Omaha Magazine - March/April 2023 - The Drought Issue

BETTER MAKE IT A DOUBLE

hiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over,” wrote American author Mark Twain, though this attribution is murky at best. Still, the quote is unmistakably a product of America’s Wild West era you can practically hear the gravel in the words, followed by a tipped hat from the ‘Man with No Name.’ However, when its comes to water rights and magnifying glasses scanning centuries-old treaties severe drought tends to leave scorch marks. Under such conditions, it’s hard to say who’s “good” and who’s “bad.” But between the political posturing, the dried-up riverbeds, and genuine anxieties over what might come to pass, there’s little question that it’s “ugly” when interstate conflict occurs, as Nebraska and Colorado can attest.

Our cover subject, cattle rancher Howard “Howdy” Benjamin of Cozad, Nebraska, is keenly aware of the effects of the historic drought conditions blanketing the state, especially on surface waters like the Platte River and its tributaries. Still, he’s optimistic that, between the state’s unique resource infrastructure (divided among 23 Natural Resource Districts, or NRDs) and advancements in agricultural technology like pivot irrigation systems, our groundwater will keep Nebraska afl oat for now.

Our March/April edition’s environmental theme passes from policy and science, and from one generation to the next, to the realm of creativity and art with Howdy’s daughter, Jess Benjamin. Jess utilizes ceramics to illustrate the effects of an increasingly parched world, with recent projects depicting the exposed intake towers of Lake Mead and the “jackstones” of Nebraska’s Kingsley Dam built to be submerged in water that no lo nger flows.

Though making waves may be more difficult riverside, our profile subject, William King Jr., has no trouble making them, figuratively speaking, on-air. His two broadcast channels, 1690 AM The One and 95.7 FM The Boss, seek to utilize “the power of words” to inform, entertain, and ultimately better, the Omaha community.

Our chef profile this issue circles back, as all roads seem to in Nebraska, to beef. Andrew Miller owns and operates Casanova’s Butchery in Rockbrook Village, and while he indeed sources all of his beef from Nebraska, his selection of carefully cured and curated meats include a wide range of influences: Spanish chorizo, German speck, and Italian prosciutto to name a few.

While the content in this issue of Omaha Magazine might be described as “parched,” we’ve tried our best to make it anything but “dry.” After all, our community’s resources, both natural and human, are not only precious they’re also thought-provoking. As always, thanks fo r reading.

*Note: The hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover and does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition. For more information on our city edition, visit OmahaMagazine.com.

THE LINES Between

ALICIA HOLLINS Senior Sales Coordinator

With ads in all 17 Omaha Publications, Senior Sales Coordinator Hollins excels in organization while also assisting Executive VP of Sales Gil Cohen in all things Omaha Publications. “I would be lost without her,” Cohen confessed. After working together for 14 years, Team Gil and Alicia take pride in helping their clients maximize their marketing efforts. As an Omaha native, she loves going to events and running into friends and acquaintances by happenstance. As a wife, she spends a lot of time cooking and designing her home with husband Trevor, who leads the Lighting Group at Leo A Daly. As a mom, she enjoys any time she gets to spend with her 12-year-old, Logan even the carousel of pick-ups and drop-offs. When Hollins has time to herself, you can find her researching her ancestry, chatting on the phone, or painting a room of her house while enjoying a comedy podcast.

CHASE MURPHY Free lance Writer

Chase Murphy is a freelance writer and law student set to graduate from Creighton School of Law this May. Holding a degree in creative writing from UNO, he’s thoroughly excited by the opportunity to put his pen to topics beyond the rigid confines of legal writing. Murphy and his wife lived in Shanghai, China, for a few years after university where he occasionally published pieces in Shanghai’s International Magazine. Afterwards, they lived in Seattle for roughly a year before moving back to Omaha for law school. Murphy has a new son, 9 months, and spends what little free time he has with his family and enjoy ing hobbies.

SOPHIA RIDGE Free lance Writer

Sophia Ridge was born and raised right here in Omaha, Nebraska. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Classics and Religious Studies and graduate degree in English Education from the University of NebraskaLincoln, she made her way back to Omaha to teach English at the secondary level. When she has free time from grading papers and planning lessons, which is rare, Ridge enjoys exploring new restaurants, bars, shops, and events that pop up around the metro. She also loves reading, watching films and binge-worthy television shows, traveling, bowling with her partner, and cuddling her Himalayan cat, Auggie.

MARCH/APRIL 2023

VOLUME 40 // ISSUE 9

EDITORIAL

Editorial Intern

ANNIE CARPENTER

Associate Editors

KIM CARPENTER · JULIUS FREDRICK · LINDA PERSIGEHL

Contributing Writers

LEO ADAM BIGA · TAMSEN BUTLER · SARA LOCKE

PATRICK MCGEE · NATALIE MCGOVERN · CHASE MURPHY

JONATHAN OROZCO · SOPHIA RIDGE · WILLIAM RISCHLING

ADAM FLETCHER SASSE · DOUGLAS “OTIS TWELVE” WESSELMANN BLAKE URSCH · JAMES VNUK · MIKE WHYE

CREATIVE

Creative Director MATT WIECZOREK

Sr. Graphic Designer MADY BUBB

Graphic Designer I RENEÉ LUDWICK

Contributing Photographer

SARAH LEMKE

SALES DEPARTMENT

Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing

GIL COHEN

Branding Specialists

DAWN DENNIS · GEORGE IDELMAN

Contributing Branding Specialists GREG BRUNS · TIM McCORMACK

Publisher’s Assistant & OmahaHome Contributing Editor SANDY MATSON

Senior Sales Coordinator ALICIA HOLLINS

Sales Coordinator SANDI M cCORMACK

OPERATIONS Business Manager KYLE FISHER

Ad Traffic Manager DAVID TROUBA

Digital Manager LUIS DE LA TOBA

Distribution Manager DAMIAN INGERSOLL EXECUTIVE Executive Publisher TODD LEMKE

Associate Publisher BILL SITZMANN For Advertising & Subscription Information : 402.884.2000

L D C E A of 8 15 22

» Exhibitions « NANCY LEPO

Through March 8 at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. The self-taught artist works primarily in paper, creating pen and ink drawings and origami paper sculpture. Her work embraces what can be done with simple materials of pen, ink, and paper. By appointment only, 9am—4pm Monday—Friday. 402.595.2122.

—artscouncil.nebraska.gov

NEBRASKA HABITAT BY ALBERT RHEA

Through April 2 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. For Albert Rhea, wildlife photography is magical because it takes him into a universe of vibrant colors, exquisite details and extraordinary patterns that can literally take your breath away. This is especially the case when capturing birds and butterflies, which provide an incredible variety of shapes and colors. This exhibition focuses on the vulnerability of wildlife species and their role as indicators of the health of various ecosystems. 402.346.4002.

—lauritzengardens.org

ELISABETH KLEY: MINUTES OF SAND

Through April 15 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Organized by the Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM), Kley’s first solo museum show features a new body of work. Invited to print yardage utilizing FWM’s world-renowned screen-printing facilities, the artist, whose work sits at the distinctive

9 16 23

EVENTS

confluence of pattern, decoration, and contemporary art, interweaves her ceramic and painting practices with three new yardage designs and a new suite of ceramic sculpture. Admission is free. 402.341.7130.

—bemiscenter.org

OPULENCE: PERFORMATIVE WEALTH AND THE FAILED AMERICAN DREAM

Through April 15 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. This group exhibition assembles a range of creative practices; including painting, sculpture, video, fashion, and nail artistry that embrace lavish, sumptuous aesthetics to examine America’s obsession with wealth and the ways it is displayed via class, race, and gender. Admission is free. 402.341.7130.

—bemiscenter.org

HALL OF HEROES

Through April 16 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. This exhibition explores the science and history behind superheroes introduced throughout the 20th century and beyond. This immersive exhibition allows viewers to learn how superheroes, gadgets, and crime fighters were conceived. Viewers can experience a fullscale and interactive recreation of the 1960’s Batcave and Batmobile. Additionally, life-sized statues of Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Black Panther, and the Incredible Hulk are on full display. Noon—4pm Sundays; 10am—4pm Tuesdays—Saturdays. 402.444.5071. —durhammuseum.org

WASHED ASHORE: ART TO SAVE THE SEA

Through May 14 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. A traveling art exhibition created from marine debris collected from Oregon’s beaches, this exhibition creatively demonstrates how problematic plastic pollution is to the environment. Giant sculptures of sea life, made from reclaimed trash, graphically illustrate the tragedy of plastic pollution in our ocean and waterways. The epic exhibition includes a titanic triggerfish, a pair of grand penguins, and an 11-foot-long shark named Chompers. 402.346-4002.

—lauritzengardens.org

DESCENDANTS OF DEWITTY

Through May 28 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. This 25-photo exhibition shares the history of the people of DeWitty, later known as Audacious, the largest and longest-lasting African American settlement in rural Nebraska. The settlers, including former slaves who had fled to Canada before the Civil War and their descendants, began to arrive in 1906-07, attracted by the 1904 Kinkaid Act’s offer of 640 acres of free land in the Sandhills. Noon—4pm Sundays; 10am—4pm Tuesdays—Saturdays. 402.444.5071.

—durhammuseum.org

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

March 3 at St. Cecilia’s Cathedral Cultural Center, 3900 Webster St. This exhibition juxtaposes images of our natural environment and the ways humans alter it—interwoven with excerpts from Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato si,’ highlighting our role as stewards of creation. 5pm—7pm. 402.558.3100.

—cathedralartsproject.org

MARCH/APRIL 2023 // 7 //

THE LUNCHBOX: PACKED WITH POP CULTURE

Mar. 4—Sept. 3 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Featuring hundreds of lunchboxes as well as one-of-a-kind original paintings on loan from local lunchbox collector Mark Kelehan, the display provides an overview of the history of lunchboxes, insight into the production process, and an educational introduction into the dynamic world of collecting. The Lunchbox demonstrates how lunchboxes are time capsules of American pop culture from the 1950s through the 1980s. Noon—4pm Sundays; 10am—4pm Tuesdays—Saturdays. 402.444.5071. —durhammuseum.org

BFA THESIS EXHIBITION

March 17—April 21 (opening rectception at Creighton University Lied Art Gallery, 2500 California Plaza. This wide-ranging exhibition features work by Creighton University students in a variety of artistic mediums and styles. 8am— 8pm. Mondays—Fridays; 10am—4pm Saturdays and Sundays. Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 27, 4pm—6pm. 402.280.2290. —creighton.edu

JOE ADDISON

March 17—May 10, at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Features work by the Omaha-based visual artist who specializes in historic and experimental photographic processes. By appointment only, 9am—4pm Monday—Friday. 402.595.2122.

—artscouncil.nebraska.gov

JAMES SURLS: NIGHTSHADE AND REDBONE

March 24—August 13, at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St. Features work by the internationally recognized sculptor, one of the most preeminent artists living and working in the United States, whose sculptures, drawings, and prints reflect his unique sensibility regarding natural forms. 11am—5pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 11am—8pm Thursdays. 402.341.3800.

—thekaneko.org

BEYOND THE GOLDEN GARDEN WALL BY

ANTHONY DEON BROWN

April 4—May 29 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Brown paints surrealistic imagery in acrylic on canvas, predominantly occupied by an array of colorful subjects with simple, but intense color palettes. This show gives the viewer a sneak peek into what Deon sees when he closes his eyes, finding peace and tranquility in a place in his mind called “Garden of Dhya.”402.346-4002. —lauritzengardens.org

PRINTS AND POTS

April 27, 10 a.m.—7 p.m., at Creighton University Lied Art Gallery, 2500 California Plaza. A sale of prints and ceramics created by Creighton students with a percentage of sales going to charity. 402.280.2290.

—creighton.edu

» stagE PErformancEs « RENT

Through Mar. 19 at Omaha Community Playhouse 6915 Cass St. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize, this iconic rock musical has become a cultural touchstone, rite of passage, and source of joy and strength for millions. A raw and emotional year in the life of a diverse group of friends and struggling artists, chasing their dreams under the shadow of drug addictions and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. 402.553.0800.

—communityplayhouse.com

KODO: TSUZUMI

Mar. 1. 7:30 p.m., at the Orpheum Theater 409 S. 16th St. Now celebrating their 40th anniversary, Kodo bring their spectacular Taiko drumming troupe to Omaha with this breath-taking, highly choreographed, and dynamic exploration of the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum. 402.345.0606. —ticketomaha.com

SEAFORTH

Mar. 4, 8 p.m., at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Australian country duo Seaforth is known for dropping infectious melodies, breezy lyrics, and bangers with slick vocal harmonies that top every party playlist. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

LES MISÉRABLES

Mar. 7—12, showtimes vary, at the Orpheum Theater 409 S. 16th St. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, this musical is a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, it is still undisputedly “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune). 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

DREAMGIRLS

Mar. 3—26 at Omaha Community Playhouse 6915 Cass St. A trio of women soul singers catch their big break during an amateur competition. But will their friendship—and their music— survive the rapid rise from obscurity to pop super stardom? With dazzling costumes and powerhouse vocal performances, this Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical is inspired by some of the biggest musical acts of the 1960s: The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and more. 402.553-0800. —communityplayhouse.com

INTO THE WOODS

March. 10—12 & 17—19 at PACE Chanticleer Community Theater, 1001 S. 6th St, Council Bluffs, IA. Follow fairy tale stories, a wicked witch and what happens after “happily ever after” in Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical. 712.890.5600.

—paceartsiowa.org

STEPHEN SHARER

March 17 at the Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Spend the evening with YouTube sensation Stephen Sharer live and in person as he brings the Share The Love music tour to Omaha. Join the Sharer Fam and sing along to Stephen’s hit music, dance with the neon light show, and get a chance to be a part of the show. 6pm. 402.661.8501.

—ticketsmarter.com

Five venues, five unique celebration experiences Hosting events for 100 - 1,000 guests, Omaha Event Group boasts 15 years of experience with over 300 events each year, including Omaha Fashion Week Schedule a consultation with our team of experts today

KATT WILLIAMS

March 17 at Baxter Arena, 2425 S. 67th St. Features the American stand-up comedian and actor. 8pm. 402.554.6200.

—baxterarena.com

THE CHINESE LADY

Mar. 30—April 23 at the Blue Barn Theater, 1106 S. 10th St. Brought from Guangzhou in 1834 as an “exotic oddity,” The Chinese Lady follows the true story of the first woman from China to enter America. Afong Moy is paraded around for the American public to indulge their voyeuristic curiosities by delivering a performance of her “ethnicity.” Over the course of 55 years, Afong Moy begins to challenge her views of herself, her culture in the hands of others, and her disconnect from her homeland while grappling with her search for her own identity in America. 402.345.1576.

— thebluebarn.org

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

March 31 at the Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro is one of the world’s most popular and frequently performed operas. Mix-ups, mistaken identities, and secrets fly fast through this iconic tale of love, seduction, and guile. Conductor Steven White (2022 Eugene Onegin and 2021 Opera Under the Stars) and director Dean Anthony (2021 Opera Under the Stars) will join forces again to lead a stunning cast, which includes Sidney Outlaw in his Opera Omaha debut as Figaro, with Vanessa Becerra (2019 Les Enfants Terribles, 2018 Medea) as Susanna, his betrothed. 7:30pm and 2pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

BRIAN REGAN

March 31 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Critics, fans, and fellow comedians agree that Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country. Vanity Fair called him “the funniest stand-up alive,” while Entertainment Weekly dubbed him “your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” 7pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

THE WIZARD OF OZ

April 7 at Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA. This interpretation of the beloved Oz story and features iconic characters Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Good Witch, the Wicked Witch of the West, and, of course, the Wizard himself. A fast-paced, entertaining spectacle, the performance tells the story in styles, ranging from the grandeur of classical ballet to the energy of large-scale musical theater. 7:30pm. 712.890.5601

—amballet.org

NOEL MILLER

April 7 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Noel Miller is a songwriter, rapper, podcast host, YouTuber, and former Vine star. His biting one-liners and topical social commentary have made him a force to be reckoned with in the comedy world. 8pm. 402.345.0606. —ticketomaha.com

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

April 14—May 7 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. The gleefully gruesome cult comedy with an infectious 60s-style score. Seymour, a nerdy store clerk at Mushnik’s flower shop, is thrust into the spotlight when he happens upon a new breed of carnivorous plant. But his newfound fame comes at a cost when Seymour discovers the sassy seedling has an unquenchable thirst for human blood. Ravenously fun, dripping with camp and nostalgia. 402.553.0800.

—communityplayhouse.com

GRAVITY AND OTHER MYTHS: A SIMPLE SPACE

April 14 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Called “Cirque du Soleil with a fistful of grit,” Gravity & Other Myths is an Australian circus company pushing the boundaries of contemporary circus. In their show A Simple Space, seven acrobats push their physical limits without reserve. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

JOHN CRIST: THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TOUR

April 15 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Crist is one of today’s fast-rising stand-up comedians, with more than one billion video views, over five million fans on social media, and sold-out shows from coast to coast. He’s widely known for viral videos like “Honest Football Coach,” “Every Parent at Disney,” “Brands that need to be CANCELLED,” plus hundreds more. 7pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

DISNEY’S FROZEN

April 19—30 at the Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

VIVA PARIS!

April 20—23 at Creighton University, Lied Education Center for the Arts, 2500 California Plz. Presented by the Creighton Dance Company, in the tradition of Gene Kelly, this ballet traces the story of life in Paris, featuring the music of Jacques Offenbach and Leroy Anderson. 402.280.1448.

—creighton.edu

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

April 20—21 & 27—30 at UNO Theatre, 6505 University Dr. S., Weber Fine Arts Building. Shakespeare’s classic bloody tale of fate, treachery, and revenge moves swiftly through the rapid rise of Macbeth from a general to king of Scotland and features a unique staging just for UNO’s theatre space.

—unomaha.edu

PRETTY FIRE

April 28—May 21 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Charlayne Woodard takes us on an intimate and powerful journey through five autobiographical vignettes, each capturing different moments of her life growing up as a rambunctious, imaginative child in the ’50s and ’60s. From her loving family home in upstate New York, to her first experience with racism at her grandmother’s house in Georgia, Pretty Fire is a beautiful one-woman celebration of life, love and family, even in the face of adversity. 402.553.0800.

—communityplayhouse.com

» concErts « DOGS IN A PILE

March 1 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The eclectic quintet has emerged as the heir apparent merges funk, jazz, and rock and roll with psychedelic to create a completely original vibe built on kaleidoscopic soundscapes eerily reminiscent of the days of yesteryear. 8pm. 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

OLIVIA BLOCK

March 2 at Low End, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. The media artist and composer has a practice that includes live performance, recordings, audio-visual installations, sound design, and scores for orchestra and chamber music concerts.Block’s studio pieces often combine field recordings, electronic sounds, organ, piano, and long chamber music passages. 8pm. 402.341.7130

—bemiscenter.org

WHITE REAPER

March 3 at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. The American garage punk band based in Louisville, KY, features Tony Esposito (guitar/ vocals), Ryan Hater, Hunter Thompson, Nick Wilkerson, and Sam Wilkerson. With Militarie Gun and Mamalarky. 8pm. 402.884.5353. —waitingroomlounge.com

FREEDOM

March 4 at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St. A concert by Omaha Symphonic Chorus. 7:30pm.

—omahasymphonicchorus.org

THE DOCKSIDERS

March 10 at the Holland Performing Arts Center | Holland Music Club, 1200 Douglas St. The Docksiders bring their tribute act of soft rock favorites from the 70s and 80s—now known as Yacht Rock—covering artists like Michael McDonald, Olivia Newton-John, Hall & Oats, and Air Supply. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

SIERRA FERRELL

March 10 at The Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. With her spellbinding voice and time-bending sensibilities, Sierra Ferrell makes music that’s as fantastically vagabond as the artist herself. 8pm. 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

FLOGGING MOLLY

March 11 at The Admiral, 2234 S 13th St. Features the Irish-American seven-piece Celtic punk band with Anti-Flag and Skinny Lister. 8pm. 402.706.2205.

—the admiral.com

FOLKLÓRICO

March 12 at Omaha South High School, 4519 S. 24th St. The Omaha Symphony teams up with El Museo Latino for an exploration of the music, dance, and traditions of a variety of Latin countries. Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez returns to lead the Orchestra in a concert that features works from composers from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Peru, and Brazil. El Museo Latino Executive Director Magdalena Garcia shares the stage with Lopez-Yañez to help guide audiences through the Folklorico works. Presented in English and Spanish. 2pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

SHOW ME THE BODY, JESUS PIECE, SWOL, ZULU

& TRIPP JONES

March 14 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The genre-defying punk trio headline this North American tour with a stacked group of openers. 8pm. 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

KANEKO & AKIHO

March 17—18 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Join the Omaha Symphony for an evening in honor of Omaha’s own world-renowned visual artist Jun Kaneko, recipient of the International Sculpture Center’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award. Features music by Beethoven (Fidelio), Mozart (The Magic Flute), and Puccini (Madame Butterfly). 7:30pm. 402.342.3836.

—omahasymphony.org

ROCK RESURRECTION TOUR

March 18 at Baxter Arena, 2425 S. 67th St. Features Skillet and Theory of a Deadman. 7pm. 402.554.6200.

