Tim McMahan

Continuing with Simon Joyner. If you read that story, you may wonder how he’s managed to continue to release records when listening to them can be, for the most part, rather dismal exercises.

There isn’t a lot of dancing happening when Simon is on your record player. What he does ain’t exactly “pop music.” In fact, I would argue that Simon is anti-pop. His motivation for writing music has...

Researchers Stand Up for Report

by Kietryn Zychal

While violence in Omaha, particularly among young males, continues at an alarming rate, the only recent examination of gang violence is being buried by the stakeholders who commissioned it, and who are tasked foremost with addressing this issue – North Omaha’s Empowerment Network and the Omaha Police Department. 

UNO professors Pete Simi and Dennis Hoffman spent 14-months on the 2011-2012...

Searching for Reasons in the Dark

by Tim McMahan

As we sat in the upper tier of the movie theater Sunday afternoon waiting for the previews to begin, I turned and asked: What would you do if a guy dressed in long coat and mask came through that exit, tossed a couple smoke bombs, and then started shooting?

She pointed to the floor.

I looked to the exits. It would be a struggle to get through the frantic crowd to safety, especially since...