By: Peyton Holubeck OMAHA, Neb. – Veterans Day honors all military personnel past and present, though the holiday is more than remembering fallen soldiers, it centers on what it means to be a veteran.  Army sergeant, Dr. Michelle Black explained on what being a veteran means to be a part of something eternal.   “Being a veteran, you’re part of something bigger than yourself, and you’re part of a community. So, when you join the military, you become a part of that community; for me it was the army.”  A monument dedicated to those who have served the U.S. in Memorial Park ..read more

By: Andrew Kusleika OMAHA, Neb. – Businesspeople from all around Omaha attended a soiree hosted by Omaha Magazine. The purpose of the soirée was to honor the winners and nominees of the annual Best of Omaha competition. Attendees had access to a plethora of free samples from Best of Omaha winners as well as libations and various forms of entertainment.  “People see that logo and recognize it and right away they know it’s the Best of Omaha,” said Omaha Magazine Graphic Designer Nickie Robinson.  Drinks and free samples from Best of Omaha winners and nominees were available to all at ..read more

By: Jackson Piercy OMAHA, Neb. – Since the doors first opened in 2022, Omaha’s Westview High has had to build all its programs from scratch. Band director of Westview High, Doug Bogatz, knew this feeling well.  “It’s been an interesting experience, to say the least,” Bogatz said. “It’s been very fulfilling. The kids have been working super hard. We have pretty much needed to build everything up, and I mean everything.”  Having built up a program from literally nothing, Bogatz pulled from the philosophies of UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, told his students that the quality of th ..read more

By: Dee Warren OMAHA, Neb – Many Omaha residents have been in uproar over the social media trend on TikTok called “The Kia Boy challenge.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the trend has been linked to the recent uptick in vehicle thefts targeting Kia and Hyundai owners locally and across the nation.  Omaha authorities said Kia owners with models from 2015-2021 equipped with the traditional key ignition starters are the primary targets in this trend. Furthermore, Omaha authorities have said that the people who committed the crimes are primarily teens ..read more

By: Gracie Goos Glenwood, Iowa – Within the past month, there had been a lot of discussion on whether people should be allowed to hold dirt bike races within the Loess Hills in Mills County, IA. Community Members were concerned that it will ruin the preservation of the historic landscape.  Dirt bike racing is a challenging and thrilling sport that is held all over the world on a variety of different terrains and obstacles. Loess Hills Racetrack owner Alex Malcolm wanted the community to know the facts about dirt bike racing before making assumptions about how it affects the land. &n ..read more

By: Jackson Piercy OMAHA, Neb. – Opera Omaha begins their 2023-2024 season with two performances of Gaetano Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”, a comic opera about a curmudgeon and his feud with his cousin.  As the theatrical industry still recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Opera has slowly, yet steadily, making a comeback. A report by Opera America states that while Opera expenditure against box office returns is much lower than pre-pandemic levels, membership of Opera America in various capacities have nearly tripled in the last three years.  The performance starred Jore ..read more

By: Wyatt Moravec GRETNA, Neb. – Vala’s pumpkin patch celebrated its 10,000th pig race, a tradition that has endured for over 27 years. Mark Celesky, the visionary behind this unique spectacle, achieved one of his long-cherished goals as he passed this milestone.  Celesky’s passion for educating people about animals and their value prompted him to host pig races at Vala’s pumpkin patch more than a quarter of a century ago. The recent milestone is a testament to his dedication and unwavering commitment.  “I’ve been doing the show for 27 years, been on the farm for 28, but doing the s ..read more

By: Andrew Kuslieka Omaha, Neb. – Two public forums were held to inform the public about the intricacies of the new permit less concealed carry bill, LB-77. The first was held at Omaha South high school and the second was held at Nathan Hale middle school. The forum was put on by the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative and featured Omaha Police and Douglas County Sheriffs.  Snacks, gun safety locks and informational pamphlets were given to the attendees as well as the opportunity to win prizes with a raffle ticket. The forum leaders discussed methods of responsible gun ownership a ..read more

By: Daytin Inserra-Cunningham OMAHA, Neb. – Since 2016, The Maverick Quartet, a group of string instrumentalists hailing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), have been using the power of music to transform the healthcare experience through their performances. Recently, the quartet found a new stage at the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), where they have been providing a unique form of therapy to patients, visitors, and healthcare providers.  Maverick Quartet’s cello player, Gregory Clinton, shared that their music trans ..read more

By: Peyton Holubeck OMAHA, Neb. – The end of October brought Omaha more than just candy, it also brought this year’s last influx of kittens to the metro.  Kitten Season, which begins in April and lasts until October, is a period where cats are in heat and are giving birth to litters of kittens. This overwhelms shelters which are unable to take in so many animals at once, including our own Nebraska Humane Society. The Omaha metro has estimated the city has over 60,000 stray cats that need homes.  Cat owner Lauren Murphy said in her opinion, there’s no better time to adopt or foster a ..read more