—baxterarena.com

OBOE & ENGLISH HORN TRIO: MIDWEST PREMIERE OF PARABLE OF A STORMY SEA

ROGER CLYNE AND THE PEACEMAKERS

March 23 at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. As Clyne prepares to record his 11th studio album, he continues to transform his life experiences, inspirations, observations, and his own muses into timeless music. His blend of punk rock, country-western, and mariachi influences have made him, drummer PH Naffah, guitarist Jim Dalton, and bassist Nick Scropos —collectively known as Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers—one of America’s best live rock-n-roll bands. 8pm. 402.884.5353. —waitingroomlounge.com

TARTA RELENA

March 23 at Low End, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Far from wanting to create a stamp of the traditional and to define the Mediterranean, Relena wants to make a repertoire that goes from music of oral tradition to songs that in one way or another are related to the geographical area of the Mediterranean. 8pm. 402.341.7130 —bemiscenter.org

ELIZABETH REMEMBERED

March 25 at the at the Strauss Performing Arts Center, 6305 University Dr. N. The Nebraska Brass Band presents a free concert of the “favourite melodies and hymns of Her Majesty the Queen” that span almost a century, including “Be Thou My Vision,” “Annie Laurie,” “I Vow to The My County,” “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep,” and popular classics from England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. 6:30pm—8:30pm. —nebraskabrassband.com

FRANK AND THE GREAT LADIES OF SONG

SUPER DIAMOND: THE MUSIC OF NEIL DIAMOND

March 10—11 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Pop-rock outfit Super Diamond joins Ernest Richardson and the Omaha Symphony for a tribute to the internationally beloved pop icon, Neil Diamond. The band has garnered recognition and popularity with the singer’s fanbase as they bring life to classic favorites like “Sweet Caroline,” “America,” and “Forever in Blue Jeans” while the Symphony lends a new depth to Diamond’s music with rich orchestrations. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

March 19 at Vesper Concerts, 1517 S. 114th St. Dr. Sara Renner, Dr. Alyssa Morris, and Dr. Heather Baxter will join together for the Midwest premiere of Alyssa Morris’s composition “Parable of a Stormy Sea,” and other incredible repertoire for this woodwind trio. 3pm. 402.333.7466. —vesperconcerts.org

ERIC BELLINGER: THE OBSESSION TOUR

March 22 at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Features the Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter. 8pm. 402.884.5353. —waitingroomlounge.com

March 25—26 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Broadway brass meets old-school class in a fresh take on songbook classics with award-winning vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Tony DeSare. Hear timeless classics made famous by legendary singers like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Eydie Gormé. Featured songs include “This Could Be the Start of Something Big,” “Love Is Here to Stay,” “Come Fly With Me,” “Hallelujah I Love Him So,” “Night and Day,” “The Lady Is A Tramp,” “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” “New York, New York,” and more. 2pm & 7:30pm. 402.345.0606. —ticketomaha.com

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

BIRTHDAY CONCERT

March 26 at St. Cecilia Cathedral, 715 N. 40th St. Celebrate JS Bach’s birthday with a concert of music for choir, instruments, soloists, and organ presented by St. Cecilia Cathedral Choir with Dr. Marie Rubis Bauer, director, and Dr. Michael J. Emmerich, organ. 3pm. 402.558.3100.

—cathedralartsproject.org

TITUS ANDRONICUS

March 28 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. With their seventh studio album, revered rock institution Titus Andronicus invites listeners on a journey from fear to faith, from anger to acceptance, from grief to gratitude, chasing the mythical ideal of ultimate rock. 8pm. 402.345.7569. —theslowdown.com

LOS TEMERARIOS

April 1 at Liberty First Credit Union Arena, 7300 Q. St., Ralston. Features the Mexican Grupera band from Fresnillo, Zacatecas. 8pm. 402.934.9966.

—libertyfirstcreditunionarena.com

WINDBORNE’S THE MUSIC OF LED ZEPPELIN

April 1 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Conductor Brett Havens, vocalist Randy Jackson, and Windborne Music return to the Holland Center for a performance of their hit show. Havens and the band join the Omaha Symphony to bring symphonic arrangements of classics like “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” and “Good Times, Bad Times” to life—complete with a rock-concert light show. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

FLOYD NATION

April 6 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Experience Pink Floyd the way true fans want it. Floyd Nation is a U.S.-based Pink Floyd Tribute Band that performs all of the fans’ favorite hits from the vast collection of Pink Floyd albums such as The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Division Bell. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

KALI MALONE

April 6 at Holy Family Community Center, 1715 Izard St. Pipe organ performance featuring Kali Malone’s compositions from her critically acclaimed album ’The Sacrificial Code’, a major work featuring canonic pipe organ pieces with profound emotional resonance. 8pm. 402.341.7130

—bemiscenter.org

LORDS OF ACID, AESTHETIC PROJECTION & PRAGA KAHN

April 7 at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. The Belgian/American electronic dance music (EDM) group led by musician Praga Khan is best known for making songs with sexual lyrics and sexually explicit tracks. 402.884.5353. —waitingroomlounge.com

CELTIC WOMEN

April 12 at the Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Traditional Irish music with a modern twist and an all-female ensemble. The repertoire ranges from traditional Celtic tunes to modern songs. 7pm. 402.661.8501.

—ticketsmarter.com

GRACE KELLY

April 14 at the Holland Performing Arts Center

| Holland Music Club, 1200 Douglas St. An unequivocal musical prodigy, singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer, and band leader Grace Kelly has rocked the jazz world with her inventive and irresistible electro jazz-pop fusion. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

ELI LEV

April 21 at the Dubliner Pub, 1205 Harney St. The singer-songwriter and global citizen is making the world a smaller place, one song at a time. Lev pens lyrics and melodies for everyday enlightenment—songs that resonate because they’re heartfelt, earthy, and offer the wisdom he’s gained through lifelong travel and self-discovery. 9:30pm. 402.342.5887.

—dublinerpubomaha.com

VIPER

April 22 at Elmwood Pavillion, 808 S. 60th St. Features a performance by the rapper and music track maker. 7pm.

—tixel.com

THE TEMPTATIONS

KANE BROWN: DRUNK OR DREAMING TOUR

April 15 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. The American singer stops in Omaha on this leg of his massive international tour with special guests Dustin Lynch & Locash. 7pm. 402.341.1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

ANCIENT AIRS & DANCES

April 16, at the Strauss Performing Arts Center, 6305 University Dr. N. The Omaha Symphony leans into loofking back, with masterclasses in neo-classical writing by Respighi, Prokofiev, and Brahms, while Principal Timpani Jack Rago steps forward for his Omaha Symphony solo debut. 2pm. 402.342.3836.

—omahasymphony.org

POST ANIMAL

April 17 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The American psychedelic rock band formed in 2014 in Chicago and consists of Dalton Allison (bass/ vocals), Jake Hirshland (guitar/keyboard/vocals), Javi Reyes (guitar/vocals), Wesley Toledo (drums/ vocals), and Matt Williams (guitar/vocals). 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

CHUCHO VALDÉS QUARTET

April 20 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Founder of the landmark ensemble Irakere and winner of six Grammy and three Latin Grammy Awards, the Cuban pianist, composer, and arranger Chucho Valdés is the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

April 22—23 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Fresh off of celebrating their 60th anniversary, The Temptations join the Omaha Symphony for a night of classic Motown hits, soulful voices, serenades, and harmonies. Ernest Richardson and the Omaha Symphony provide the perfect musical canvas for this long-beloved group to showcase hits like ”My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and “The Way You Do The Thing You Do.” 2pm & 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

HOCKEY DAD, THE RED PEARS & GYMSHORTS

April 23 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Features Australian surf rock band from Windang, New South Wales, Australia with band members drummer Billy Fleming and vocalist and guitarist Zach Stephenson. 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

AUGUST BURNS RED

April 26 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The Grammy-nominated American metalcore band from Lancaster, PA, features lead guitarist John Benjamin “JB” Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Jake Luhrs, and bassist Dustin Davidson. 7:30pm. 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

TENCI

April 27 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Features the Chicago-based musicians for this one-night show. 8pm. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

BERNSTEIN, RAVEL & TCHAIKOVSKY

April 28—29 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Hailed by the New York Times as “an interpretive dynamo,” newly named Music Director of the Virginia Symphony Eric Jacobsen makes his Omaha Symphony debut leading a program filled with fun and delight. Includes: Bernstein (Overture to Candide), Ravel (Piano Concerto in G Major) and Tchaikovksy (Symphony No. 1). 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

SING OMAHA CHORAL CONCERT

April 30 at St. Cecilia Cathedral, 715 N. 40th St. Features an afternoon of beautiful choral music presented by the Sing Omaha choirs in the vaulted acoustics of St. Cecilia Cathedral. 3pm. 402.558.3100.

—cathedralartsproject.org

FOR KING AND COUNTRY

April 30 at Baxter Arena, 2425 S. 67th St. Features the Christian pop duo composed of Australian brothers, Joel and Luke Smallbone. 7pm. 402.554.6200.

—baxterarena.com

» family & morE «

LEAP! NATIONAL DANCE COMPETITION

Mach 3—5 at Iowa Western Community College, 2700 College Rd., Council Bluffs, IA. Features a weekend of dance, fun, and excitement. 800.790.5327.

—leapcompetition.com

A GENERATION OF HOPE: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE HEARTLAND

Through Sept. 3 at the Children’s Museum, 500 S 20th St. A celebration of the Indigenous People of the Heartland. Explore the history and culture of area first persons through examples of traditional housing, languages, and through the tradition of storytelling, and the cultural significance of nature and the burr oak. 402.342.6164.

—thechildrensmuseum.org

MAGICAL SCIENCE

Through April 16 at the Children’s Museum, 500 S 20th St. Explore the magic of science and then see how it all works; lose your head with an optical illusion, learn about kinetic energy while soaring across a zip line, and more in the interactive world where science and magic meet. 402.342.6164.

—thechildrensmuseum.org

QUAD CON OMAHA COMIC & TOY SHOW

March 4—5 at Oak View Mall, 3001 S. 144th St. This free celebration of pop culture features video game tournaments, cosplay contest, artists, and lots of vendors full of geeky goodness. —quadcitycon.com

OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL

March 7—12 at Aksarben Cinema, 2110 S. 67th St., Aksarben Village. The 18th annual event showcases over 100 films during its yearly event. Selected from an average of close to 1000 annual entries that come in from around the world, the festival offers a wide variety of independent cinema choices that include regional and world premier films as well as advanced screenings of films that have already attracted wider distribution. Narrative features, documentaries, short films, and animated shorts are screened during the week-long festival, with a special section for Nebraska-made films.

—omahafilmfestival.org

DISNEY ON ICE: ROAD TRIP ADVENTURES

March 9—12 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Exciting twists and turns await as Mickey and Minnie embark on a wild ride to everyone’s favorite Disney destinations. 402.341.1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

FULL MOON HIKE: WORM MOON

March 10 at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. N. How is the forest different after the sun goes down? How does the full moon affect nocturnal animals? The program will include an educational discussion of the nocturnal animals around the Forest and a brief talk into the lore of full moons. The guided hike will proceed after the discussion. 6:30pm—8:30pm. 402.731.3140. —fontenelleforest.org

THE STINKY CHEESE MAN & OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES

March 10—26 at the Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. What do you get when you take fairy tale classics and turn them on their heads? How about the Ugly Duckling growing up to be A Really Ugly Duck, Cinderella snubbing Rumpelstiltskin or The Princess kissing a frog only to end up with a mouthful of slime. Based on the award-winning book, don’t miss this hilarious parody sure to crack up kids and parents alike. 402.345.4849.

—rose theater.org

FIREFLY

Mar. 28—April 8 at the Rose Theater, 2001

Farnam St. Join Park Ranger Glow on an adventure in the woods! Audiences will hear crickets, sit on moss, smell the pines and be immersed in gentle darkness so the fireflies can finally come out and play. Featuring shadow puppetry and sensory-filled moments of audience interaction, Firefly transports children to a place of wonder and beauty. 402.345.4849.

—rosetheater.org

FULL MOON HIKE: PINK MOON

April 7 at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. N. How is the forest different after the sun goes down? How does the full moon affect nocturnal animals? The program will include an educational discussion of the nocturnal animals around the Forest and a brief talk into the lore of full moons. The guided hike will proceed after the discussion. 8pm—10pm. 402.731.3140.

—fontenelleforest.org

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: VIEW FROM ABOVE

April 11 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Step back, about 220 miles from Earth, and experience our planet from a new perspective with pilot and astronaut Terry Virts. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET

April 14—30 at the Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. Curious, energetic, and talkative CJ spends his Sundays with his Nana, who moves through the busy bustle of the big city at a decidedly different drumbeat. After the Reverend at Nana’s church challenges CJ to “see with more than eyes,” he starts to discover that there’s more to witness on their weekly bus trip down the city’s main thoroughfare than he ever realized before. With colorful characters and big-city beats, CJ gains new perspective on his neighbors as they travel to the “Last Stop on Market Street.” 402.345.4849.

—rosetheater.org

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

March 12 starting downtown at Harney St. The local AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) division hosts the city’s annual St. Paddy’s Day parade. Usually on the Saturday before March 17th, the festivities include floats and walking groups. 3pm—5pm.

—facebook.com/AOHOmaha

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: T. REX RISES

Mach 28 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. How did T. rex become the iconic apex predator of North America 67 million years ago? Join paleontologist Dr. Lindsay Zanno for a fascinating look at the evolution of this prehistoric tyrant and its ancestors. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

THE SOUND OF MUSIC JR.

April 22 at Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St. A presentation of the full production musical show of the classic story in a condensed version. 5pm. 402.991.4333

—stayhappening.com

Event times and details are correct as of presstime, but are subject to change.

MOLDING A MESSAGE

OMAHA ARTIST JESS BENJAMIN ILLUSTRATES AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS IN CERAMICS

Growing up in Cozad, Nebraska, ceramics artist Jess Benjamin honed her powers of observation watching streams of water flow down the turn rows on her fa mily’s farm.

That keen eye served her well. Good artists, after all, are good observers.

But her upbringing on the 100th meridian the boundary between the rainy eastern U.S. and the drier western plains gave Benjamin something else that has proven invaluable to her work: a unique perspective that’s spurred her to confront, head on, the looming reality of a world without water.

In large-scale ceramics, Benjamin, now based in Omaha, creates haunting visions of extreme drought. Her work largely concerns water usage on the Great Plains, which relies heavily on the underground Ogallala Aquifer to support crops and livestock. Experts say demand on the Ogallala is outpacing the aquifer’s ability to replenish itself a problem that’s due to worsen as climate change drives record-breaking drought and heat.

“[Water] is a basic part of all life, and how civilizations treat water in their time periods determines if they’re going to survive,” Benjamin said. “We’ve seen the collapse of many of society’s civilizations due to lac k of water.”

Benjamin’s work tackles an imposing issue on a proportionately imposing scale. Take one of her pieces: “Hoover Dam Intake Towers.” The piece consists of two 8-foottall towers made of fired clay, meant to depict four real-life structures standing in Lake Mead, the man-made reservoir formed by Hoover Dam.

The actual intake towers which stand almost 400 feet tall take in lake water, which then is used to generate hydroelectric power within the dam. Historically, with the lake at capacity, the towers have remained mostly submerged.

But in recent years, as the water level in the lake drops, more and more of the towers are bei ng exposed.

“It’s an object that really shouldn’t be seen,” Benjamin explained. “Right now, Lake Mead is a little over 200 feet below capacity at the intake towers. From the Omaha perspective, that’s the same size as the St. Cecilia Cathed ral towers.”

Other pieces reflect the water crisis closer to home. Several of Benjamin’s works feature recreations of the 180,000 “jackstones” that line the water-facing side of the Kingsley Dam at Lake McConaughy. The 800-pound stones, which resemble the six-pointed children’s toy, were placed as an interlocking layer of protection at the face of the dam, meant to guard against erosion at the time of its construction in the early 1940s.

Like the Hoover Dam intake towers, the jackstones were underwater for decades hidden from view until the waters of Lake McConaughy receded during a serious drought that be gan in 2002.

“The jackstone and the intake tower are two objects that my audience likely has no clue what they are,” Benjamin noted. “Yet, they can get a sense of what I’m talking about just by the way that these objects are bre aking down.”

Clay, Benjamin explained, is the perfect medium with which to tell the story of an impending water crisis. The parallels are clear: an artist takes dry clay, adds water, sculpts it into a desired shape, and the n dries it.

“So, it’s controlling drought,” Benjamin said. “I think that speaks metaphorically to making work about water and drought. Using the most natural material you can, taking it through the process that our environment is going through, and creating an artifact that’s going to last through all droughts.”

It’s also a medium that allows her to take advantage of the patience and quiet attention to detail that she developed on the farm.

“Us farm kids are taught at an early age to be observant of your environment you’re constantly watching for changes, whether that’s with your animals or with the grass that you grow,” she said. “[Clay] requires me to watch it constantly. And I enjoy watching clay dry. Always have, my whole life.”

Benjamin’s work has been featured in solo exhibitions in Omaha, Lincoln, and elsewhere around the country. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, several of her pieces found a home at the Amarillo Museum of Art in Amar illo, Texas.

Ultimately, Benjamin hopes her work motivates people to engage with the ongoing discussion about water conservation. Yes, it’s an environmental imperative, she said. But it’s a message that, for her, also strikes at someth ing deeper.

“My work is so personal because it’s about where I’m from,” she said. “Water is our most precious commodity in Nebraska. I can think about it, put it out there for others to think about, and I know it’ll make a positive impact, even if they don’t like my work, because it’s still going to get them thinking about water.”

Visit

MY WORK IS SO PERSONAL BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT WHERE I’M FROM. WATER IS OUR MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITY IN NEBRASKA. I CAN THINK ABOUT IT, PUT IT OUT THERE FOR OTHERS TO THINK ABOUT, AND I KNOW IT’LL MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.”

FRAME AT A TIME

How Abiola Kosoko Rendered Success

ONE NIGHT DURING THE SUMMER OF 2005, ABIOLA KOSOKO SPENT 22 CONSECUTIVE HOURS LEARNING THE INS AND OUTS OF ADOBE PHOTOSHOP. HE HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE HIGH SCHOOL AND HAD BEEN ACCEPTED AT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE PLANNED TO FOCUS ON GRAPHIC DESIGN AND SPANISH.

et, Kosovo’s interests were multi-faceted.

“I really wanted to become good at Photoshop. I wanted to edit my own photos, create logos, and be able to create basically whatever I visualized,” he shared on his website. “I am not too good with pen and paper, so I wanted the computer to become my medium.”

Almost 20 years later, Kosoko, now 35, has achieved that goal and much more besides. The graphic designer, photographer, freelancer, and occasional DJ sat down with Omaha Magazine before leaving for Wyoming, where he would be taking headshots for FNBO’s latest branch. Kosoko landed the plumb position as the bank’s full-time photographer in December 2021 while bolstering his freelance portfolio with projects for Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, ESPN, Flatwater Free Press, Michelob Ultra, and Terence Bud Crawford, a mong others.

That list speaks to Kosoko’s success and how hard he’s worked to achieve it.

He credits his father and older brother, Dayo, for inculcating a deep love of photography during his e arly years.

“Our dad got us interested. He was always taking pictures,” the multimedia specialist recounted. “Anytime we’d go to D.C. to visit family, he’d be snapping photos.”

Kosoko determined to follow a career in graphic design following college graduation, though the creative processes inherent in photography held strong appeal. He fiddled with images taken with a Nikon Coolpix camera, and watched tutorials on YouTube, to master the photo editing process.

“I learned how to manipulate edit for design,” he said. Kosoko eventually purchased a Sony A7 camera, which often run over $2,500 a hefty purchase that demonstrated his commitment to the craft.

“You can spend a lot on lenses and gear,” he shared. “Photography adds up, and it’s not cheap. For three to five years, I used only one camera body and one lens.”

He did not, however let the paucity of specialized equipment limit him.

“I did so much with them,” he said. “I photographed two fights with Bud Crawford. That was next level.”

While learning the finer points of photography on his own, Kosoko’s degree in graphic design served him well. He did marketing and design work for Creighton’s Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs department and served as the director of marketing and recruitment for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands, before making the leap to Firs t National.

Regardless of the positions he’s held, he always found himself returning to images taking them, editing them, manipulating them and in 2012, he took the plunge into the unpredictable world of freelancing. He named the business Demo Lives a play on the word ‘demo’ as well as his middle na me, Ademola.

“I just wanted to be a photographer full time, but I wasn’t prepared for it,” he confessed.

The contracts he garnered weren’t enough to make ends meet, and the equipment required to do jobs at an elite level proved too costly.

“It was really tough,” Kosoko reflected. “It was a humbling experience. But it was also a good exploratory experience. I never want to go through 2012 again.”

During this period, Kosoko learned what kind of photography he didn’t want to do. Focusing on taking generic static portraits of school students and families was less than rewarding. Instead, he prefers creating portraits with a narrative quality that inform the viewer about the subject.

“It’s not just about taking a photo,” Kosoko explained. “It’s about building a relationship. I like telling stories through pictures. It’s like reading; you process the story through the photo. I like to ask people what they want to capture, and I love setting the scene around people and their environments, so you have an idea of who they are.”

Kevin Kabore, a digital creator with Noddle Companies, first met Kosoko in 2020 while a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and briefly interned with him prior to COVID lockdowns. Kosoko was impressed by the young man’s work and continued to mentor him–and eventually collaborated together on a number of projects.

“I really think Abiola is a trendsetter,” Kabore observed. “He’s not only navigating to overcome challenges, but he’s doing it at such a high level. And he’s better than anyone I know at making everyday people who don’t like to be photographed smile. Whether it’s for a headshot or an event, he sees and is able to capture the beauty in the person.”

Two years ago, Kosovo’s tireless dedication and distinctive approach finally made it possible to do what he love s full-time.

He feels living in Omaha was a major factor in making that transition. His first attempt at full-time photography had involved working in places like Los Angeles, D.C., and New York City. But Omaha was where he was able to make his dream reality.

“There, a lot of the jobs were about who you know. Omaha is really easy to come to and build a sustainable career. I left, but I feel better in Omaha, and I can still do national jobs. That’s why I’m happy being here.”

