Turning Over Rocks

by Matt Goodlett

Elisha Yellow Thunder has a very personal reason for her research into mining contamination impacting some of the poorest counties in the country, better known as the Pine Ridge Indian reservation.

Her daughter Laila Pettigrew seems like any other nine-year-old. She smiles a lot, her favorite color is green, she loves to draw and sketch, her favorite food is potatoes, and she wants to be a...

Legislator Versus Executive

by David Williams

Geography quite naturally plays a vital role in politics. When it came time for the respective campaigns to suggest site selections for The Reader to interview Nebraska State Senator Gwen Howard and Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing as they prepare to face off in a May 15 primary for the nod to challenge 13-year incumbent Republican Lee Terry in the 2nd Congressional District House race,...

Leaders for a Greener Omaha

by Jessica Clem-McClaren

Clayton Chapman-Executive Chef, The Grey Plume

The simplicity of chestnut puree blends perfectly with a slice of lemon on a spoon. Details are the highlight of this subtle bar; the lip of a wine glass matches the silverware. This place could be nestled in the hills of San Francisco, celebrities knitted among the seated clientele.

Only this is Omaha. This is The Grey Plume, already so well...

Beercade, and the Legend of ZED

by Tim McMahan

Could a legend be born at Beercade?

The new bar-arcade had its grand opening Friday night. Judging by the crowd, it was a crushing success. Located on the corner of 61st and Maple streets in the heart of Benson, Beercade is an achievement in building rehab and design. The facade has been brought back to its original brick grandeur capped with an ingenious neon sign that glows like a giant...

The Second Generation of Renewable Fuels

by Steve Brewer

The renewable fuels industry changes constantly.

Because the field is affected by politics, commodity prices, and high-tech research, it’s difficult to make long-term predictions about ethanol and other “renewable fuels,” but Omaha seem likely to be at the center of those developments.

Ethanol is a chemical produced by the fermentation of sugars found in grains and other biomass. According...

Omaha Girls Rock, V. 2.0

by Tim McMahan

Isa Luzarraga is nine years old. Her favorite bands are The Runaways, White Stripes, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Foster the People and Karmin, whose lead singer is her babysitter's cousin. Her favorite song is by 4 Non Blondes, and one of her favorite things to do is sing. So it should be no surprise that when Isa grows up she wants to be a rock star.

Either that, or a meteorologist. "Or...

Voting Updates

by John Heaston

As ethnic and progressive groups have galvanized in response to Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps' decision to shut down almost half of the polling places in Douglas County ahead of this year’s elections, a quick analysis of his decisions has raised serious concerns that this is another Republican Party attempt to suppress minority and lower-income voting. Phipps, a Republican,...

The High Cost of Transportation

by Jessica Clem-McClaren

Just twenty years ago, getting from the outer suburban edge of Omaha to downtown only took ten minutes. Now, in the time it takes a travel mug of coffee to get cold, an Omaha commuter will still be battling traffic on a typical workday. Coined by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce as the “Twenty Minute City,” most commute times in Omaha range between 24-25 minutes one way, with higher numbers during...