Visit demolives.com for more information.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT TAKING A PHOTO. IT’S ABOUT BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP. I LIKE TELLING STORIES THROUGH PICTURES. IT’S LIKE READING; YOU PROCESS THE STORY THROUGH THE PHOTO.” -AB IOLA KOSOKO

JD Mossberg’s Talent for Harmony

Inspires and Unites

of

CHORDS COMMUNITY

ike any city of its size, Omaha has its ambassadors; world-class athletes like Terrence “Bud”Crawford, breakthrough musicians in Bright Eyes and 311, and of course, the auger of fortune himself, Warren Buffett. And just like other cities, there exists a strata of celebrity familiar to residents alone a layer occupied by figures less bound to histor y, but lore.

From the “Orange Lady” (Lucile Schaaf) of Lucile’s Old Market, the ubiquitous “Rose Guy”(Dean Battiato) of the Benson bar scene, to the beloved “Broom Man” (Rev. Livingston Wills) soon to be memorialized in bronze by sculptor John Lajba such personalities are unique to, and thus help define our community. Through them, oral tradition is revived their meremention spring-loaded with anecdotes; shared, singularly Omaha experiences that trail these unique, at times inscrutable, personalities.

Though he doesn’t have a descriptive epithet (yet), for many Omahans, 42-year-old JD Mossberg fulfills this unifying role. Precocious and kind, his regular on-foot pilgrimages along Dodge Street as far east as Saddle Creek, to westward of Beverly Hills Plaza have earned him many friends and patrons in the area.

“I have friends at various and a lot of places,” JD beamed. “And they are l ike family.”

As somebody with William’s Syndrome a rare genetic condition not only characterized by cognitive difficulties, but heightened levels of empathy and friendliness JD delights in establishing and maintaining relationships. His innate charm aside, there’s another, perhaps lesser known gift conferred by his condition: extraordinary musical ability.

“A lot of those kids with William’s Syndrome are very musical that part of their brain is really highly developed,” said JD’s mother, Ann Mossberg. “The place where he went for daycare, he sat down and was playing the piano, and that was the first that I knew that he was musically inclined.”

In pre-pandemic years, JD’s public performances were more commonplace frequently spotted at the bench of Von Maur’s grand piano, fingers gliding over pearly keys. As if under a trance, his expressive, congenial features would soften, and he’d begin to play. Ethereal chords fanned across the marble floors, in places sonorous and stormy, in others purling and gentle. Listeners could be forgiven for thinking that the sweet, intricate notes had been written by a classical master; obscure Bach or Chopin stanzas, memorized and sequenced. However, the truth is even more remarkable: despite sounding like carefully at times ingeniously arranged musical notation, JD’s performances are improvised.

On what inspires his playing, JD explained, “In outer space, there’s this music that is so inspiring that it makes me learn [...] In several miles up from here, in outer space, there’s music I would like to write about the shiny lights up there. The earth that’s moving in outer space, the stars glowing lik e an angel.”

“It sounds classical,” Ann added, “but he makes up stuff. When he was younger and he first started doing that, we thought ‘oh my gosh, that’s really pretty w hat is it?’”

Divinely inspired or otherwise, faith is important to JD. He’s grown to become an integral member of the parish at Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Church, where his personality andtalents are widely celebrated.

“A lot of chords, a lot of pedal action crescendos...he kind of loses himself in it...like, he goes to a different place.” noted Mary Kelly, the parish’s front desk manager and Mossberg fa mily friend.

“I don’t want to say he’s zoned out, because he’s not. It just sort of takes over and comes out of his hands, which is really fascinating.

“I don’t want to say he has any deficits, because he doesn’t he’s just JD,” Kelly continued, “but the fact that there are people who study and take music classes and have above-average IQs and can’t do what JD can do...it’s definitely a huge gift.”

Beyond his musical talents, JD is valued for his volunteerism and his protective, caring nature. He’s known to patrol the church parking lot during large events, and has even warded off attempted ca r break-ins.

In years past, JD brushed against entities of an altogether more sinister quality; in July 2018 he discovered Neo-Nazi literature in one of Omaha’s Little Free Libraries near Saint Margaret Mary’s, and promptly sounde d the alarm.

“Whoever [is] doing this better know that our neighborhood doesn’t stand for the Swastika or Nazis or evil,” he told WOWT News at the time.

“He looked in our library and there was some Nazi propaganda, [and] he started yelling, ‘Mrs. Kelly call the police!’” recalled Kelly. “So now he rides his bike around and checks all the Little Libraries in the neighborhood, just to make sure there’s nothing bad in there. He has a strong sense of justice...and he just cares about everybody.

“He’s just a great guy, you know? There’s not much not to love about JD.”

Outside of church, JD keeps busy in the greater community participating in the Nebraska Special Olympics, volunteering for the fire department (his favorite), and working at Outback Steakhouse.

Musically, his public performances have taken a back seat to recording and producing though he does still occasionally play with the band Minor Detail at Jam’s Midtown. He’s already completed a multi-track album centered around traversing the high seas, wherein JD supplies keys, percussion, and vocals. He’s presently working on his sophomore album, this time with themes of space exploration.

“People better be ready for a big shocker. Well, it is history in the making,” JD said of being profiled for Omaha Magazine. “That’s right, I made history. I want [the readers] to know I just want them to show support for Omaha I want them to know about Omaha.”

Visit

“

I want [the readers] to know I just want them to show support for Omaha—I want them to know about Omaha.”

-JD Mossberg

A MASTER OF RADIO ENTERTAINMENT

JASON SPICOLI SPEAKS LIFE INTO 98.5 AND THE METRO

Jason Spicoli knew that he wanted to be a radio host since he was 15 years old. The determination and passion required to reach the sound booth had been sown much earlier, however. Spicoli spent his early childhood listening to his favorite radio station, Sweet 98.5, while he “built character” doing odd jobs for his father, an honest and hardworking tradesman. Spicoli received tried-and-true advice from his dad; a lesson that many blue-collar parents impart to their children: “If you don’t want to do what I do when you grow up, fi nd a passion, get educated, and work as hard as you can for that goal.”

Taking his father’s wisdom to heart, Spicoli’s career began with a program at Central High School. He signed up for a radio and television class, which was held in the old tech building across from t he school.

“I dipped my feet in the water with that program. They taught me the essential basics of radio, and considering it was a jazz station…technically I was a jazz radio host during my career.”

After securing his diploma, Spicoli attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha—but quickly found the program unsuitable for his ambitions. It was during his third semester at UNO that a friend suggested the radio program at Iowa Western Community College. “Iowa Western in Council Bluff s?” he’d balked.

Typical of those residing west of the Missouri, Spicoli had been steeped in negative stereotypes about Council Bluff s. However, after surveying the campus for himself, Spicoli came to realize the program at Iowa Western was ideal for a person looking to make waves in local airspace. Spicoli reveled in the beauty of the campus, the kindness of the professors, and the state-of-the-art equipment sequestered away in humble Fort Dodge, Iowa.

“I DIPPED MY FEET IN THE WATER WITH THAT PROGRAM. THEY TAUGHT ME THE ESSENTIAL BASICS OF RADIO, AND CONSIDERING IT WAS A JAZZ STATION…TECHNICALLY I WAS A JAZZ RADIO HOST DURING MY CAREER.”

-JASON SPICOLI

picoli and his classmates were slotted for two times, each week, to run and host an hour-long session on 89.7 The River, Iowa Western’s radio station—the metro’s “cutting edge of rock” since 1996. A typical broke college student, he would ask his mother for five or 10 bucks a week to buy more time on the air.

“I would pay other students to take their shifts. You weren't supposed to do that, but I didn’t care. Whatever it takes to be on the radio, I’m going to be better than everyone here,” Spicoli recalled. “I just want to get better at this so I can be on the radio forever.”

His drive and mentality were reflected in his performance at Iowa Western. Spicoli explained that C’s and D’s were enough for him while enrolled in the generalized, mandatory curriculum. After his arrival at the radio program, Spicoli received straight A’s for the duration of his undergraduate education. Upon graduation, Spicoli landed an internship with KEZO’s Todd N Tyler, a legendary Omaha radio duo syndicated throughout the region. After two months under their tutelage, an afternoon slot opened at The River, which he applied for and was awarded. Spicoli remained at The River for 18 years, until his transfer to Sweet 98.5 in the fall of 2022.

“You know, it’s hard. You want to stay loyal to your company and the friends that you developed, but also you want to grow,” he reflected wistfully. “I grew up listening to Sweet 98—this was the moment. Th is is why

I got into radio, because of this station. I needed to come over here and see what I could do. Ultimately, it was the right move.”

Sweet 98.5 was facing a period of decline when Spicoli was brought on. Eluding specifics, Spicoli said, “It was bad.” He and his co-host, Nikki Oswald, infused Sweet 98.5 with fresh enthusiasm and vivacity, hauling the station to #2 on the charts in less than a year—a herculean feat rarely accomplished in radio.

Neil Nelkin, a Nebraska Radio Hall of Fame member, offered insight into how Spicoli and his co-host were able to turn around the station in record time:

“He relates to the audience in a very intimate, personal way. He understands them and he fulfi lls their needs,” Nelkin said.

Th is style of hosting—engaging with listeners in a real, multi-faceted way—is what Spicoli strives to achieve. To him, the audience is the most important person. He plans and prepares each segment while envisioning a single person driving down the freeway on their way to work.

“I just want to help them start the day on the right foot. Whether it’s through humor, the music, or something that the listener can relate to, I simply aim to make their day better, that’s the whole point for me,” Spicoli said.

“Connecting with the listeners is the absolute best part of my job.”

Visit sweet985.com, 1019thekeg.com, and Jason Spicoli’s social media pages for more information.

“WHETHER IT’S THROUGH HUMOR, THE MUSIC, OR SOMETHING THAT THE LISTENER CAN RELATE TO, I SIMPLY AIM TO MAKE THEIR DAY BETTER, THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT FOR ME.” -JASON SPICOLI

JOEL GREEN UNEARTHS HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY IN A FORGOTTEN CAVE

ike a lot of people living in Nebraska, I’d never heard of Lincoln’s Robber’s Cave the very naiveté Joel Green, a school teacher turned historian, laments. I met him to tour the site, along with visitors from across the country, at an unassuming event hall in downtown Lincoln.

One would never guess by the polished, contemporary architecture that a cave containing hundreds of years of history opened directly below. Yet, tourists from Idaho, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Missouri filled out my group in compliance with local fire code, the tours are limited to 30 individuals per hour-long outing. Still, I was surprised to learn I may well have been the only Omaha resident in tow.

“Cave tours are everyday, and most of the visitors come from out of town and out of state. They find Robber’s Cave Tours on Google, Trip Advisor, Yelp, and are drawn to the 5-Star reviews,” Green explained. “It doesn’t surprise me that many locals might not have heard of the cave because it was a vacant, dilapidated property for decades.”

As awareness has spread, the 5,000-squarefoot cave has garnered intrigue from outside the state, even internationally; Green listed people from Armenia, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Germany, and as far-flung as New Zealand as previous visitors. However, one could posit the apparent ignorance of the site by locals is feigned the cave purportedly hosted a number of underground (and unauthorized) keggers and concerts prior to receiving more vested academ ic scrutiny.

Thankfully, due to the site’s largely artificial mid-19th-century construction, there’s little concern regarding damage to the (distant) archaeolog ical record.

“There’s a lot of natural sandstone caves along rivers, but a lot of time they’re on private property,” Green noted. “Fifty miles to the south is Indian Cave State Park, and that’s really more like a big cliff because the cave portion was closed off long ago because of the Native American petroglyphs. If we were to ever find Native American petroglyphs in the cave, I think it would be closed off.”

Returning to the tour, I found myself quickly immersed by the site’s history as our group entered the cave proper. Every square inch of the cavern’s soft, Dakota sandstone walls are carved with symbols, signatures, band names, an Egyptian sphinx with an appropriately eroded nose, and curiously common, word puzzles.

The mouth of the cave is naturally formed, but a large section was hand-carved by a German immigrant named Jakob Andrä between the years 1869 and 1873. This man-made cavern was first utilized by Lincoln’s inaugural brewing company the short-lived Pioneer Brewery, established in 1869 before housing a revolving door of enterprises, both seedy and benign.

Green pulled out a tablet and showed the crowd images of people decades ago, partying and having fun, contrasted by a muted image of novelist Willa Cather exploring the cave. Having published the Nebraska Book Award-winning Robber’s Cave: Truths, Legends, Recollections in 2019, Green spoke of Robber’s Cave with an author’s enthusiasm and expertise; from urban myths surrounding outlaw Jesse James, to historical facts regarding the cave’s use as a brothel, a hideout for eponymous horse thieves, and even a subterranean daycare.

This history piqued the interest of Dan Patton, a film producer from Tennessee. On his way back home from a roadtrip with his wife, they heard rumor of Robber’s Cave and decided to make a detour to Lincoln. What Patton saw astounded him enough to steel the resolve for his n ext project.

“[There’s] a lot of folklore and history in stone…and sandstone,” Patton said. “A lot of different facets to the cave, whether you’re a historian, ghost chaser, or underground person who loves unique things. There’s pretty much something there for everyone i n the cave.”

“Dan was really dumbfounded and couldn’t believe that there hadn’t been at least a documentary made about the cave.” Green said. “There were a lot of offers, but just nothing ever came to fruition. A lot of people would come through saying, ‘can we make a documentary,’ but he was the first [to commit]. They pulled up with their RVs full of 4k cameras and spent the week here shooting in the cave. Some days we were down there from 7a.m. to 1a.m., but it was a l ot of fun.”

The documentary has reached the post-production stage, and release details are set to be announced in the near future.

Between Green’s 2019 book, the site’s naming to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020, and the upcoming documentary, Robber’s Cave is all but certain to attract an increasing volume of spelunkers and history enthusiasts from across the globe. If there were ever a time to enjoy this Nebraska spectacle as a local, it’s now.

“This is a full-time job. I travel the Midwest and promote the cave as best I can, but unlike most tourist attractions that receive advertising dollars from the state, I get social media and word of mouth,” Green said. “That is why winning Nebraska’s 2022 Outstanding Tourism Attraction of the Year was so fulfilling for me. Robber’s Cave is unique enough that the more people that come to visit, the more people will come to visit.”

“There’s nothing else like it in t he state.”

Visit robberscavetours.com and robberscavebook.com for more information.

FROM URBAN MYTHS SURROUNDING OUTLAW JESSE JAMES, TO HISTORICAL FACTS REGARDING THE CAVE’S USE AS A BROTHEL, A HIDEOUT FOR EPONYMOUS HORSE THIEVES, AND EVEN A SUBTERRANEAN DAYCARE.

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

Clouds of algae drift on warm currents, blotting the tides a turquoise blue. Schooling fish meander in the wake, enticed by the abundance of food. Beneath the surface, spears of sunlight grow dull with depth; untouched by silhouette, something stirs. Bubbles rise from the dim, fluttering past fins, scales, and glossy eyes. A shark glides into view broad tale strokes quickening, the slow arc of its approach honed by churning water and widening jaws. Eyes rolling, the shark lunges; jerked bodily by instinct, it misses. Eddies of blood and foam swirl as the fish, including the shark, scatter all but

one, pinned and gasping between rows of conical teeth. Lying in ambush, a 30-foot-long marine reptile, a plesiosaur, has poached the shark’s kill. Swallowing the spoils whole, it dives…resurfacing among the arid hills of the Santee Sioux Reservation in Knox County, Nebraska, some 70 million y ears later.

Discovered in 2003 by amateur paleontologist Mike Baldwin, the “Baldwin plesiosaur” constitutes a landmark find, painting a clearer picture of a huge expanse of sea the Western Interior Seaway that once engulfed most o f the state.

While Nebraska hasn’t sustained a marine ecosystem since the Mesozoic Era, such prehistoric drama still carries insight for the state’s modern inhabitants. For instance, the deep gorges and ravines carved by the Western Interior Seaway determined the course of ancient rivers, which in turn carried runoff from the upheaval of the Rockies forming the bedrock and porous ‘saturation zone’ of the region’s most prized natural resource, the Ogallala (or High Plai ns) Aquifer.

NEBRASKA SQUARES OFF WITH COLORADO, SPURRED BY CHRONIC DROUGHT

Another reflection: during the late Cretaceous Period, Nebraska absorbed approximately 100 inches of rainfall annually; in drought-stricken 2022, precipitation barely averaged 17 inches statewide, marking the fourth lowest on record.

Perhaps most importantly, however, this scene renders a stark, primeval truth: that for time immemorial, scarcity invariably leads to conflict.

DIGG ING TRENCHES

“Colorado is looking to take our water,” declared then Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts during a legislative hearing last February, the chamber echoing with grave indignation. “If we don’t protect our water, we are undermining the very foundation of what our state economy is.”

At the time, Ricketts was drumming up support for LB 1015 a $500 million proposal to construct a canal one mile west of Ovid, Colorado, for funneling water into Nebraska during the crop irrigation offseason. Ricketts alleged Colorado’s explosive population growth, combined with the tenuous output of the Colorado River Basin, have the Centennial State scrambling to secure water from alternative sources, including those shared by the states.

Ricketts pointed to research authorized by the Colorado legislature in 2016, titled the “South Platte River Storage Study,” and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources’ scathing summary of its findings: “Colorado’s apparent interpretation of the Compact, is that without the Perkins County Canal, Colorado is allowed to reduce the South Platte River flows by approximately 90%.”

The clause referenced, and the legal lynchpin for what’s been dubbed the “Perkins County Canal Project,” lies earmarked in a century-old agreement between the governments, Article VI of the South Platte River Compact:

“[…]proposed canal shall be entitled to direct five hundred cubic feet [cfs] of water per second time from the flow of the river in the Lower Section[.]”

Since 1923, the Perkins County Canal has remained largely hypothetical beyond the determined, but ultimately doomed, construction effort that prompted its inclusion to begin with. That was until Nebraska officials learned their co-signatories had deemed South Platte flows “in excess of the minimum legally required amounts” owed to Nebraska Colorado showing little interest in diverting 500 cubic feet per second to a canal that, to be fair, doesn’t exist.

In response to Nebraska dusting off the 100-year-old treaty, Colorado Governor Jared Polis dismissed Nebraska’s action as “a misguided political stunt,” and warned he would “protect and aggressively assert” Colorado’s water rights.

Undeterred, 42 of the unicameral’s 49 delegates endorsed the bill in April 2022 likely emboldened by “reconnaissance-level analysis” from development agency ERA Economics, which appraised the Perkins Canal (and

adjoining storage facilities) capable of injecting a net present value (NPV) of up to $1.81 billion to Nebraska’s economy over a 50-year horizon. However, a more conservative estimate presented by Sacramento-based consulting firm Zanjero in 2023 capped the NPV at $986 million.

Critics on both sides of the state line suggest these returns are inflated, noting that the predictability of environmental, social, and regulatory factors is beyond the scope of such far-flung projections. Others believe Nebraska’s hawkish approach to water security should be holstered, favoring open discourse and interstate cooperation. Regardless, with $53.3 million in preliminary funding granted, and early timetables projecting a Q3 2032 completion date for the canal, it remains yet to be seen how and if Colorado will respond, legally or otherwise.

“When I saw that report, I buy that some of those benefits are potentially there,” acknowledged John Fershee, dean of Creighton University’s School of Law. “They seem awfully definitive to me, particularly given the fact we could run out of water at some point in five, 10 years, you know? But it’s certainly based on the assumption that the water’s actually going to get there. It says if 500 (cfs) of water comes from October 15 to April 1, these are the benefits and this the outcome. And then my question would be, how sure are you about that first ‘if’?”

Fershee’s skepticism is well placed, as the compact dictates the Perkins Canal “shall not constitute the basis for any claim to water necessary to supply all present and future appropriations in the [South Platte River Basin’s] Upper Section.”

In other words, Colorado is well within their legal rights to consume and withhold water anywhere upstream of Washington County’s western border, the canal’s existence notwithstanding. The aforementioned Zanjero consulting firm adjusted for this in their report, indicating a $184 million drop in value if Colorado utilized 50% of the available upper section flow ($802 million NPV). Many, including some lawmakers, don’t believe the canal will actually be completed viewing it as a bargaining chip in a high stakes game of water rights poker.

“One of the challenges for Nebraska is that the compact doesn’t even impact Denver,” Fershee explained. “It’s what happens after Denver. So, if that’s what we’re worried about, we’re not in a great spot right now nor are the farmers on the Colorado side post-Denver, right? And that’s ultimately going to be the negotiation.”

Before hitting the tenure track, Fershee practiced as an energy lawyer in Washington D.C., taking on cases related to natural gas and utilities on the federal level, while also serving on a regulatory council for renewable

YOU JUST HAVE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE WATER THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE -THAT’S WHERE PIVOT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS COME IN, AND SUBSURFACE DRIP. THEY DON’T REQUIRE NEAR AS MUCH WATER AS GRAVITY [I RRIGATION].”

-HOWARD BENJAMIN

energy integration. He’s well acquainted with the complex, often contentious nature of resource allocation.

“Anyone who tells you the solution is easy ‘build a canal,’ ‘don’t build a canal’ is not telling you the whole story,” he cautioned. “There’s a lot of nuance to this, this is a tough challenge. There’s a climate overlay to this, the drought overlay, all of those things make this difficult. The big thing for me is we’re going to be negotiating this over and over and over again because the world keeps changing around us, including the flow of

the rivers, the amount of population…so it seems to me that getting a good system of negotiation, working together while trying to protect your interests is the right balance, and I think that’s where we’re going to end up, five years after we build it or not.”

Fershee’s counsel holds true today, just as it did 100 years ago. When the Perkins County Canal initially conceived and attempted by residents of Perkins County in 1894 was revisited by Nebraska decades later, a salvo of lawsuits and statues ensued. However, when the smoke cleared, both parties found

themselves at the same place: the negotiating table. On April 27, 1923, representatives from both states convened in Lincoln, Nebraska, and signed what’s been seen as the first effective use of constitutional treaty power to broker interstate water interests: the South Platte River Compact.

Between its drafting last century and its application today, there’s a single element that permeates the recurrent conflict: drought.

HEATING UP

Visibility is zero, the atmosphere thick with robes of dust. Gusts reaching 70mph lash the barren terrain, kicking up plumes of debris; the howling winds encircle and devour all other sounds. There is no life here the world exists in a void, spinning and sputtering without a heartbeat. At last, the storm subsides; the towers of dust collapse in slow motion. People crowd around a grainy screen, flickering a new image they gasp, they laugh, they cheer. In parched river valleys, in dried up channels a 1,000 miles long, old theories choke and die. The year is 1971, and NASA’s Mariner 9 spacecraft has just transmitted the first clear photos of the Martian landscape and the first conclusive evidence that the planet once swelled with water.

A half-century later, and a 142 million miles away, Howard “Howdy” Benjamin peered over horn-rimmed sunglasses.

“What’s the first thing they look for?” posed the cattle rancher from Cozad, Nebraska. “They land on a new planet [and] see if there’s water because water m akes life.”

Coincidentally, Benjamin began raising livestock the same year the Mariner 9 launched into space, in 1971. Since then, his herd of cattle have grown substantially both at his own feedlot, and the facility he co-owns with fellow Cozad cattlemen. As one might expect, water requirements scaled accordingly.

“Yard capacity’s about 3,500 head, you turn it over a couple of times to get to that many,” he said of his home range. “Down in Darr Feedlot, there’s about 50,000 head down there [requires] at least 50 gallons [of water] per head per day in moderate temperatures.”

While the lots Benjamin oversees are rarely, if ever, at maximum capacity, that equates to roughly 225,000 gallons of water a day a tall order given present climate conditions.

According to climate data published by the U.S. Drought Monitor visually represented by maps, regularly updated to reflect drought conditions throughout the United States 99.78% of Nebraska was experiencing ‘moderate drought’ at the start of this calendar year, with 17.17% seeing ‘exceptional drought.’ Despite this blanket desiccation, agricultural producers in central Nebraska’s Platte River Valley (like Benjamin) aren’t nearly as affected as those nearer the state’s borders. Ease of access to groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer, wherein output varies greatly depending on substrate composition, is key though Benjamin acknowledges prolonged drought could complic ate matters.

“So far [the drought] has not affected the groundwater drought affects the surface water, in Nebraska, more than groundwater. Your streams and river just don’t have flow, the Platte anyway,” Bejamin explained. “We’re totally relying on groundwater. To get that groundwater up out of the ground, that takes electricity, and all that surface water is used initially to generate power.”

Still, between emerging technologies, environmental efforts, and Nebraska’s robust Natural Resource District (NRD) infrastructure, Benjamin remains optimistic.

“I think our NRDs are doing a really good job [making sure] we don’t run out of groundwater right now the surface water is what’s at jeopardy, and the only thing that will fix that is rain,” he said. “Your Natural Resource Districts, they have all the control of groundwater demand, and it’s up to them to make sure that any development is renewable. You can drill a livestock well [without a permit], low volume, but irrigation wells, no. You just have to be more efficient with the water that you currently have that’s where pivot irrigation systems come in, and subsurface drip. They don’t require near as much water as gravity [ir rigation].”

Jeff Buettner, government and public relations manager and a 35-year veteran of the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, paid the compliment in kind.

“Ag producers deserve a shout-out for what they’ve been able to do in terms of water conservation and improved irrigation efficiencie s,” he said.

Irrigation districts like CNPPID work closely with NRDs and other state agencies to monitor, distribute, and protect Nebraska’s water resources operating four hydroplants, including the behemoth Kingsly Dam, while maintaining the state’s largest reservoir in Lake McConaughy. Still, Buettner recognizes the precarious, potentially hazardous position imposed by reliance on groundwater development while surface flow is mitigated by extreme drought.

“In south-central Nebraska, our irrigated area, we have seen the drought result in increased demand for irrigation water, which definitely puts a stress on storage supplies in Lake McConaughy inflows to the reservoir this past water year were the fifth lowest in the history of Lake McConaughy, which went into operation in 1941. In fact, nine of the 10 lowest inflow years at Lake McConaughy have occurred since 2001,” Buettner warned. “Now, that said, there are other factors in play. Irrigation wells are much more numerous now than they were prior to the 1980s. This is important because the majority of inflows to Lake McConaughy come as return flows from irrigation projects in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. The wells intercept water that otherwise would have returned to the North Platte River and been captured behind Kingsley Dam.”

While Beuttner ceded that present circumstances are far from ideal, and sustainability in terms of groundwater recharge, surface water replenishment, and/or reservoir levels may be comprised if precipitation levels don’t stabilize in the years to come, he considers Colorado’s recent incursions a more immed iate threat.

ACCORDING TO CLIMATE DATA PUBLISHED BY THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR...99.78% OF NEBRASKA WAS EXPERIENCING ’ MODERATE DROUGHT’ AT THE START OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, WITH 17.17% SEEING ’ EXCEPTION AL DROUGHT.’

“Building the canal is essential to gaining the water for Nebraska as provided for in the compact. For context, the 500 cfs of flow is enough by itself to fill Lake McConaughy in about five or six years assuming, of course, that no water was let out of Lake McConaughy, which isn’t going to happen, but it helps show how much water Nebraska could gain,” Buettner said. “For every drop of water not coming down the South Platte into Nebraska, that same amount must be provided by the North Platte River and through Lake McConaughy. And we’ve already discussed the pressure that McConaughy is under during d ry periods.”

Unfortunately, anxieties and conflicts exacerbated by dry conditions are expected to continue this year. Taylor Nicolaisen, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service stationed at the Omaha/Valley forecast office, suggests that La Niña climate patterns developing in the Pacific Ocean will likely extend the dry spell.

“It's not just Nebraska and the Plain states [being affected]. The past eight years have been the hottest eight years on record for the globe,” he said. “With La Niña expected to wind down this spring or summer, that cooler Pacific water will subside and the global temp will probably climb even higher. We were so short on moisture in 2022, that even if we equaled our wettest winter on record, we still wouldn't erase those deficits.”

While Nebraska may be cushioned by its huge share of the Ogallalla Aquifer, its remains a finite resource and in an ever drier, ever thirstier world, it won’t last forever. Its people must reckon with the prospect of water insecurity come hell or high water.

“I always say it takes 10 years to screw Mother Nature nature up,” Benjamin said, “and 100 years to fix it.”

Visit droughtmonitor.unl.edu for more information.

WORK•SHOP CO-OWNERS

STEFAN DRINCIC (LEFT) AND TREY MATHEWS (RIGHT)

work•shop

WHERE VINTAGE AND UNDERGROUND

MEET THE STREETS

ON THE FRINGES OF THE OLD MARKET, IN AN ALLEY THAT CUTS FROM RED-BRICKED 12TH STREET TO THE METERED PAVEMENT OF 11TH, A STEEL DOOR LEADS UNDERGROUND. IN THICK, CURLING PRINT, A SINGLE WORD OVERLOOKS THE ENTRANCE: WORK•SHOP.

ur name, ‘work•shop,’ came from going to a hands-on creative class, a literal artistic workshop,” said store owner Trey Mathews. “We don’t want work•shop to [only] be a buy-selltrade sneaker store in five years, we want it to be a creative hub. Think of the ‘Do Space’ for clothing. We want to inspire people to start their own brands, learn how to screen print, learn how to photograph, how to market…”

“Since its inception, [work•shop] was always about more than buy-sell-trade,” added co-owner Stefan Drincic, eyes glinting behind clear-rimmed frames. “That’s what set the ship sailing, and we really want the ship to sail to all kinds of creat ive waters.”

Those sails officially unfurled with work•shop’s grand opening in October 2020 a brick-and-mortar aftermarket retailer centered around rarified sneakers such as Nike SB Dunks, Air Jordans, and Yeezy’s. However, the winds and currents that brought the then 23-year-olds to that point stretch much further back, the course anything but clear.

“I’ve seen "Space Jam” probably 300 times, maybe more,” Mathews confessed. “I would watch it every night when I was like, 6 or 7. I was Michael Jordan for Halloween for three years in a row. And it’s funny, I can hoop, but I don’t watch the NBA, I don’t follow statistics […] I like it for the stylistic freedom of expression and fun. So I guess my introduction to style really started with basketball, but skateboarding is equally important as influence.”

As legend would have it, Michael Jordan was fined $5,000 by the NBA every time he wore the Air Jordan 1’s the first celebrity-endorsed sneaker of its kind on court. While Nike is suspected of embellishing the tale for marketing purposes, this defiant image aligned traditional sports with urban wear’s other great influences: skate culture and hip-hop.

“I was really introduced to [fashion] through skating, and the clothes associated with skateboarders. It was a natural progression, and I eventually developed my own tastes,” Drincic recalled. “And then the way men comfortably expressed what they were into [with fashion], and being open about liking how they dressed, that was uniquely brought about by hip-hop […] and that really influenced my whole perspective [on fashion].”

Though their passions aligned from a young age, the duo wouldn’t formally connect until introduced by a mutual friend in 2018. Their chemistry was immediate, setting off a chain reaction of events that neither could’ve envisioned without the other.

“It’s almost like we’re married, like the joke is, we’re ‘partners,’” Mathews laughed. “We’ve got a lot of differences, we’ve got a lot of similarities. Our biggest benefit to how the business is run is our working relationship because nothing is off the table.”

“Feelings are never kept inside,” Drincic affirmed. “Uber transparency has helped our relationship in every aspect.”

Their relationship was first tested with an urban wear pop-up, stocked by a merger of their personal fashion collections. Nine pop-ups later, the pair were convinced they’d found a winning formula. The trick was convincing everyone else.

“I told my mom I was signing the lease with Stefan…and she said something like, ‘that’s the dumbest thing you could do. You could go to college for less than that,” Mathews remembered. “And I said, ‘yeah, but trust me, trust me…’”

“I thought I was going to go into research and medicine after college,” Drincic said. “And then I dropped out of college and was selling clothing out [of] the trunk of my car.”

As it turned out, Mathews and Drincic were onto something. They’ve since opened a second storefront focused on vintage clothing; the space swarms with color, reminiscent of London’s Leake Street tunnel thanks to local artist Tyler Emery.

“He does pop art and murals, and he collabs with the city of Omaha,” Mathews said of Emery. “He did one of their electrical boxes; the Millworks [Commons] had him do a mural over at their new spot. He did something for the Churro Truck. He does a bunch of small businesses.

“I WAS REALLY INTRODUCED TO [FASHION] THROUGH SKATING, AND THE CLOTHES ASSOCIATED WITH SKATEBOARDERS. IT WAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION, AND I EVENTUALLY DEVELOPED MY OWN TASTES.”

-STEFAN DRINCIC

“We wanted [the second shop] to look like a tunnel a bunch of different people had hit. It turned out so crazy.”

Between their success surpassing $2.5 million in sales to date and Mathew’s prior experience in photography and art, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arrived: designing a shoe for Nike.

“As the executive assistant to Severino Alvarez, the creative director of the soda company Jarritos, I was involved in the design process of the sneakers from the start,” Mathews said of the Nike x Jarritos collaboration, slated for release later this year. “Severino, or Sev, made the connection with Nike SB in 2020. I was able to bring his creative vision to life through digital conceptualization he would share his ideas with me verbally and I would put them on a screen using Adobe Illustrator.

“This process resulted in over 10 graphic renditions with unique color-ways, material choices, and logo placements that merged the iconic elements of b oth brands.”

The collaboration is already generating considerable buzz after images of the kicks leaked last fall, with global media site Complex including the Jarritos x Nike SB Dunks among their “most anticipated sneaker s of 2023.”

When asked how the pair would design a hypothetical SB Dunk for work•shop, D r incic said,

“The DIY aesthetic is a part of our blood and brand…so we’d try to tell that story.”

“If we were to design a shoe to tell a story, it would have a lot of do-it-yourself elements…woodgrain, metal the whole store Stefan and I built with our own hands,” Mathews added.

While Mathews and Drincic have certainly enjoyed the fruits of their labor and have plans for continued expansion in the work their success has earned them more than financial gains and big-time brand deals. It’s also provided a newfound appreciation for thei r home city.

“I wouldn’t know the quality and number of Omaha’s up-and-coming underground scenes, or niche, small, creative communities I wouldn’t be aware that […] they were so prolific here,” Drincic said. “You look around and realize the spirit of entrepreneurship is all over Omaha.”

Though Omaha appears small when compared to coastal fashion meccas like New York City and Los Angeles, Mathews and Drincic are living proof that youth culture and urban wear has a found a foothold in Nebraska and that with some dedicated workshopping, has the capacity to reach untold heights.

“I’ve always been a subscriber of the ‘dress for success’ mentality. But my definition of success is very fluid, and my daily success can be different day by day,” Drincic explained. “If I wake up one day and my definition of success is comfortability, then I’m going to wear sick-ass vintage Nike sweatpants, a sick-ass Nike vintage hoodie, and some comfortable ass clothing and that’s me dressing for success that day. I like that versatility.”

“While we [were first] talking about work•shop, I said ‘things I look for in a career,’ and it was just a little note in my notepad: ‘enjoy my work,’ ‘enough money to travel,’ and ‘no dress code,’ M athews said.

“The ability to wear what you want, when you want that’s freedom to me.”

Visit workshopomaha.com for more information.

“THE ABILITY TO WEAR WHAT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU WANT— THAT’S FREEDOM TO ME.”

-TREY MATHEWS

TEEN PAIRS SKATERS CARVE A LEGACY

amille Kane and her Pairs Figure Skating partner Th omas McClure recently placed an impressive sixth in the 2023 Midwestern Sectionals and U.S. Pairs Final. Th e duo also earned a silver medal at Midwest Sectionals in Lansing, Minnesota in November 2022. Th is would be a life changing achievement for any athlete, but at the ages of 13 and 17, the Omaha teens have only just scratched the icy surface of what they’re capable of.

“I am very lucky to have a mom who skated,” Camille Kane said.

Her mother, Ann Kane, started skating around age 5 at a since-closed rink in Benson. Ann was asked to skate in Figure Skating Club of Omaha’s spring reunion show when the family moved back to Omaha in 2013. A then-4-year-old Camille watched her mom glide gracefully over the ice, and a passion was born.

“I skated from age five until high school,” Ann recalled. “Camille has already done so much better with it t han I have.”

Reflecting on how ice skating became a driving force in her life, Camille said: “I think it was really gradual. I knew I wanted to skate right after that fi rst event seeing my mom on the ice. Then I started entering competitions and winning more and more. Making it to U.S. Finals was one of my biggest goals, and I was surprised to have already achieved that. It was so great to have a partner in Thomas who was able to help create that opportunity with me.”

Relying on a partner is a risky undertaking, both on the ice and in the competitive arena. From being lifted, thrown, and caught on an unstable surface, to splitting your chances of victory down the middle with someone else’s discipline, drive, and determination. Camille is thankful to have found an ideal skating partner in Thomas.

“Camille and Thomas making the decision to go into pairs created a really unique opportunity for them,” noted Ann, who also coaches Learn to Skate classes for Figure Skating Club of Omaha. “When we were introduced, they were at a similar skill level; they both had the same passion for skating and could perform

the same strong elements. Th at took everything in a new direction. Camille and Thomas both skate individually as well, but pairs is what took of f for them.”

Without many male pairs skaters in Nebraska, Thomas and Camille fi nding one another was the result of a group effort. When the idea occurred to Thomas to look for a partner, his coach saw potential in a union with Camille.

“We’ve been skating together for three years,” Camille added, “and at this point it’s not even trust I feel when we’re out there. We are the same skater when we’re working together. And my mom always says you skate with your heart and soul. You have to really feel the passion for it. Th at’s how you fi nd the energy to keep showing up and keep giving it your all for yourself and your partner. No matter how tired you get or what else is going on. You put your heart and soul into it and you won’t be let down.”

For Thomas, fi nding the energy is easier than fi nding the time.

“I remember the feeling of how things used to be. I was so hyper, I always wanted to be jumping and running and spinning. Once I got onto the ice, I was able to put all of that somewhere,” he said. “All of this energy that was making it hard to be still and focus had a place where it made sense, and I could spin and I could just go, and it made me a bet ter skater.”

The 11th grader never looks for opportunities to skip practice, and instead fi nds himself at a loss during breaks or cancellations.

“When I’m home I have nothing to do. My schedule is so tight between school and practice and work, and then there will be a day

when there isn’t practice and I feel a little lost,” Thomas confessed. “I will just lay around and watch time pass really slowly. I get bored without practice pretty fast.”

Thomas took a part-time job that made perfect sense to him and his family—working at the same skating rink where he fi rst fell in love with the sport at the tender age of 2.

“His fi rst week on skates, I carefully walked around the rink with him, holding his hand,” Michele McClure remembered. “By the second week, he wanted to be off on his own. The rink has an inline hockey team, and he joined at age 5. Then he moved into ice hockey, and during practice he noticed the figure skaters. Right there in the middle of practice he started trying the spins he saw them doing. Th at was when I found the Figure Skating Club of Omaha. He was maybe 10, and I brought him in and they were just amazed at how he was spinning without training.”

While high schoolers are often pressured to pick a path, Thomas feels assured he’s already traveling his.

“I see myself on bigger national-level tournaments in the future,” he said. “Th is is the big thing for me. I’ll be on the ice. Figure skating, competing, maybe go back to hockey at some point.

Wherever their individual futures take them, this pair have earned their cheering team—and the attention of fi gure skating enthusiasts n ationwide.

Visit fscomaha.org for more information.

“YOU HAVE TO REALLY FEEL THE PASSION FOR IT. THAT’S HOW YOU FIND THE ENERGY TO KEEP SHOWING UP AND KEEP GIVING IT YOUR ALL FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR PARTNER.” -CAMILLE KANE

Lunchbox Show at The Durham Makes Everyone a Kid Again

“

YOU LOOK AT A LUNCHBOX AND GET A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WAS POPULAR IN AMERICA. ANYTHING THAT WAS A BIG DEAL ON TELEVISION OR IN THE MOVIES WAS REFLECTED ON A LUNCHBOX.

P AC KED WITH H ISTORY P AC KED WITH H ISTORY

ne of the most exciting aspects of preparing to go back to school after summer break remains constant: choosing a lunchbox.

Not just any lunchbox, but the perfect lunchbox.

In addition to transporting a sandwich, chips, and other assorted goodies, the lunchbox is one of the most important schools items for children to demonstrate what they love and who they are. Sitting around the school lunch table, what kids bring their food in shows off their unique tastes and style while broadcasting likeminded passions.

Starting in March, the Durham Museum is showcasing what lunchboxes reveals about cafeteria crazes and American history with The Lunchbox: Packed with Pop Culture, which features around 500 lunchboxes amassed by local collector Mark Kelehan. It is the first exhibition of its kind and exclusive to the Durham. Groupings include categories like Westerns, Disney, Action, and Sports, a mong others.

“They all tell stories,” Kelehan said, a general director in Union Pacific’s marketing and sales department. He purchased his first vintage lunchbox, a brightly colored Pac-Man one, during the mid 1990s and was immediately hooked.

“It was not in the greatest shape or rare, but it was super cool,” he recalled. “It reminded me of childhood.”

That connection prompted Kelehan “to see what else was out there.” Almost 30 years later, he’s accrued one of the largest collections of lunchbox items in the world, which includes at least 800 lunchboxes, original pieces of concept art, production plates, and related marketing materials.

“The more we learned about Mark's collection, the more we realized there really was a story behind this topic,” noted Durham’s director of communications, Jessica Brummer. “We created this show from scratch. This is a good example of how a collection comes to life and grows into an exhibition.”

At the heart of that exhibition is a fascinating glimpse into the pop culture that has permeated American daily life since the 1950s.

“It’s such a reflection of that,” Brummer observed. “You look at a lunchbox and get a snapshot of what was popular in America. Anything that was a big deal on television or in the movies was reflected on a lunchbox.”

Whether Big Bird or the Beatles, Snow White or Superman, visitors to the Durham can see what excited and mattered to children, and perhaps more profoundly, how consumerism shaped American culture at any g iven point.

Brummer shared that discussions at the Durham revealed just how deeply the objects resonated with staff, with everyone remembering what they carried as school children.

“We all went went right back into the nostalgia of the lunchroom,” she revealed. “That’s when you know that you have an exhibition that will strike a chord. People will say, ‘Oh, I remember that!’ or ‘I had that one!’ Everyone will relate to it in some way, and that is really exciting for us. There’s a certain nostalgia that helps people dive into this show.”

Those kinds of reactions are at the crux of what makes viewing Kelehan’s collection so compelling. Children will delight in familiar characters, from Disney princesses to beloved superheroes. But adults will dissolve into reveries of nostalgia when they see lunchboxes emblazoned with the Six Million Dollar Man, the Partridge Family, Yogi Bear, or the Flintstones. No matter the interest, there is a lunchbox that immediately transports viewers back to elementary school and for many, a simpler, safer, and easier time.

The lunchbox has a utilitarian history: children first started carrying them in the 1880s to imitate the lunch pales their fathers carried to work. The first cartoon character to grace a lunchbox was Mickey Mouse in the mid 1930s, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that carriers emerged as personal statement and status items. That’s when the Aladdin food and beverage container company cashed in on the popularity of television westerns in 1950 and produced a Hopalong Cassidy lunchbox. Sales went from 50,000 units per year to 600,000. A few years later, Thermos followed suit with a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans lunchbox of their own.

A competitive industry was born with the two companies duking it out to license the hottest shows, movies, characters, and even music acts. Aladdin, for example, represented Disney and Star Wars, whereas Marvel appeared on Thermos lunchboxes. Between 1950 and 1970, around 120 million lunchboxes, made of metal and paired with their own insulated drink container, were sold. After 1970, the companies phased out metal in favor of cheaper plastic.

Brummer finds this material aspect important in and of itself: “Lunchboxes tell the story of American industry. You have a product that went from something practical for American workers to something that was monetized. The concept art really shows this process from beginning to end and tells us about an unknown part of history. It’s such a learning experience.”

That educational component is gratifying for Kelehan.

“You can see American history and our fascination with pop culture through the history of lunchboxes. They are time capsules,” he said. “There is a story here, and it takes adults back, and in that process, they learn.”

The Lunchbox: Packed with Pop Culture runs from March 4 September 3, 2023.

Visit durhammuseum.org for more information.

DI SP ELLING

THE MYTH OF OMAHA’S IRISH MOB TIES

DISORGANIZED CRIME

ay “mobster” to people in Omaha and they’ll often cite movie tropes and stereotypes. Wrapped up with romantic images of Italian immigrants whisking moonshine to hidden speakeasies in tunnels throughout Little Italy, people today imagine the Irish in Omaha had something major to do with the organized crime scene in Omaha. Envisioning Irishmen with rough brogues making violent threats and shooting loud guns, there’s a romantic idea out there today that Omaha has seen such a thing called th e Irish Mob.

From the start of the city in 1854, the Irish in Omaha were a mix of sorrowful, first-generation hardscrabble immigrants fleeing famine who were huddled in a collection of dugout houses called ‘Gophertown;' ambitious second and third-generation Easterners set to build the banks and businesses that made early Omaha successful.

While it’s true that the Irish soon controlled Omaha for a long time making mayors, ministers, and many wealthy notable and powerful people it’s not true that they were a mob in the traditional sense of the word.

There were indeed Irish political ringers in Omaha. Early mayor James E. Boyd was an Irish immigrant, and he boosted the city more than anyone else in his position for another 25 years. He was born in the Emerald Isle, and came to Omaha after accruing wealth laying railroad track in western Nebraska. After serving in the territorial legislature, Boyd opened an opera house, then was mayor for two terms. Becoming governor, Boyd was accused of bribing voters. Today, Boyd County, Nebraska, and Boyd Elementary School in Omaha Public Schools are named for him, as well as Boyd Street. He certainly hired his fellow countrymen in greater numbers, and maybe greased a few of their palms to get elected, but Boyd was not a member of an organized crime syndicate, Irish or otherwise.

Of course, there were infamous Irishmen in Omaha. Frank Carter, born Patrick Murphy in Cork County, Ireland, was a serial killer called the Omaha Sniper. In 1926, he murdered several people in residences and businesses in Omaha and Council Bluffs. Politicians told everyone to stay home and turn off their lights at night, since the Omaha Sniper shot people in lighted windows. Carter then shifted his strategy, shooting during the daytime after citizens heeded the warning. When he was arrested, Carter claimed he shot 43 people, but he was only tried and convicted for two murders. Nebraska executed him in 1927.

Irish businessmen made a lot of money in Omaha. Ed Creighton started First National Bank of Omaha; fellow Irishmen McCormack, Murphy, McShane, Coad, and Rush started other banks. The founders of the Omaha Stockyards in 1885 were all Irish, too, including Creighton, McShane, Murphy, and Donnelly. The packinghouses were started by Irishmen, along with major warehouses, and even charities. All the Irish who controlled Omaha’s industries, including Gallagher, Cudahy, Flanagan, and more recently, Mulhall, inspired and inflated tales of an Irish Mob in the city.

Dennison upset a lot of people, satisfied others, and strayed far from the law without ever getting caught. Under mounting charges against his racket, a Lincoln newspaper profiled h im in 1903:

“Excuses and subterfuges are found for permitting Tom Dennison to go on as the Napoleon of the green cloth and the impresario of local politics.”

He was the leader of the city’s criminal enterprise and the political boss of Omaha for more than two decades, but never ran a mob, per se. Instead, his machine was wholly reliant on him to keep running, and when he left Omaha, that machine fell apart almost immediately.

After Dennison left and died, the Irish continued being heavily involved in Omaha including the police department, airport authority, city hall, and numerous facets of the entertainment industry. However, they weren’t operating as a consolidated enterprise for the benefit of their country-

However, smaller scale criminal enterprises were certainly active. Billy Donnelly and H.B. Kennedy were Irish leaders in the “Big Six,” a group that were the face of Omaha’s underworld activity between 1880 and 1903. These men ran the gambling, prostitution, and drug rings in Omaha between the 1870s and the beginning of the 20th century. It was their actions that led to Omaha’s reputation as a “wide open” town where anything went. Policemen were often close to criminals, and using politics as an avenue to wealth was more important than preserving democracy.

Then there's the most notorious Irishman in Omaha history, the ill-famed Tom Dennison. Dennison’s Irish parents started a farm in Iowa from which he desired to escape from. Traveling west and then coming back to Omaha, Dennison set up a massive criminal engine that involved taking over gambling throughout the city, setting up lieutenants in every community to maintain his racket, then handling politicians with bribes and threats to ensure their compliance with his interests. For decades he steered politics with ever-increasing, malign influence. Tavern owners, brothel madams, gambling sharks, and later bootleggers, all paid tribute to Dennison to stay in business; politicians paid up to guarantee re-election.

men. Instead they were a loose-knit group that coincidentally identified as fellow shamrock enthusiasts.

Between 1900 and 1950, small Irish street gangs popped up in South Omaha in places called Irish Hill and Sheelytown, and the Near North Side around Cass Street. But they didn’t work in cahoots with each other and there are no signs anyone was in firm control of them. Third- and fourth-generation Irish boys with names like McDonald, O’Banion, and O’Leary had some areas of Omaha under their thumbs, but it was always individually. The Irish way in Omaha was more subtle than as presented in modern films.

Today, despite their loose-knit orientation and lack of any infrastructure, these historical forces are known as the ‘Irish Mob.’

But they weren’t really a mob at all they were just the Irish in Omaha, and ‘running the show’ was just a byproduct of their industriousness and influential, albeit disorganized, col lectivism.

THESE MEN RAN THE GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, AND DRUG RINGS IN OMAHA BETWEEN THE 1870 s AND THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

CITIZEN KING

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH MEDIA

Mary King was raised in a large sharecropping family in Sumner, Mississippi, where Emmett Till was murdered and his killers found innocent in a show trial. She picked cotton as a child. With school not an option, she grew up illiterate.

“Even though my mama couldn’t read or write, her common sense was on a whole other level,” King Jr. said. “Even though she grew up in the harshest racism, she never taught me to hate myself or white folks. She always said ‘life is hard when you make it that way.’ She also said ‘if people treat you good, treat them better’ because you might need them one day.”

Growing up in North Omaha, King took to heart the Golden Rules she imparted, the discipline his military father instilled, and the ‘look out for your neighbors’ ethos his community exhibited.

“We had a community thing where people kept their word,” King Jr. recalled. “We didn’t allow people to be homeless because we did rent parties. We knew our neighbors cared about us because they chastised or disciplined us. The same way at school with ou r teachers.”

Before gang gun violence, he said, “We handled disagreements. We drew a circle and we fought. We usually beca me friends.”

The death of two older brothers one by accidental drowning, and the other in military combat motivated him to do the right thing by his mother.

“I tried to make great decisions so she wouldn’t lose a third son,” he said.

King built lifelong bonds at the North Omaha Boys Club. North O’s athletic proving grounds helped him grow, but he chose to attend Bryan High School in South Omaha for “a fresh start.” He excelled in the classroom, on the court, and in track and field.

“It was the best decision I ever made,” King Jr. reflected. “Bryan’s teachers and coaches really molded me."

Attending Midland Lutheran College (now Midland University) also proved life-changing. He became an all-conference basketball and track performer, earning a spot in the school’s hall of fame. In another personal triumph, Midland’s diverse student body broadened King Jr.’s perspective.

“I hung out with my white homeboys and my brother brothers,” King Jr. said. “I met people from Korea and Nigeria. It was eye-opening. A beautiful experience. If there were any problems, I mediated. I’ve always been able to bridge gaps.”

The behavioral science major wielded group psychology to protest the Fremont Tribune the paper never publishing his photo alongside articles chronicling his athletic achievements despite writing about him for four years. He organized friends and family to pressure the paper, which finally conceded and ran h is picture.

“I try to fight things intelligently. If you’re going to beat the system you’ve got to lobby,” King Jr. noted. “Sometimes I agitate, but it’s for a particula r purpose.”

After graduation, he worked in a group home and as a Douglas County probation officer. He eased the anxiety Black probationers felt in the criminal justice system.

“It was a good experience,” he said. “The communit y knew me.”

A colleague helped him establish Positive Havoc a nonprofit King used to organize basketball camps with some participants earning college athletic scholarships. The camps expressed a long-held desire, he said, “to help my community by bringing positive change and highlighting goodness.”

He hosted his own public access TV show, “Positive Havoc,” and entered the political arena.

“I knew politics was a way to get what’s necessary. Politics runs everythin g,” he said.

His media savvy and community connections led to managing campaigns on behalf of local Democrats overseeing Mayor Mike Fahey’s impactful North Omaha campaign office during his second run for office. Additionally, King Jr. helped establish the Nebraska Democratic Party Black Caucus.

When King Jr. learned Nebraska Republican Congressman Lee Terry supported national legislation for the local Community Radio Act, he saw an opportunity to create a Black-owned radio station. Despite setbacks, he attained his license in 2014. His broadcast-streaming handles presently include 1690 AM The One and 95.7 FM The Boss.

He recognizes how “the power of words” can give his communit y its voice.

“If we control our own communication networks, then we can put out information that changes how we view ourselves and the world,” King Jr. said. “Coming from behavioral science, I consider my radio station a research station. Our goal is to modify behaviors, to strengthen families, and encourage people to be better citizens.”

He uses his platform to promote collaboration, Black businesses, and the importance of self-love.

continued on pg. 53

VERYTHING THAT NONPROFIT OMAHA COMMUNITY BROADCASTING AND MEDIA KING COMMUNICATIONS CEO WILLIAM KING JR. DOES—FROM PRODUCINGHOSTING EMPOWERING RADIO SHOWS, TO BUILDING BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY— IS AN EXTENSION OF HIS LATE MOTHER’S TEACHINGS.

“IF WE CONTROL OUR OWN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS, THEN WE CAN PUT OUT INFORMATION THAT CHANGES HOW WE VIEW OURSELVES AND THE WORLD.”

-WILLIAM KING JR.

MISS TEEN USA BRINGS NATIONAL ATTENTION TO NEBRASKA

Faron Medhi’s Magic

Faron Medhi looked like anyone else sitting in the Old Market’s 13th Street Coffee & Tea Company during her November sit-down with Omaha Magazine. No one much took note of her, focusing instead on their own drinks and conversations. But as soon as Medhi stood up and donned her Miss Teen USA sash for a quick selfie to commemorate the interview, fellow patrons paused and redirected their focus. A flurry of questions peppered the beauty queen, as did requests for photos.

That’s part of the magic of being a major title holder: people notice; they ask questions; they even feel a bit of pride that someone born and raised in Omaha could take the top prize on a national stage. Most of the magic, though, comes down to Medhi herself, and that’s precisely how she ended up in Reno, Nevada, on October 1, 2022, when the announcer exulted, “Nebraska, you are the winner of Miss Teen USA!”

Medhi was initially incredulous she shouldn’t have been. She had been working toward this moment since 2014 when her mother, Lynlee Medhi, received a letter touting the National American Miss pageant. She thought nine-year-old Faron would have fun par ticipating.

“I thought we’d be one and done,” she confessed, but a “big, pink ballgown” and a few runner up categories later, Faron was hooked.

“I fell in love with the glamor,” the teen said. “I stayed to make an impact.”

And what an impact it’s been. When the 18-year-old became Miss Teen USA, she didn’t just snag the coveted crown and sash she made history. Faron was not only the first Nebraskan to win the title; she also became the first winner of Asian-American descent to do so.

It took a lot of hard work to get there, with Faron becoming a veteran of the pageant circuit along the way. She won her first pageant at 10, and before landing Miss Teen USA, the Millard North graduate also served as Miss Omaha Teen and Miss Nebraska Teen. To rise through the ranks, she’s logged countless hours volunteering at local schools, food banks, and homeless shelters. She also provides hiphop dance instruction for all ages and special needs students at her mother’s Elkhorn d ance studio.

“All of that has shaped me into who I am,” Faron reflected. “It taught me to love my community.”

That’s been especially important to Lynlee.

“We preach humility and service,” she said. “Faron is humble and sweet. It’s what we should want every teen to be.”

Faron prepared for each competition with focused intensity. She read widely on politics and current events before recording herself answering every interview question imaginable. She videoed herself walking to make sure her posture was perfect.

“I probably have three hours of myself on voice memos and five hours of footage of me walking trying to move my hands naturally,” Faron confided.

Working as a professional model aided in that department. Faron began modeling at age 12, when she walked in her first Omaha Fashion Week. Since then, she’s participated in nearly every season and is now represented by Develop Model Management in Omaha, Select Model Management in Chicago, Wilhelmina Denver, and Nomad LA. Since signing, she’s appeared in print ads for companies like Borsheim’s and Oriental Trading Company, which helped her learn how present herself.

I am brave! I am creative!”) Influenced by the book “I Like Myself!,” which she memorized as a child, Faron wrote her own version and then volunteered to read the book to Kindergarten and first grade students.

Faron related that when seeing her Miss Nebraska sash and crown, students often asked, “Are you a Barbie? Do you live in a castle?”

“The kids get so excited, it’s the sweetest thing,” she said. “If I just affect one child, that’s enough.”

As the first Miss Teen USA with Indian heritage, she recognizes that she is a role model for younger girls from the BIPOC community.

“It really is special,” she said.

Also special is what the win meant to her father, Tom, who is originally from India. Her win went viral among billions of people in India, with family members beaming with pride over their relative’s newfound fame. According to Lynlee, he was beyond chuffed and exulted: “I’m a celebrity now!”

“The Indian culture has been so supportive,” Faron said. “I am so proud to represent the diversity in the US. Being the first is so special.

“The Indian culture has been so supportive. I am so proud to represent the diversity in the US. Being the first is so special. I’m bringing a different level of representation to the pageant.” -FARON MEDHI

“There’s a lot of acting involved in modeling,” Faron shared.

Her parents even hired a pageant coach to help prepare for competitions, which proved critical.

“My coach broke me out of my shell and said, ‘You need to compete in Miss Teen USA. You’re made for it,’” Faron recounted. “I set my mind toward that goal. I’ve gotten to know myself inside and out, and I’ve learned who I am and what my core values are.”

Not surprisingly, the teen focused her pageant platform on “self confidence, self worth, and self love a nd respect.”

“I see a need, especially with social media,” she said. “My life isn’t perfect. Everything is curated online. This needs to be talked about more.”

Faron talked about it by self publishing “I Am ABCs,” an affirmation book geared toward elementary school children. (“I am amazing!

I’m bringing a different level of representation to t he pageant.”

As she undertakes her Miss Teen USA duties, Faron aims for balance her reign as a beauty queen grounded by her role as full-time student at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, where she’s on a pre-med path with hopes of becoming a pediatrician.

“I have a lot on my plate, and I’m always on the go, but I’m living in the present and making the most of my year,” she affirmed.

Still, she’s reveling in her history-maki ng triumph.

“I was beyond excited. It was such an amazing moment,” she beamed. “I had worked so hard for it and put in so much effort, and it was so special for me to wear Nebraska across my chest. I hope I’m representing the st ate well.”

Visit missteenusa.com for more information.

GIVING CALENDAR

MARCH/APRIL 2023

FEATURED EVENT

22nd Annual Celebrity Chef Event

BENEFITING: FOOD BANK FOR THE HEARTLAND

Location: CHI Health Center, 455 N. 10th St., Omaha

March 02

Acclaimed chef, restaurateur, New York Times bestselling author, and television host Marcus Samuelsson, a dedicated advocate in the fight against hunger, will help Food Bank for the Heartland raise 2.4 million meals. Chef Samuelsson will fuse insightful storytelling and engaging live demonstrations during an evening of entertainment paired with delicious food that benefits Heartland neighbors in need. —foodbankheartland.org

March 4

HEAT THE STREETS RUN & WALK FOR WARMTH

Benefits: Dollar Energy Fund Utility Assistance Location: Aksarben Village —heatthestreetsomaha.org

March 11

THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY

Benefits: Nebraska Ataxia Location: 7400 Western Ave. —nebraskaataxia.org

March 18

THE OMAHA SPORTS COMMISSION SPELLING BEE

March 19

GUNS & HOSES HOCKEY CHALLENGE

Benefits: First Responders Foundation Location: Baxter Arena —firstrespondersfoundation.org

March 19

OMAHA ST. PADDY’S HALF MARATHON

March 11

Benefits: the winner’s trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC Location: Strauss Performing Arts Center, UNO —omahasports.org

March 19

UNO BASEBALL FUNDRAISER

Benefits: UNO Baseball

Location: Tal Anderson Field —omahapacesetters.com

Benefits: Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy Location: TBA —hetra.org

March 20

OMAHA ST. PADDY’S HALF 7K RUN/WALK

Benefits: Heartland Equine

Therapeutic Riding Academy Location: TBA —hetra.org

March 21

ROCK YOUR SOCKS FOR WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY

Benefits: Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands Location: TBA —dsamidlands.org

March 24

8TH ANNUAL GALA “ROARING TWENTIES”

Benefits: Bennington Public Schools Foundation Location: TBA

—benningtonschoolsfoundation.org

March 24

YP SUMMIT

Benefits: Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professionals Scholarship Location: TBA

—omahachamber.org

March 25

March 25

OMAHA MOM PROM 2023

Benefits: Nebraska Diaper Bank

Location: The Steppe Center, La Vista

—nebraskadiaperbank.org

March 25

THE GATHERING

Benefits: CUES School System (Sacred Heart, All Saints, and Holy Name)

Location: CHI Health Center

—cuesschools.org

March 26

TOY DRIVE

Benefits: Open Door Mission

Location: Virtual Event —opendoormission.org

March 26

HOPS & GRAPES 2023

Benefits: P4K Location: UNO Scott Conference Center —p4k.org

March 31—April 1

VINNEBRASKA

Benefits: Stephen Center

March 26

Location: Omaha Marriott Downtown —vinnebraska.com

April 1

OUT OF THE DARKNESS CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WALK

Benefits: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Location: Creighton University —supporting.afsp.org

April 1

WOMEN WITH DRIVE

Benefits: women in golf (Omaha Sports Commission)

Location: Miracle Hills Golf Course —omahasports.org

April 8

THE EARLY BIRD 10-MILE RUN

Benefits: Nebraska Medicine

Location: Walnut Grove Park/Lake

Zorinsky —earlybirdrun.com

April 11

THE OMAHA STREET SCHOOL GALA 2023

Benefits: Omaha Street School

Location: TBA —omahastreetschool.org

COUNSELING CONNECTIONS & ASSOCIATES

April 13—14

HEARTLAND JUVENILE SERVICES

ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

Benefits: Heartland Juvenile Services Association

Location: Hilton Omaha —hjsaonline.com

April 14

CABARET 2023

Benefits: Child Saving Institute

Location: Embassy Suites

Omaha La Vista Hotel & Conference Center —childsaving.org

April 14–15

April 14

OUR TOP PROVIDERS

Salina Anderson, APRN

Geraldine

Alexis, LIMHP, PLADC

Julie Bierman, LCSW, LMHP

Chantel Bruha, LIMHP, LADC

Korrie Conners, LMHP, CSAT

Kirby Davis, LMHP

Peggy Deaver, LIMHP, CPC

Davin Dickerson, APRN

Beth Farrell, LCSW, LIMHP

Dumayi Gutierrez, PhD, LMHP

Lucy Hancock, MA

Charlene Hills, LCSW, LIMHP

KG Langdon, APRN

Mary Loftis, LMHP, CPC

Kim Mueller, LIMHP, CPC

Nicole Obrecht, LIMHP

Kara Schneider, BA

Marty Stoltenberg, APRN-BC

Kristi Tackett-Newburg, PhD, LIMHP

Greg Tvrdik, LIMHP, CPC

Sarah Wenzl, LMHP, CPC

Michele Yanney-Wehbi, LIMHP, CPC

ANNUAL KICKS FOR A CURE WEEKEND

Benefits: Kicks for a Cure

Location: Marriott Downtown Omaha & Creighton’s Morrison Stadium —kicksforacure.org

April 15

ROCKIN’ ROSIE 2023

Benefits: Rose Theater

Location: Omaha Design Center —rosetheater.org

April 16

42ND ANNUAL CORPORATE CUP

Benefits: American Lung Association

Location: Aksarben Village —lung.org

April 16

ART & SOUP 2023

Benefits: Visiting Nurse Association’s Shelter Nursing Program

Location: Omaha Design Center —vnatoday.org

April 17

KEYNOTE SPEAKER LUNCHEON

Benefits: Ronald McDonald House

Charities in Omaha

Location: Scott Conference Center —rmhcomaha.org

VOTED FIRST PLACE! -7 YEARS IN A ROW-

April 18—19

SPEAKING OF CHILDREN LUNCHEON & CONFERENCE

Benefits: National Children’s Alliance Location: Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha LaVista Hotel & Conference Center —nationalchildrensalliance.org

April 21

THIRD ANNUAL NIGHT OF ENDLESS STARS GALA

Benefits: Endless Journey Hospice Location: The DC Centre —endlessjourneyhospice.com

April 22

TAILS N’ TRAILS HALD MARATHON, 10K, 5K AND 1-MILE WALK

Benefits: Pug Partners of Nebraska; Hands, Hearts & Paws; Muddy Paws Second Chance Rescue; The Good Life Bulldog Rescue; Harbor of Hope Dog Rescue Location: Chalco Hills Recreation Area —tailsntrailsomaha.com

April 22

2023 JDRF ONE NIGHT—BETTER TOGETHER GALA

Benefits: JDRF Nebraska and Iowa Chapter Location: CHI Health Center —jdrf.org

April 22

ARTVENTURE 2023

Benefits: Girl Scouts of Nebraska Location: UNO Mammel Hall —girlscoutsnebraska.org

April 22

EARTH DAY OMAHA 2023

Benefits: Earth Day Omaha Location: Elmwood Park —earthdayomaha.org

April 22

AAZK RACE AGAINST EXTINCTION FOOTPRINTS FOR THE FUTURE

Benefits: Painted Dog Conservation

Location: Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA

—runsignup.com

April 25

BOOSTER BANQUET

Benefits: Boys Town

Location: Embassy Suites LaVista

—boystown.org

April 27

April. 25

BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY SPRING TABLE ‘23

Benefits: Bread for the Journey Omaha Location: Field Club of Omaha

—breadforthejourneyomaha.org

April 29

PANCAN PURPLE STRIDE

Benefits: Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

Location: Miller’s Landing

—pancan.org

April 30

HAVANA NIGHTS

Benefits: Gross Catholic High School Location: Papillion Landing

—grosscatholic.org

KING JR.

As an urban contemporary station, he said, “We’re closely connected with our community. I have great responsibility to make sure I showcase influencers to bring as much knowledge a s possible.”

He offers “constructive criticism” of his community when he sees it falling short of it s potential.

His entrepreneurial interests extend to bridging the digital divide in poor rural and urban communities. In 2021, he used CARES Act Remote Access Rural Broadband program monies to build infrastructure on the Macy Indian Reservation. Four new service towers there provide fast wireless speeds, extend WIFI to the school and community center, and provide access to remote learning and telehealth.

He intends to bring enhanced connectivity to more areas where online access can be sketchy.

“My purpose is to develop conduits of opportunity for the next generation,” King Jr. affirmed.

“To make this dream happen,” he said, he’s schooled himself on the technology at conferences and developed relationships with partners. He’s pursuing new partnerships and grants to add staff and reach.

King Jr.’s competitive spirit motivates him to prove naysayers wrong. His friend, Vernon Muhammad, has been with him since the beginning. He’s learned to trust King Jr.’s vision.

“He’s got a very positive drive to bring everything forward. I’m very proud of him, Muhammad said “It’s been an inspirin g journey.”

They envision a community center combining radio, broadband, tech education programs, and mental health services.

Meanwhile, King said, “I want to build capacity to help grow my businesses and their impact.”

Visit omahabroadcasting.org, mediakingcommunications.com, 957fmtheboss.com, and the 1690am “The ONE” Facebook page for more information.

B r o therh o o d

of

B R I S T L E S .

As anyone who has tumbled down an internet rabbit-hole can attest, there’s an online community for everyone. Whether by happenstance, word-of-mouth, or pure curiosity, one might find themselves browsing a Facebook page depicting bearded men of all varieties. Some ask for advice on maintenance, while others pose shirtless in compositions imbued with creative panache all punctuated by outpourings of acceptance and positivity from its members. This motley crew of unshaven gentlemen (and ladies) convene regularly, united in both name and passion: the Omaha Facial H air Society.

HOW OMAHA’S FACIAL HAIR SOCIETY GELS CAMARADERIE WITH CHARITY

Established in 2013 by founder Mark Beneda, Omaha’s band of bearded chaps began as little more than a tipsy sketch on a barr oom napkin.

“I was actually sitting at a bar and I had heard of beard competitions through Whisker Wars,” Beneda recalled. “I’d just started growing out my beard for ‘No Shave November’ and was trying to find a chapter near here, even in Nebraska, and I couldn’t find anything. So I decided to just make my own chapter. I drew out the first initial stuff on a napkin while I was drinking and just sorta stumbled through f rom there.”

From scribbles on a scrap of paper to a group with over 1,000 members, the Omaha Facial Hair Society has enjoyed a meteoric rise since its conception.

An essential aspect of this growth, and a key tenet of the society, is its dedication to community stewardship. Charity events are a centerpiece of the group’s identity the most visible being the ‘Beardoir’ fundraising event. An annual calendar made up of professionally produced photos capturing shirtless, bearded men in all manner of costumes and poses, the Beardoir displays the love, humor, and care that the Omaha Facial Hair Society expresses toward its members, and the met ro at large.

“I believe we had about 30 models this year. One of our guys, Micah, is our photographer and secretary this year, and he spends hours editing and photoshopping to make us look at least presentable. We’re not exactly model types, so it’s kinda hard to make us look good sometimes, but he does pretty good considering,” Bene da quipped.

Another popular fundraising event is the Speedo car wash, one that Beneda considers his person al favorite.

“We did a car wash and raised over $1,200 in five hours just washing cars. We had people honking and actually saw a car accident happen because someone was staring at us a little too long. Ran right into the car in front of them,” he laughed. “That’s my favorite one that we do because people that we don’t know, people that didn’t know they wanted their car washed will stop in. One guy didn’t have time to get his car washed but he stopped just to give us a $100 bill and some beer.”

Aside from the Beardoir and car wash, the Facial Hair Society upholds a proud tradition among whisker enthusiasts: beard competitions. These contests draw in competitors nationwide, and often raise considerable funds sometimes accompanied by raffles and silent auctions.

“Every competitor paid $20 to compete, and if you were competing in multiple categories you would pay for both. I think we had four or five people that competed in at least two categories,” Beneda explained.

This extensive cataloguing of facial hair types is not a practice unique to Omaha’s competitions, however. Every conceivable arrangement of facial follicles inspires a unique title, and larger competitions aren’t afraid to bust out the magnifying glass. Beneda is a veteran of such competitions, in Omaha a nd beyond

FROM SCRIBBLES ON A SCRAP OF PAPER TO A GROUP WITH OVER 1,000 MEMBERS, THE OMAHA FACIAL HAIR SOCIETY HAS ENJOYED A METEORIC RISE SINCE ITS CONCEPTION.

“I went to the World Beard and Mustache Championship down in Austin, Texas, in 2017 and there were a ton of different categories. There’s English mustache, freestyle beard, where people use hair spray and gel… all sorts of stuff. When I was in Chicago for the National Championship, I got first place in ‘Unfriendly Chops’,” he beamed. “I cut my mustache off and it put me in a different category.”

From worldwide communities to local groups like Omaha’s, facial hair groups seem to share a sense of lighthearted warmth that shines with altruism. Micah Kafka, secretary of the Omaha Facial Hair Society and Beardoir producer, puts in an astounding amount of work turning out a product that yields no personal financial return.

“We do quite a few shoots throughout the year, then editing and design is probably over 100 hours,” he said of the effort required to put the Beardoi r together.

His responsibilities as secretary include: keeping notes for meetings, ensuring the group is informed on upcoming projects, running the social media, and producing the calendar every year duties performed on the basis of camaraderie and goodwill.

“A lot of friendships have come out of this whether they were bearded or not. We had a lot of ladies that have joined the group who just enjoy coming to the meetings and helping out with fundraising stuff,” Bene da observed.

The search for meaningful connections is a hairy, often tangled journey people undertake throughout their lives. Yet, it seems a collection of people in Omaha, Nebraska, have discovered the right tools generosity, laughter, and a spritz of aftershave to shear awa y the fluff.

When asked what he gets out of running the Omaha Facial Hair Society, Beneda replied: “I would say the camaraderie, the brotherhood; you know, a lot of the guys have become really good friends of mine over the years. None of us make any money, and in fact. most of us are paying in on all this stuff.”

“It’s very much a labor of love for everyone involved.”

Visit the Omaha Facial Hair Society page on Facebook for more information.

”Probably the main thing to understand is that I don’t really see myself as professional animator. I am a painter who is exploring the idea of playing with my paintings by embellishing them with animation.”

-Tricia Smith Hollins

Artists in Motion

A Triumvirate Triumphs in the Digital Art World

When asked to show their works, many in the fine arts can flip through sketch books, nod toward framed paintings, and gesture toward mural-coated walls. Not so with Tricia Smith Hollins, Becky Hermann, and Peggy Reinecke. When they want to show their recent works, the trio boots up computers their creations inhabiting the realm of digital art.

However, each began their studies in the art world as traditional artists involved in drawings and paintings. Hermann earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Creighton University before diving deeper into the arts at Cranbrook Academy near Detroit. Likewise, Reinecke’s undergraduate work was at Creighton prior to continuing her studies at Norwich University and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (now part of Tufts University). Hailing from Philadelphia, Hollins attended Penn State University where she concentrated on painting before earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champagne.

Reinecke and Hermann began working with computers and art around 20 years ago while teaching at Metro Community College. For a time, they explored digital animation with Tom Sain, who’s now VP of creative services at Omaha-based ad agency, Envoy. Under the name Animutts, they doggedly explored the digital medium creating videos of moving images of physical art, as well as producing art that changed as ti me passed.

Hollins met Hermann and Reinecke when, after tenures at Miami University in Ohio and the College of St. Mary, she began teaching at MCC. Upon retiring in 2020, she took some digital classes, including a stop motion animation class taught by a friend. As mutual interests were discovered and strengthened, she began meeting with Peggy and Becky to collaborate on the videos last spring. Their exhibitition, called “Shaping Time,” is on display March 13 through May 15 in the Kimmel Gallery at Midland University in Fremont.

The women met weekly through much of 2022 in a room equipped with a digital single-lens reflex camera. Calling their meetings “playdays,” an average session lasted three to four hours.

“Our work from three hours one time came out to be about 23 seconds long,” Hollins said. “We were basically drawing and not trying to figure out what’s going to happen next. We’re having a lot of fun. The premise of this animation is that we start with a shape and just morph from one shape to another.”

In a few videos, Tricia incorporated some of her unfinished, studio-made drawings and paintings and incorporated them into settings for the animations.

“Probably the main thing to understand is that I don’t really see myself as professional animator. I am a painter who is exploring the idea of playing with my paintings by embellishing them with animation,” Hollins explained.

In part of the exhibited video, a pale, nearly transparent yellow fish-shaped object along with pink and orange bird shapes glide over what appears to be the floor of a rain forest, thick with monstrous blue vines, striped bulbs, and large red and blue leafy plants. Meanwhile, a flute reminiscent of an English tune plays as leaves float into the scene from above.

In another video that’s worthy of introducing a “Twilight Zone” episode, an adding machine’s crank and the tick-tocks of a clock overlay an abstract painting of numbers that slowly materialize from the background. A ‘6’ appears and revolves to become a sideways ‘9’, and a ‘7’ swings back and forth like a hatchet chopping wood.

Becky said the motion comes about by doing what animators had long done with cartoons for years shoot a picture of a scene, be that a drawing or a painting, then move the scene a bit and shoot another picture of it, and so on. String them together and soon there’s a moving image, although in many cases, the women are also bringing some items into view and removing others.

“It’s the persistence of vision that is the phenomena that makes it seem like it’s moving,” Hermann said. “Even Disney used one or two shots at a time and they go together and look like they’re moving.”

Sometimes they draw three shapes on index cards, shuffle the cards and, upon drawing one, use those shapes to initiate their drawings for that meeting.

“We don’t create a plot line, but create a framework of rules to work under and that’s it,” Reinecke noted. “It’s just doing something without thinking. It’s a brainstorming session. That’s the joy of it all.”

After so many sessions of creating backgrounds and preparing shapes to appear in the videos, the trio looked at what they had and arranged them for the show in Fremont. The musical selection is usually copyright free, though they are considering using flamenco guitar music created by a friend of one of t he women.

Peggy said that after so many years of creating art on her own plus the recent “plague years” COVID, she enjoys working on the videos because she needed to, as she put it, “refill her well.”

“The work with Rebecca and Tricia is the tonic I need,” she affirmed. “We talk about how to present this and how to show the process of how we arrived at the final product.”

“There’s so much fun to have.”

Visit triciasmithhollins.com for more information.

Ilearned how to use a soldering gun during the pandemic. While many spent the doldrums of 2020 learning how to bake bread or cultivate a second language, I was figuring out how to fuse wires together without accidentally electrocuting myself in the process. The goal? To convert my favorite arcade system, the Neo-Geo, into a home device that could be used with an ordinary television.

Piece by piece, I ordered away for the components, learned how to modify its guts for home use, and even produced a 3D-printed case to house the mangle of wires and circuit boards. If I couldn’t go out an arcade, then maybe I could bring the a rcade to me.

I love old arcade games. My fascination as a kid was fairly straightforward: video games were the coolest, most cuttingedge toys. Stopping into a 7-Eleven (between the ages of 7 and 11) invariably led to me hovering around an Ikari Warriors cabinet; family outings to our local Pizza Hut usually concluded with having to pry me away from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; and during vacations, the most exciting part for me was usually playing Outrun adjacent a hotel ice machine.

As I approach 40, I’ve come to admire the marriage of sound, image, and industrial design each unique game experience represented elevating childhood fascination to se rious hobby.

Growing up in a turbulent and broken household, arcades eventually came to represent a kind of sacred space for me. A $20 bill was an opportunity for a latchkey kid to get away from an unhappy home on a Saturday afternoon and retreat into the warm glow of cathode ray tubes. Where else could you find dim, cozy lighting at 3pm? (Likely to hide the countless overlapping stains of spilled soda littering the carpet, but the vibe was there.) In the halls of an arcade, I could

visit reliable friends and find new ones, and I’d usually head home with a new obsession to keep my mind busy until the next weekend.

Yet, even when I was a child, arcades had already begun dim into nostalgia. Growing up in the 80s and early 1990s, the arcade “Golden Age” that brought household names like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong was a distant memory. I came of age during the brief revival that Street Fighter II had given to the arcade landscape, and before I was a full adult the Dance Dance Revolution craze, the swan song for the entire industry, had already run its course. By the time I moved to Omaha in the late 2000s, arcades were dead. By then, institutions like Family Fun Center were running on fumes and a dwindling interest in beloved quarter munchers.

Even though arcades were uniquely special to me, I’ve come to find that they were special places for countless others at all ages, in all walks of life. Though I didn’t grow up in Omaha, I asked my peers who had what arcades meant to them. Whether their memories gravitated around having beers around an Asteroids cabinet in the 70s, attending pizza-themed birthday parties at Johnny Sortinos, Showbiz Pizza in the 80s, or as mallrats killing time at Oakview and Westroads in the 90s, the arcade was always connected with potent formative memories bonding with friends, learning harsh lessons for the first time, or finding young love.

Today the aesthetics of classic video games and arcades are synonymous with the very idea of nostalgia itself: “Retro” and “Pixel Art” have become interlinked ideas. Establishments like Omaha’s Throwback Arcade Lounge and Beercade elevate nostalgia for arcade culture as a business model. It’s no accident that “Stranger Things,” a television show built entirely out of 80s pastiche, centers a whole season around a seedy arcade and the mysterious high-score initials

MADMAX (personally, I always use ‘JAM’). The music from games like the aforementioned Outrun has become the urtext for the modern “vaporwave” genre captivating Gen Z many of whom weren’t even born when arcades took their l ast breath.

This allure is easy to understand in the era of slick smartphones and the ubiquity of devices all designed to retreat out of view, and away from any obvious visual identity of their own. An arcade cabinet is impossible to mistake for anything else; my kingdom for the harsh neon buzz of television phosphors, the screeching bleeps of an 8-bit microchip, and faux-woo d paneling.

Turns out I’m not alone; my quest to bring the arcade experience home revealed that the “experience” part really matters, and I discovered a whole cottage industry online of fellow enthusiasts each looking to restore, or outright reinvent, what mattered to them whether it meant seeking the authentically muffled stereo speakers for a specific cabinet, or its factory joysticks and buttons, or a perfect reproduction of the original marqu ee designs.

Nostalgia isn’t as simple as recalled memory; sometimes it’s the tactile sensation, the sound, even the smell of a moment lost to time that renders the p ast present.

I’ve made my peace with Omaha’s bitmaps fading into memory; time and progress march onward, hand in hand. I’m not the same person I once was, and it’s not the same world. It’s simple enough to get my fix these days, whether at home, or at the handful of metro sanctuaries keeping the arcade em bers alight.

Still, I’ll light up like a flashing ‘INSERT COIN’ screen if I come across a cabinet out in the wild, perhaps in a grungy truck stop or a movie theater lobby; 20th-century relics, keeping vigil for a b ygone era.

Today the aesthetics of classic video games and arcades are synonymous with the very idea of nostalgia itself: “Retro” and “Pixel Art” have become interl inked ideas.

In Search of Dropped Quarters In Search of Dropped Quarters

“You got to get [CPR] started. I’m not wasting time putting on gloves because every sec ond counts.”

-Dr. Robert Smith

Dr. R obert Smith Keeps Lap Swimmers Afloat

The Old Guard

Before opening the pool each Saturday morning, lifeguard Dr. Robert Smith, 66, inspects the YMCA pool for safety and writes the daily high and low on a poolside dry erase board. Shortly thereafter, early-rising swimmers fill the rope-and-float lanes and commence lap swimming (a scheduled event at the ‘Y’). The morning sun beats down on the gymnasium ceiling and the exterior door is propped open to the morning heat and a nearby park. Smith prepares for his life guard shift.

Smith takes his duty seriously, but the unwritten rule is that lap swimmers are a self-sustaining school which makes his job easier, but no less important. He watches them closely, even as their paced, methodical swimming begins to resemble a swaying metronome. While always vigilant, he doesn’t shy from small talk or the occasional joke. His laughter echoes throughout the gymnasium, cascading with the rhythmic crawl of the la p swimmers.

Smith had once served as a U.S. nuclear submariner and a tenured chemistry professor at University of Nebraska at Omaha. Now retired, he continues his civic duty via lifeguarding. Despite amiably conversing with the swimmers, he seldom discusses his past. Most patrons

don’t know much about him, nor his track record of public service. He sits above the water, a mystery in swimming trunks; silver haired, whistle slung around his neck.

“I hate it when they go under,” he said, adding that nobody has ever required rescue on his watch.

Nevertheless, he’s prepared to execute a rescue. He demonstrates various rehearsed, aquatic rescue techniques with a red foam flotat ion device.

“I use that to kill crickets. I get about one or two every week ,” he said.

Additionally, he deploys it to alert the swimmers when it’s time to exit the water so he can go on break he frequently reiterates the importance of his breaks, which he uses to swim himself. He retrieved and lowered a human backboard used to secure swimmers when a spinal injury is suspected into the water to demonstrate another rescue technique.

“These boards are a wonderful innovation [that came about] since when I was a lifeguard in high school in the 1970s,” he said. “If you can do math, you can figure out how old I am. We had whistles which I used a lot because we had open swim.”

Smith explained that he is trained in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR, though he isn’t impressed with the modern precautions, such as the standard mouth-to-mouth resuscitation mask or vi nyl gloves.

“I am an honest man and I am not using that,” he declared.

He explained that mouth-to-mouth “provides a better seal,” and that in training sessions with dummies, it can be difficult to achieve the optimal pressure with a mask. As for the CPR gloves, he noted that time is of t he essence.

“You got to get it started. I’m not wasting time putting on gloves because every second counts. If Madison has a problem with it, she can fire me,” he jibed, referencing fellow lifeguard, Ma dison Craig.

Smith reiterated that he contributes to society “by watching people swim laps.” However, he refuses to oversee the chaos of ‘open-swim.’

“Kids should come in and do lap swimming,” he said, “but instead they come in and splash around in the d eep end.”

Smith warned that a lifeguard shortage threatens to close off certain lap-swimming hours, making his mission that much more crucial. His concern is warranted; last June, the American Lifeguard Association estimated that roughly a third of the nation’s public pools were affected by a sharp decline of certified lifeguards. Consequently, many pools had to scale down hours of operation, or worse yet, close altogether.

Smith has a personal stake in the yet unresolved issue he and his wife depend on lap swimming for exercise and wellness, and his daughter is also an avid swimmer and lifeguard. The prospect of

disciplined lap swimmers being deprived of exercise for many with joint and muscle conditions, their only means of staying fit inspired Smith to accept odd shifts and ensure the lanes remain open every morning. Most of the lap swimmers show their appreciation by abiding by the rules, maintaining order, and greeting Smith as they come and go.

Swimmer Tahni Kanago stood poolside in her swimsuit and towel, drying her hair post-workout. She noted that while Smith talks a big game about enforcing rules, she’s never actually heard him blow the whistle nor has she ever seen him need to. He does, however, make his break schedule known and wel l-enforced.

“He is focused on guarding. He lays down the law,” she laughed.

Eventually, Craig comes to relieve Smith of his vigil, and at last, he gets to swim himself passing off the red flotation device like a baton between re lay runners. Craig, who hired Smith, acknowledged she could use more people like him in light of the present lifegua rd shortage.

“Robert has been wonderful for us he’s really been that lifesaver in the morning,” Craig said, adding that students can’t typically work mornings when classes are in session.

“Robert has definitely been our savior in making sure we have pools open in the morning,” she affirmed from atop her guard post.

Smith’s popularity extends to the YMCA aquatics office as well. Jasmin Samano, the former aquatics director at YMCA, is a big fan.

“Robert does a great job as a lifeguard. He may be a nontraditional lifeguard, but he’s able to successfully save someone in the event of an emergency,” S amano said.

“He found out about our lifeguard shortage and needs and decided to apply to be a lifeguard. Robert likes giving back to the community, and one way he does that is by being a lifeguard,” she explained. “There is a national lifeguard shortage that is affecting our community; Robert took initiative and is trying to help limit tho se effects.”

Smith is happy to oblige, though he’s not immune to the pangs of sacrifice.

“The fact is, I’m getting fewer opportunities to swim myself. [To make up for it] I swim vigorously,” he chuckled.

“The fact is, I’m getting fewer opportunities to swim myself. [To make u p for it] I swim v igorously.”

-Dr. Robert Smith

“Robert does a great job as a lifeguard. He may be a non-traditional lifeguard, but he’s able to successfully save someone in the event of an emergency.” -J asmin Samano

IN SEARCH OF HOPPINESS

OMAHA BREWERIES

Omaha has a rich or rather, stout brewing tradition. From Krug Brewery, established the same decade as Omaha’s founding, to Heavy Brewing, the most recent entry into the brew pub scene, Omaha boasts a brew for every beer lover. Seek out a “hoppy hour,” raise a glass (or frosted mug), and toast with a hearty “Prost!” at one of these local taprooms.

1. BACKSWING BREWING COMPANY

3669 N 129th St., Omaha backswingbrewing.com

Despite their increasingly busy lives, three long-time buddies aspired to maintain connections through a common passion: making handcrafted beer. TJ Walker, Pat Simpson, and Cory Sinclair wanted to make beer that cut straight to the taste and not focus on trends. From a refreshing citrusy Kölsch to a hearty brown, Backswing Brewing Company achieves their goal with unpretentious, classic brews. Open: Wednesday—Friday 4 to 10pm; Saturday 12 to 10pm; Sunday 2 to 8pm.

2. LUMEN BEER COMPANY

1433 S 13th St., Omaha lumenbeer.com

Through countless hours spent in a basement, the brewers at Lumen Beer Company perfected their innovative “hoppy, sour, and highgravity” beers. Their new flavors are served to consumers in fun and creative crowlers. This quirky, contemporary brewery has a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere, with an owner who enjoys banter and good conversation. Beer lovers can enjoy each other’s company—plus that of pups, IPAs, porters, and ales. Open: Wednesday 3 to 9pm; Thursday & Friday 3 to 10pm.; Saturday 12 to 10pm; Sunday 12 to 6pm.

3. THE BENSON BREWERY

6059 Maple St., Benson Neighborhood bensonbrewery.com

Located in the heart of Benson, this homey microbrewery features a rooftop bar that is perfect for spending time with family and friends. Their brews range from limited edition series such as the Mexican lager “Luz D’vida” to mainstays like the light-bodied “Blonde Bunny.” Whether a crisp Weisse or a creamy stout, these small-batch and seasonal taps offer something for every taste preference. Open: Tuesday—Saturday 11am to close; Sunday 12pm to close.

20333

When brewing early on, this company’s beers came out more alcoholic than planned—or heavy, in Scottish industry parlance. While owner Jeff Gude refined his brewing process, he still ended up creating “heavy” beers, and the moniker proved ideal for this new brewpub, opened last November. Yeasty IPAs, well-balanced ales, and rich stouts are all on offer in this family-friendly beer hall where kids play while adults quaff. Open: Monday & Wednesday—Friday 3 to 9pm.; Saturday 1 to 10pm; Sunday 3 to 8pm.

5. VIS MAJOR BREWING

3501 Center St., Omaha vismajorbrewing.com

When Belgian farmers crushed and boiled their remaining grains in casks after harvest, wild yeast blew from the fields, fermented the contents, and created beers. The farmers believed this an act of God, or “Vis Major” in Latin. The artisans here share a similar belief in the alchemy of the brewing process to produce perfectly balanced sours, darks, porters, IPAs, and more. Each lends themselves to pleasurable time in this neighborhood beer hall, located in the heart of Field Club and Hanscom Park. Open: Sunday 2 to 8pm; Monday & Tuesday 3 to 9 pm; Wednesday & Thursday 3 to 10pm; Friday & Saturday 3 to 11pm.

6. INFUSION BREWING COMPANY

6115 Maple St., Benson; 6271 S. 118th St., Omaha; 1406 S. 13th St., Little Bohemia infusionbrewing.com

In 1996 Omaha brewery historian and craft beer enthusiast, Bill Baburek, opened Nebraska’s first craft beer bar, the Crescent Moon Ale House—which grew to include a German Bier Hall, Belgian-themed tasting room, a world-class craft beer store, and host over 100 beer festivals. But Baburek wasn’t content with just introducing craft beer to Nebraska. He was called to produce it here, too. And in 2013, he began crafting lagers, wheats, IPAs, Pilsners, porters, ales, and far more. Visit website for location hours.

AN EXTENSION OF

Faith IN STEWARDSHIP

DUCHESNE ACADEMY’S LUNCH PROGRAM

For the students and staff of Duchesne Academy, lunch is more than a quick bite between classes it’s an opportunity to put their faith into action. What was once the single greatest source of waste to the school been has transformed into a groundbreaking program that serves restaurant-style cuisine in a sustainable way. All it took was an innovative chef, a supportive community, and a papal edict.

In 2015, Pope Francis issued a letter to his bishops that voiced a firm stance on the environment and sustainability. Named the Laudato Si , this letter urged readers to take steps to care for their common home. Not only did the letter compel many Catholics into action, it also prompted other faith organizations to take a similar stance: the Earth must b e protected.

Around a year later, an anonymous donor approached Duchesne Academy and offered to help implement Laudato Si by making the campus more sustainable, donating 50% of the costs if the school could find a matching donor. Assistant Principal Eric Krakowski was approached to take on the additional role of sustainability coordinator, which he eager ly accepted.

“Eric won some big sustainability awards and is considered a big voice in that space,” said Duchesne’s director of communications, Kevin Boughton. “He probably won’t tell you this himself, but he’s a big deal.”

Though reluctantly “a big deal,” Krakowski has made some big changes to the school, with a major focus on the stu dent meals.

“One of the goals was to re-envision the lunch program,” Krakowski said. “Another was to incorporate sustainability topics across the curriculum. We have a goal of net positive ener gy by 2030.”

“The lunch program has been closely linked to the zerowaste initiative,” he continued. “Before this, our lunch program was a lot of pre-packaged food. It was good, but it wasn’t freshly made and wasn’t a from-scratch kitchen or anything like that. Now the program has Chef Joel Wallace, and he and his staff make our lunches from scratch with very few things that are prepared outside of o ur kitchen.”

Joel Wallace joined Duchesne Academy as their chef and food program director in July 2022. “Joel’s first goal was to get a handle on the lunch program,” continued Krakowski. “Make it affordable, make it delicious. I will say that has been the biggest thing about this lunch program. [...] The biggest source of waste at any school on any given day is the lunch program.”

allace said the sustainability changes made to the lunch

program have been “widely accepted and generally praised. Probably the biggest change we’ve made this year is adding animal protein. Previously there was no animal meat o f any sort.”

Staff members beg to differ, saying that the restaurant quality of the food has been a far bigger change to the lunch program. Meals like honey pepper salmon with béarnaise sauce and wild rice pilaf get eagerly devoured by students and staff alike. In fact, the salmon dish was mentioned by every staff member interviewed for this piece.

“They were all really surprised that the kids ate it,” Wallace confessed. “The students were all sending photos of the salmon to their moms.”

Krakowski estimates he eats Wallace’s meals two or three times a week.

“Today he served sliced pork loin, rice pilaf, asparagus, and a fresh salad. We also had apple crisp. It’s plenty I’m a big guy, and I never go away from it hungry,” he said. “It’s restaurant-quality food.”

“The kids love it,” Krakowski added. “We’ve never had things like salmon here before. He really does a lot of research to find out where he can find the best price on these things.”

“They were already doing it,” Wallace said. “I just ordered the right containers. Managing the numbers of how many people we’re going to serve for lunch is a big part of that f or us, too.”

And while it is true that the switch to reusable cutlery and compostable cups had a big impact on the school’s waste output, the fact that students and staff actually want to eat Wallace’s food is one of the reasons waste has reduced so si gnificantly.

Wallace said the students’ favorite meals seem to be “tomato soup and grilled cheese, pizza bagels, and macaroni and cheese. Those are the days we see about half of the student body co me through.”

“We make all our stuff. For the mac and cheese, I buy pasta, but I shred the cheese and make my own sauce. Since we don’t accept federal funding, we’re not beholden to the USDA guidelines for school lunch programs. They have strict regulations, so that gives us a little mo re freedom.”

Wallace is proud to work in a school making such strides toward sustainability and protecting the Earth.

“It’s really great,” he said. “We compost, we divide our recycling, we have reusable trays and silverware and if we have leftovers, they go into compost. We leave our footprint pretty low. I think it’s highly important. We have to protect the Earth for that next g eneration.”

Like Krakowski, Wallace is an avid composter. Wallace and his wife will soon have solar panels installed on his roof at home. Krakowski estimates that, at home, he rolls his black trash dumpster to the curb maybe every four to six weeks because of how little waste he sends to the landfill. The Duchesne Academy staff takes sustainability seriously, inside and outside the school.

Wallace’s advice to any other school looking to reduce the footprint of their lunch program is to consult with a waste management company offering sustainable solutions; Duchesne Academy partners with Hillside Solutions for their composting.

“All that waste, it’s useable for somebody. It’s huge. You don’t think about how many paper towels you use or what to do with peelings from vegetables, but they can break it down and turn it into soil,” Wallace said.

Krakowski, who has a recycling station in his office, said students stop by throughout the day dropping off recyclables. He said that even though not every student wants to pursue careers in sustainability, many say that they’ll find a way to bring sustainability into whatever career t hey choose.

A culinary school graduate, Wallace accepted the role as the school’s chef largely because he and his wife had just welco med a baby.

“I wanted the opportunity for a more normal life while still working with food,” Wallace said. “No weekends, no nights!”

Wallace attended culinary school in Portland, Oregon, where “composting is huge and has been for like 15 years.”

“I was excited to be a part of that again,” h e affirmed.

When he joined Duchesne, sustainability efforts were already firml y in place.

“Before COVID, everything was served on Styrofoam and plastic cutlery, and all that was going into the landfill every day,” Krakowski noted. “Our overall waste has gone down tremendously. Prior to this, we had a 4-cubic-yard dumpster, emptied five days a week. On average, we were probably sending 15 to 20 cubic yards to the landfill every week. The bulk of that was from the lunch program.

“Since we’ve done away with Styrofoam and plastic and started composting, we now have an 8-cubic-yard dumpster that’s picked up one day a week,” Krakowski continued. “I’d say that on average, it’s not even half full. We’re probably sending four to five cubic yards to the landf ill weekly.”

Wallace, Krakowski, and Boughton are all proud to be a part of a school with such a profound commitment to sustainability and the e nvironment.

“Duchesne’s a great community and it’s been a real treat to serve everyone here,” Walla ce affirmed.

As the first school in the city of Omaha to have a compost program, and perhaps one of the only to have a professional restaurant chef at the helm of the lunch program, Duchesne Academy is setting the bar high for what school campuses can be not only for the health of their students, but for the health of t he planet.

Visit

“THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF WASTE AT ANY SCHOOL ON ANY GIVEN DAY IS THE LUNCH PROGRAM.” -Eric Krakowski

CHOICE CUTS

WITH A S IDE OF CHARM

How Casanova’s Butchery Turns Customers i nto Regulars

ennifer Winter stops by Casanova’s Butchery in Rockbrook Village most Mondays. It’s become a weekly ritual for her, owing to an array of succulent meats and a convivial atmosphere brimming with Old World charm.

This ambience is what turns customers like Winter, who grabs a handful of garlic and onions from a couple of nearby baskets, into devout regulars.

“I typically come in with my son and pick up meat for most of the week,” she said. “We’re very specific about supporting and eating local. We recently purchased pork chops from Whole Foods, and my son said, ‘It’s crazy how the pork chops look the same but don’t taste the same!’”

The man behind the counter, Andrew Miller, is responsible for Casanova’s exacting standards. Just over a year ago, the 43-year-old brought his passion for high-quality products to his establishment, not named after the legendary Italian paramour, but for his own Casanova is his wife Alejandra’s maiden name.

The couple met almost 20 years ago while she was a chef at La Buvette. Miller had just returned from living overseas (fresh off the train) with $80 in his pocket and a dog by his side.

“I had never been to La Buvette,” Miller recounted. “I just stopped in for a bowl of soup. It was serendipitous.”

By that time, he had already logged significant time working as a butcher. During his late teens, Miller started wielding knives behind the meat counter at Wohlner’s, where he “developed mad butcher skills.” He took those skills on the road in his early 20s.

“I bought a crappy car, even an old school bus, and a dog,” Miller recalled. “I’ve been all over the States, except Hawaii and Alaska.”

A friend who had relocated to New Zealand invited Miller to visit. He settled in Kiwi country for nearly five years thereafter.

“It took a ‘roll with it’ approach,” Miller said. “Some people don’t take opportunities. I’ve never been one not to and it’s paid off.”

Those opportunities involved forays into real estate and running an arborist business for almost 15 years. When he received a buy-out offer in 2019 that was too good to pass up, Miller left tree pruning behind to consider his next move.

“I said to myself, ‘I gotta find something to do.’”

His vision was composed of brick-and-mortar business, a place where his three sons, ages 13, 10, and 6, “could see where their prosperity comes from.”

After spying an empty storefront in Rockbrook Village, Miller told his wife, “I’m going to open a butcher shop.”

“Oh, are you really?” she replied.

Miller drew up a business plan; three weeks later, on September 24, 2021 by coincidence, his birthday he signed the papers. Casanova’s Butchery was official.

He imprinted the business with his own, ineffable style. He and his employees don crisp white button-down shirts, spotless navy aprons (with matching ties), and spitfire caps. Their professional attire elevates the distinct feel of the butchery bright and airy that features gleaming white subway tiles accented with dark blue walls.

The beef comes exclusively from Nebraska, while the pork hails from Iowa. For specialty items, Casanova’s uses “appellation d'origine contrôlée” products those made according to the traditions and customs of the place where they’re produced. For example: Spanish chorizo, German Speck, and Italian prosciutto and guanciale. Additionally, the shop boasts a case of international cheeses, figs, and hardto-find gourmet items such as Callebaut Belgian bakin g chocolate.

Casanova’s curated offerings have resonated with the public. In fact, the butchery’s first year has proven so successful that Miller already has plans to expand into the adjacent bay to accommodate surging demand. Among the business’s most popular items are custom charcuterie boards, which typically feature pesto, hummus, Romesco sauce, and tapenades handcraft ed on site.

“We knew the boards were popular, but we had no idea how popular,” Miller observed. “We got a few orders for larger and larger boards, and it just snowballed. We don’t say no to people really well. You gotta take them opp ortunities.”

The expanded menu will also include select pastries and hot meals to go, such as pesto chicken and lamb cheeks with gnocchi.

“We wanted this to be a place to come and get great things,” Miller emphasized. “Not good things. Great things. There are a lot of places in Omaha to get good things. We wanted people to be able to come in and get exactly what they wanted.”

This sentiment rang true when the next customer, a woman who preferred to remain anonymous, stopped in for an evening meal of choice cuts.

Miller, full of impish charm, asked, “What can I get for you, young lady?”

After exclaiming over some short ribs (“Oh, those are beauties!”), she settled on oxtails.

A quick chat ensued about how best to prepare them: “Cook with some vegetables, rosemary, bay leaves, and a bottle of red wine for four to six hours,” was the consensus.

Like Winter, this customer has made Casanova’s a regular on her shopping circuit. “They have things here that you can’t find elsewhere,” she noted. “They’re special. The meat is more flavorful.”

“I’ll take care of you,” Miller added with a wink. “We’re here to serve the community.”

“And entertain us,” she quipped, heading out the door with a grin, and a parcel of oxtails tucked firmly under her arm.

Visit casanovasbutchery.com for more information.

“

WE WANTED THIS TO BE A PLACE TO COME AND GET GREAT THINGS. NOT GOOD THINGS. GREAT THINGS. THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES IN OMAHA TO GET GOOD THINGS. WE WANTED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED.”

-Andrew Miller

by Sophia Ridge

L A TASTE of

YOU’VE LIKELY SEEN THE INSTAGRAM-WORTHY PATRONS OF OMAHA—EFFORTLESSLY COOL, CHARMINGLY COSMOPOLITAN—POST ABOUT LA BUVETTE. THE SCENE FEATURES CLINKING

GLASSES OVER THE WARM BUT DIMLY LIT PATIO; WINE-BLUSHED CHEEKS FRAMED BY SHELVES OF EUROPEAN VINTAGE.

Mixed Meat and Cheese Plate

My intrigue for La Buvette, translated into English “The Refreshment Room,” was initially sparked by the praise of its artsy, fervent cult following the authentic, intimate eatery and wine shop seemingly inseparable from the lexicon of Old Market Bohemians. However, when peeking into the windows, you’ll notice families sharing memories, couples indulging in the romantic atmosphere, and friends of all backgrounds catching up over a glass (or three ) of wine.

Speaking of which, I ordered a glass of the Chateau La Grange Clinet Red Bordeaux and could not recommend it enough. I typically don’t go for reds, as they pack a bit too much of a dry punch for my taste, but this glass was velvety smooth with hints of ripe berry sweetness. One of my dining guests enjoyed an ambrosial red of their own filled with fullbodied notes of

blackberries when they ordered a glass of the Arnoux & Fils Cotes du Rhone Vieux Clocher. Our waiter was quick on their feet and had an eagle’s eye for a dry wine glass, and we were never left longing for another gene rous pour.

Not only did I see many guests eating and drinking at La Buvette, but a good many visited to pick up their favorite bottle of vino and head for the comforts of home, as the restaurant doubles as something of a specialty grocery store. On the other hand, my dinner guests and I decided to give ourselves completely to the HallmarkChristmas-movie-ambiance, so we dined in with appetizers, drinks, and entrées. For the appetizer, we devoured the Feta Plate, complete with sheep’s milk feta, olive oil, miniature pickles, tomatoes, onions, and pitted black olives, served with their unlimited house-baked bread. Portions of the bread had olives baked into the loaf as well, which was a pleasant surprise. It didn’t take long for the fluffy and herbal mounds of feta, coupled with the yeasty, delicate bread, to disappear.

For my entrée, I ordered from their handwritten Saturday specials menu and went with the Blanquette de Veau; a veal stew considered a staple in France. The veal was melt-in-yourmouth tender while the stew recalled a rich and briny gravy, yet managed to maintain a silky quality free of imperfect clumps. The dish is typically served as an all-white statement piece, devoid of contrasting colors an inclination for many classically tra ined chefs.

However, the recipe at La Buvette called for carrots in the Blanquette de Veau, which is considered a bold move in the culinary world. I personally would have enjoyed the dish much more without the carrots, as they were cut into hefty chunks and still quite tough and firm. Yet, as the carrots rested in the stew, they began to soften and transform into morsels of juicy crunches that contrasted delightfully with the texture of the veal. Overall, it was a pleasant meal and worth the experience, though not terribl y filling.

As for my guests’ choices, the Carrot and Turnip Soup satisfied their vegan appetite,

and the dish was described as very seasonal with an atypical yet enjoyable flavor. The Roast Chicken had another one of my guests scraping the plate for every last bite of the succulent chicken, replete with crispy skin and a compliment of creamy mashed potatoes the most sizable portion of all the orders. Lastly, my dinner partner, who like me, wanted to immerse themself in the l’humeur of La Buvette, ordered a decidedly French dish of juicy sausage, sauerkraut, and savory rice with tangy Dijon mustard: the Choucroute and Boudin Blanc. Though my guest was not dazzled by the Choucroute, as they stated the flavor was lacking, they still enjoyed

the texture of the dish.

Keep in mind, even with a tenacious wait staff, you’ll likely have to sit tight for a table, as a seat at La Buvette is highly sought after. The restaurant makes the most of their compact space, but the venue can only seat so many people at a time, and a line meandering outside the door is a common sight. My advice is to make the most of your time and google the pronunciation of the dishes on the menu while you wait. Also, when waiting for a table, try not to judge those who are taking their sweet time laughing heartily with their loved ones while slowly sipping their wine. With patience, this portrait of Parisian leisure will be yours, too an Omaha dining experience well worth the wait of c ommission.

Visit labuvetteomaha.com for more information.

AMERICAN

BARREL & VINE- $$

1311 South 203rd St., Omaha, NE 68130 - 402.504.1777

Barrel and Vine’s restaurant is an elevated food experience that is made from scratch daily with love in our kitchen. Our menu combines a mixture of Chef driven creative dishes, crave-able comfort meals and premium Nebraska steaks. Barrel & Vine also doubles as a live music venue and offers a rooftop bar, outdoor patio with firepits, and dozens of high end bourbons, scotch, and over 100 wine selections. Come check out an experience that is like nothing else in Nebraska. Open 7 days a week. —bvomaha.com

DJ’S DUGOUT SPORTS BAR - $

Seven Metro Area Locations:

Bellevue - 10308 S. 23rd St.

- 402.292.9096

Miracle Hills - 777 N. 114th St. - 402.498.8855

Downtown - 1003 Capitol Ave. - 402.763.9974

Aksarben - 2102 S. 67th St. - 402.933.3533

Millard - 17666 Welch Plaza - 402.933.8844

Elkhorn - 19020 Evans St. - 402.315.1985

Plattsmouth - 2405 Oak Hill Rd. - 402.298.4166

Voted Omaha’s #1 Sports Bar, DJ’s Dugout is locally and Vietnam Veteran owned. DJ’s Dugout features delicious burgers, wings, wraps, salads, sandwiches and an impressive drink menu. Plus, DJ’s has huge media walls full of HD TVs and projector screens. Catch all the action at DJ’s seven Omaha-area locations.

Dig In... At The Dugout! —djsdugout.com

DINING GUIDE

JAMS- $$

7814 Dodge St. - 402.399.8300

17070 Wright Plz, Ste. 100 - 402.810.9600

1101 Harney St. in the OldMarket

- 402.614.9333

Jams is an Omaha restaurant legacy, an “American Grill” that offers a melting pot of different styles and varieties. The dishes are made with high-quality ingredients that pair well with award-winning wines or creative cocktails. —jamseats.com

LE PEEP - $

69th & Pacific - 402.933.2776

177th and Center St. - 402.934.9914

156th St. & W. Dodge Rd. - 402.408.1728

120th and Blondo St. - 402.991.8222

Le Peep puts a wholesome perspective on your favorite neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot. Fresh. Simple. Elegant. Inviting. We put the emphasis on people, both patrons and staff. We focus on providing each of our guests the fresh food and friendly service that they have come to expect. Open daily 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. —lepeepomaha.co m

STELLA’S - $

106 S. Galvin Road, Bellevue - 402.291.6088

Since 1936, we’ve been making our world-famous Stella’s hamburgers the same way. The family secrets have been handed down to each owner, ensuring that your burger is the same as the one you fell in love with the first time you tried Stella’s. And if it’s your first time, we know you’ll be back! Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sunday. —stellasbarandgrill.com

T ED AND WALLY’S - $ 1120 Jackson St. - 402.341.5827

Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites, plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday. Noon-10 p.m.

—tedandwallys.com

VARSITY SPORTS CAFE - $$

Ralston - 9735 Q St. - 402.339.1944

Bellevue - 3504 Samson Way - 402.932.1944

Millard - 14529 F St. - 402.505.6660

Ralston, Bellevue and Millard. We are truly grateful to have been welcomed into each of these communities and welcome you in for good food, a cold drink and a comfy seat to enjoy the sport of your choosing! Determined to bring only the freshest ingredients, homemade dough and our specialty sauces to the table, we have worked hard to perfect our craft for you. Our goal is to bring the best food service to the area and show the best sports events that you want to see. Pick up and Delivery availalble. Please check website for hours of operation.

—varsityromancoinpizza.com

ITALIAN

PASTA AMORE - $$

11027 Prairie Brook Rd. - 402.391.2585

Pastas are made fresh daily, including tortellini, fettuccine, and capellini. Daily specials and menu items include a variety of fresh seafood and regional Italian dishes, such as linguini amore and calamari steak, penne Florentine, gnocchi, spaghetti puttanesca, and osso buco. Filet mignon is also offered for those who appreciate nationally renowned Nebraska beef. To complement your dining experience, the restaurant offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Be sure to leave room for homemade desserts, like the tiramisu and cannoli. Monday-Thursday 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 p.m. Reservations recommended.

—pastaamore.co m

S PEZIA - $$$

3125 S. 72nd St.

- 402.391.2950

Choose Spezia for lunch or dinner, where you’ll find a casual elegance that’s perfect for business guests, get-togethers, or any special occasion. Exceptional food, wine, and service, with a delectable menu: fresh seafood, certified Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads, Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, and fresh salmon daily. Enjoy a full bar, Italian and California wines, Anniversary/ Lovers’ Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and woodfired grill. Open Monday-Sunday. Cocktail hour 4-6 p.m., when all cocktails, glasses of wine, and beers are half price. Evening reservations recommended. —speziarestaurant.com

MEXICAN

FERNANDO’S - $

7555 Pacific St.

- 402.339.8006.

380 N. 114th St. - 402.330.5707

Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m. —fernandosomaha.co m

DINING GUIDE

LA MESA - $$

158th St. and W. Maple Rd.

- 402.557.6130

156th and Q streets

- 402.763.2555

110th St. and W. Maple Rd.

- 402.496.1101

Fort Crook Rd. and Hwy 370

- 402.733.8754

84th St. and Tara Plaza

- 402.593.0983

Lake Manawa Exit

- 712.256.2762

Enjoy awesome appetizers, excellent enchilada’s, fabulous fajitas, seafood specialties, mouthwatering margaritas and much more at La Mesa! Come see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s # 1 Mexican Restaurant 19 Years in a Row! Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. lamesaomaha.co m

R OMEO’S MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA - $

90th and Blondo streets

- 402.391.8870

146th St. and W. Center Rd.

- 402.330.4160

96th and L streets

- 402.331.5656

Galvin and Avery roads

- 402.292.2028

29th and Farnam steets

- 402.346.1110

Romeo’s is your friendly, family Mexican food and pizza restaurant. We take real pride in serving our guests generous portions of the freshest, most flavorful dishes made with the finest ingredients available. Zesty seasonings and the freshest ingredients combine to ensure the ultimate in flavor. Our savory taco meat is prepared every morning at each location. Make sure to try our chimichangas; they’re the best in town.

—romeosomaha.com

SPECIAL DINING

CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE - $

3578 Farnam St.

- 402.345.1708

Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia—Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best Reuben sandwich, we are a Midtown beer-lover’s destination.

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.midnight. Closed Sunday. —beercornerusa.co m

GREEK ISLANDS - $ 3821 Center St. - 402.346.1528

Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. We are well-known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater and can accommodate a party for 65 guests. Carry-out and delivery available. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. —greekislandsomaha.co m

ZEN COFFEE COMPANY - $

West - 132nd and Center Downtown - 25th and Farnam One Pacific Place - Drive Thru Kiosk next to Trader Joes

Zen features over 50 popular drink options including Butter Beer, Honey Bee, Lavender Lady and Sunshine Daydream. Choose from hot or iced lattes, blenders, fruit smoothies and teas! Grab a flight or double cup to try the seasonal features! Delicious pastries and toasts made in house daily. —zencoffeecompany.com

DINING GUIDE

STEAKHOUSES

CASCIO’S - $$

1620 S. 10th St.

- 402-345-8313

Cascio’s is Omaha’s No. 1 steakhouse. We have been serving Omaha for 69 years. We feature steaks, chops, seafood, and Italian specialties. We have seven private party rooms, seating for up to 400 people, and plenty of parking. —casciossteakhouse.co m

T HE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$

2121 S. 73rd St.

- 402-391-7440

Famous for the original Whiskey Steak. Truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Rare...and very well done. Open Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Dinner nightly at 5 p.m. —droverrestaurant.com

explore.

NEBRASKA

15TH ANNUAL POLAR BEAR TANK RACE March 3 at Middle Loup River near Mullen. The Polar Bear Tank Race is held to create awareness and raise funds for the Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway and to allow people to participate in the unique experience of tanking on the Middle Loup River in the winter. —outdoornebraska.gov

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. , March 3 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln R.E.S.P.E.C.T is an electrifying tribute celebrating the music of the legendary Aretha Franklin. This concert experience takes audiences on a journey of love, tragedy, courage, and triumph. Starring a live band and supreme vocalists, come experience a night of music by one of the greatest artists of all time. —liedcenter.org

LSO GOES TO TATOOINE - LINCOLN'S SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA March 11 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln In a galaxy far, far away…or right here at the Lied Center, celebrate the music of Star Wars by legendary film composer John Williams and The Mandalorian by rising film score star Ludwig Göransson with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy this concert, you will. —liedcenter.org

March

THE BOOK OF MORMON March 24-26 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln. This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. With standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, The Book of Mormon has truly become an international sensation. —liedcenter.org

CIRQUE ALFONSE: ANIMAL April 1 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln. One of the world’s top cirque troupes leads young and old on a journey to a reinvented land. A gentleman-farmer surrounds himself with crazy creatures: the chickens have teeth, the ducks are very naughty, and the cows run wild. —liedcenter.org

MONSTER JAM. April 7-8 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Lincoln. Monster Jam drivers are trained, world-class male and female athletes who have not only the physical strength and mental stamina needed to compete, but the vital dexterity to control 12,000-pound machines capable of doing backflips, vertical wheelies, and racing at speeds up to 70 miles-per-hour, producing jaw-dropping, live motorsports action seen around the world. —pinnaclebankarena.com

AJIJAAK ON TURTLE ISLAND: CRANES IN NORTH AMERICA March 9 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln Travel with the cranes as they migrate across Turtle Island. Nebraska’s favorite bird takes center stage in this larger-than-life production featuring live music, dance, and many of the finest puppets in the world. The story features Native American/Indigenous artists, music, language, and culture with puppets created by the Jim Henson Creature Shop. —liedcenter.org

JOURNEY March 25 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Lincoln. One of the most legendary rock bands of all time, Journey, announces the continuation of their highly successful tour with the 50th Anniversary Celebration Freedom Tour 2023 featuring very special guest Toto. The diamond-selling Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage with their catalog of global chart-topping hits, including "Don't Stop Believin,” "Any Way You Want It," "Faithfully," “Separate Ways," and more.  —pinnaclebankarena.com

March

HUNTERTONES April 13 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln. Huntertones brings people together with fun, imaginative, fearless music. The group’s  high-energy, horn-driven sound fuses inspired improvisation and adventurous composition, melding jazz, funk, rock, and soul. Individually, members of Huntertones have compiled a diverse resume of collaborations with top artists, including Jon Batiste, Snarky Puppy, Stevie Wonder, Andy Grammer, Ed Sheeran, and more. —liedcenter.org

EARTH DAY April 15 at the Innovation Campus in Lincoln. The Lincoln Earth Day Celebration is an annual celebration in Lincoln, Nebraska. This exciting community event hosts approximately 2,500 attendees annually. There will be dozens of booths that all promote, educate, and celebrate environmental stewardship, green education, and sustainable living. —lincolnearthday.org

MADAGASCAR April 15 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln. Join Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria as they bound out of the zoo and onto the stage in this live musical spectacular. This smash hit musical features a group of ‘cracka-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the wild world of King Julien’s Madagascar. —liedcenter.org

YING LI YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS SERIES April 16 at the Brownsville Concert Hall in Brownsville. Twenty-four-year-old Chinese pianist Ying Li is the First Prize winner of the 2021 Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, as well as recipient of The Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival Prize and the Tri-I Noon Recitals Prize. She has received top awards in numerous national and international competitions. —brownvilleconcertseries.com

JAGGED LITTLE PILL April 25-30 at the Lied Center of Performing Arts in Lincoln. A Broadway show—an exhilarating, fearless new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music. —liedcenter.org

IOWA

JOHN OSBORN: A LEGEND RETURNS HOME

March 11 at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City. Widely considered the most outstanding opera tenor in the world today, Sioux City native John Osborn returns to the Orpheum stage with a program featuring his “greatest hits” of opera. Osborn most recently won Best Male Singer at the International Opera Awards. After a three-year wait, this much-anticipated concert will guarantee an unforgettably powerful evening and will mark a celebrated welcome home to one of Sioux City’s own. The SCSO will also welcome special featured artist and John’s wife, the renowned soprano, Lynette Tapia. —orpheumlive.com

April 15

1776 March 14-19 at the Civic Center in Des Moines. American Repertory Theater at Harvard University/Roundabout Theatre Company’s new production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, 1776, is a tuneful, witty, “bold and exuberant” (Variety) reexamination of a pivotal moment in American history from directors Jeffrey L. Page (Violet) and Diane Paulus (Waitress). 1776 comes to the Des Moines Civic Center with a cast that reflects multiple representations of race, gender, and ethnicity. —desmoinesperformingarts.org

HOOP AND HOPS March 16-18 at Cowels Commons in Des Moines. Downtown Des Moines’ Cowles Commons hosts the 6th annual Hoops and Hops Presented by Willis Nissan. Don't miss this NCAA basketball tournament watch party unlike any other, and be there for the best all-day St. Patrick's Day party in the city! —desmoinesperformingarts.org

REO SPEEDWAGON March 17 at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City. REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums around the globe, and Cronin and bandmates Bruce Hall (bass), Neal Doughty (keyboards), Dave Amato (guitar), and Bryan Hitt (drums) are still electrifying audiences worldwide in concert with hits and fan-favorites such as “In Your Letter,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Time For Me To Fly,” “Roll With The Changes,” the aforementioned “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run,” and many, many more. —orpheumlive.com

DISNEY'S THE LION KING March 30-April 16 at the Civic Center in Des Moines. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Lion King brings together one of the most imaginative inspired teams on Broadway. Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. The Lion King also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. —desmoinesperformingarts.org

FAMILY EASTER April 8 at Living History Farms in Des Moines. Join the 1876 town of Walnut Hill in celebrating Easter with traditional holiday activities with an oldfashioned flair. There will be ongoing egg hunts, baby farm animals, horse-drawn wagon rides, games, “spring training” with the Walnut Hill Bluestockings, and more. Don’t forget to take your picture with the Easter Bunny and grab some grub from local food vendors. —lhf.org

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL April 11 at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City. After 25 years, CHICAGO is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway oshimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one show stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. —orpheumlive.com

GINA CHAVEZ April 15 at the Temple Theater in Des Moines. Latin Grammy nominee Gina Chavez blends the sounds of the Americas with tension and grace. A 13-time Austin Music Award winner and Austin Musician of the Year, she and her band can be seen on PBS in “Gina Chavez: Live from the Kate.” —desmoinesperformingarts.org

SIOUX CITY SYMPHONY PRESENTS ALADDIN IN CONCERT April 22 at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City. Join Aladdin, Jasmine, and The Genie (Robin Williams) as we take a magic carpet ride through time and revisit Disney’s Aladdin. Relive your favorite moments of the original 1992 animated feature projected in highdefinition on the big screen at the Orpheum Theatre as the Sioux City Symphony brings to life the award-winning film score by Alan Menken. And to celebrate this extraordinary finish to the 107th season, Sioux City native, writer and director of Aladdin, Ron Clements will be in attendance to honor this oncein-a-lifetime film and orchestra event! —orpheumlive.com

March 30+

UGLY DUCKLING April 1 at the Civic Center in Des Moines. Teased and called Ugly by his siblings, a feathery hero goes on an adventure in search of a place to fit in. —desmoinesperformingarts.org

AIR PLAY April 29 at the Civic Center in Des Moines. A circus-style adventure of two siblings journeying through a surreal land of air, Air Play transforms ordinary objects into uncommon beauty. Created by circus performers Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone in collaboration with kinetic sculptor Daniel Wurtzel, Air Play was devised through years of experimentation with simple materials, movement, and technology. —desmoinesperformingarts.org

INVISIBLE WONDERS April 30 at the Civic Center in Des Moines. In photographer Anand Varma’s hands, a camera is not just a tool to capture what he sees—it’s a way to illuminate the layers of beauty and complexity that are otherwise hidden from our naked eye. He has devoted years of his life to developing innovative techniques—even building some of his own equipment—to create intimate, dramatic, and surprising images of nature. His ultimate goal: to spark a sense of wonder about our world. Through his work, Varma highlights creatures whose incredible details typically go unseen. From the secret life cycle of the honeybee to the lightning-fast behaviors of hummingbirds, his photos slow down the fast, speed up the slow, and magnify the miniature to reveal life at the edge of our perception. Join him for a rare and fascinating glimpse of our world’s hidden wonders. —desmoinesperformingarts.org

KANSAS

KANSAS BALLET PRESET: THE ADVENTURES OF CIPOLLINO March 7 at the C. L. Hover Opera House in Junction. Join us as we explore the fairy-tale story of ‘The Adventures of Cipollino’ through the medium of dance! Cipollino ('Little Onion' in Italian) bravely fights against the unjust treatment of his fellow Vegetable folk by the snobby Fruit ‘aristocracy’ led by Princess Lemon. —jcoperahouse.org

JOSEPH HALL AS ELVIS March 11 at the C. L. Hover Opera House in Junction. Joseph Hall, born in 1984 has been paying tribute to the legacy of Elvis Presley since 2006. He starred on NBC’s America’s Got Talent in 2008, making 6 TV appearances, viewed by more than 90 million people and placing as one of the top 10 finalists. Joseph Hall has performed all over the world, from Las Vegas, Nevada to Porthcawl, Wales. Joseph Hall has won many awards throughout his young career including the “Spirit of Elvis ” award. Joseph has worked with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Legends in Concert, and has officially been recognized as one of the top Elvis tribute artists in the world today. —jcoperahouse.org

JOHNNY CASH AND NIEL DIAMOND TRIBUTE March 25 at the Orpheum, Wichita. The first half of this exciting multi-media theatrical production is “The #1 Tribute to Johnny Cash.” Hear the great “Man In Black” familiar classics including “Ring of Fire,” “Walk the Line,” “Get Rhythm,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” and more. After intermission, audiences are on their feet during Doug’s dazzling tribute to

EXPLORE CALENDAR

Neil Diamond featuring his greatest hits like: “Cracklin Rose,” “Sweet Caroline," “America Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Play Me,” and other classic hits. This spectacular evening also features The Nash A-List Big Band, great charts, lighting and stunning video wall highlighting the lives of Cash, Diamond, and Nash. —wichitaorphem.com

April 30

KEGS ’N’ EGGS April 15 at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Kansas City. Drinking and hunting make an EGG-cellent combination at Kegs ‘n’ Eggs! Each egg contains tickets to be redeemed for prizes and a few golden eggs are even filled with cash. If all that hunting is making you EGGstra thirsty, you’re in luck! There will be craft beer tastings from local and regional breweries along with EGG-citing games and contests, plus t-shirts, tote bags and sample glasses for everyone. So, come out and drink a few beers, scavenge for hidden eggs and partake in this EGG-stremely awesome event. —kcrenfest.com

CHEECH & CHONG’S UP IN SMOKE

April 20 at the Orpheum, Wichita. Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke is a 1978 American buddy stoner comedy film directed by Lou Adler and starring Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Edie Adams, Strother Martin, Stacy Keach, and Tom Skerritt. It is Cheech & Chong’s first feature-length film. Cheech & Chong had been a counterculture comedy team for about ten years before they started reworking some of their material for their first film. —wichitaorphem.com

2023 KANSAS CITY STORY TELLING FESTIVAL

April 28-29 in Downs. The Kansas Storytelling Festival is scheduled every year for the last full weekend in April. We will welcome you to Downs for an event featuring many of the finest professional tellers available along with Festival audience favorites, like the Tall Tale Contest, Local Legends, Master Storytellers, Story Shed, and more. —kansasstorytelling.com

MISSOURI

WINTER JAM March 3 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Winter Jam Tour hosted by NewSong, Christian music’s biggest tour, is returning to T-Mobile Center on March 3 with headliners We the Kingdom and Jeremy Camp plus a solid lineup of acts including: Andy Mineo, Disciple, Austin French, NewSong and featuring for the first time, Dove Awardwinning new artist of the year Anne Wilson. —t-mobilecenter.com

WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN March 17 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. WWE Friday Night Smackdown returns to T-Mobile Center on Friday, March 17, 2023, featuring WWE Superstars Drew McIntyre, Braun Strowman, Liv Morgan, Sami Zayn, Solo Sikoa, Bashing Brutes, New Day, undisputed tag team champions Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso, and many more. —t-mobilecenter.com

BLAKE SHELTON March 18 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Superstar entertainer Blake Shelton will return to the road in 2023 for his headlining Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, stopping at T-Mobile Center on March 18. Set to join the lineup are reigning ACM Female Artist / CMA Female Vocalist of the year Carly Pearce and rising artist Jackson Dean. —t-mobilecenter.com

April 20

KANSAS CITY FILMFEST March 26-29 at B&B Mainstream Theaters in Kansas City. More than 120 films will be shown over three days at this annual event, which celebrates the power of storytelling as a shared cultural experience though the cinematic arts. —kcfilmfest.org

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS April 1 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World Tour is coming with game like never before! Your favorite Globetrotter stars are bringing out their amazing basketball skill, outrageous athleticism and a non-stop good time to T-Mobile Center on Saturday, April 1 for two games. Join the Globetrotters as they go head-to-head against the Washington Generals who will stop at nothing to try and defeat the world’s winningest team. —t-mobilecenter.com

STRAIGHT JOKES! NO CHASER COMEDY TOUR, April 8 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The laughs never end with the Straight Jokes! No Chaser Comedy Tour featuring Mike Epps, Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Earthquake & D.C. Young Fly will stop at T-Mobile Center. —t-mobilecenter.com

EVENT TIMES AND DETAILS MAY CHANGE. Visit omahamagazine.com for complete listings. Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.

THE SHOE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT

It seems more and more common of late that random thoughts will pop into my head post-midnight without reason or warning.

Thus, I often find myself awake during prime sleeping hours N.B. by my definition “prime sleeping hours” are any hour that includes darkness, clouds, eclipses, power failures, or windows covered with heavy black velvet drapes. Now, when these invaders arrive, I’m not agitated awake, I’m just vaguely awake. I’m half-thinking awake. Wandering around the rarely used brain cells under my mastoids awake.

I am bemusedly wondering about this, that, or the other random thing that has appeared unbidden among my cranial neurons and pushed rudely to the front of the line in one cortex or another, so that my mind suddenly switches from meandering around a pleasant REM state that includes Halle Berry, the Super Bowl, and chocolate cake donuts to a half-conscious state notable for the intrusive power of the mildly obsessive trivial detritus of my misspent life.

For instance, just the other night without warning or preface, it occurred to me:

I haven’t seen a shoe horn in decades.

Where did they all go? Have they closed all the shoe horn factories? Is there a small town in the Rust Belt where old veterans of the shoe horn labor union meet at a rundown café near the now abandoned, derelict shoe horn plant to share memories of the glory days when they ran three shifts year-round producing the finest shoe horns for domestic and foreign markets before the bottom fell out and the global glut of shoe horns killed the industry and threw everyone out of work? Was it all part of the collapse of American organized labor and the blue-collar middle class? And what about all the ancillary jobs?

Did the well-liked salesman Willy Loman sell shoe horns?

The salesman at the Buster Brown Shoe store always had a shoe horn handy. Is that why they closed all the Buster Brown stores because they ran out of shoe horns? Or was it because of the radiation poisoning?

I remember the X-ray machines at those stores. You’d stick your feet into the machine and when you looked though the viewer you could see all the bones in your feet and how they moved when you wiggled your toes to make sure the new shoes fit properly. It was decades before those radioactive fluoroscopes attracted serious government attention and they realized that unless the little corner shoe store was managed by J. Robert Oppenheimer, it would probably be a good idea to limit children’s exposure to mutagenic gamma rays to the slightly unstable Strontium-90 present in their chocolate milk as a side effect of atmospheric nuclear testing in Nevada.

Did hundreds, maybe even thousands, or tens of thousands…did millions of children end up with foot cancer as a result of the Buster Brown shoe fitting fluoroscope? Did all the resultant legal action cause the end of the dream?

Is that why all the shoe horns disappeared?

All I know is, after thinking about all this, I have finally made an appointment with a podiatrist. I spent a lot of time looking at those skeletal images of my feet back in that innocent bygone era…a lot of time.

I hope I’m okay.

Otis Twelve hosts the radio program Morning Classics with Otis Twelve on 90.7 KVNO, weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. Visit kvno.org for more information.