Omaha Magazine - October 2023 - The Education Issue

Making the Grade Getting to the Heart of Special Education

MUSICIAN JACOB “CUBBY” PHILLIPS • ON BOARD WITH SKATEFEST OMAHA • CLASSIC CAR RESTORATION • ARCHETYPE’S ISAIAH SHEESE • OMAHA STRIPES

FROM FARMER(S) TO TABLE.

NEBRASKA & IOWA GROWN, DELIVERED DAILY TO DANTE.

Pictured from le ft to right: Nick Strawhecker, Dante: C hef & Owner. Jodi & Mike Levine, Fruit of Levine: Honey, Duck Egg s & Produce.

WHITEBOARDS, SCHOOL BOARDS, AND SKATEBOARDS

Solving for Omaha's Education Equation 'X-Factor': A Value of the Heart

Education is not only an inalienable human right, it’s the cornerstone upon which civil, healthy, and engaged society is framed. Still, fault lines are common, and many especially those whose educational needs requiring specialized care fall through the cracks. While funding, leglislation, and cu rriculum are all necessary for sealing such fractures, one element in particular has proven invaluable time and again: passion. Few

Elementary School special education teacher, Lisa Moody. Born with cerebral palsy, and a 2023 recipient of the national Milken Educator Award, Moody put it succinctly when she said, “I knew that I wanted to be an example for my students and for their families just because you have a disability or you don’t always navigate through life as easily as your peers, doesn’t mean it has to de ne who you are.”

For more of Moody’s inspired perspective, and those of other passionate individuals, turn to our cover story detailing the state of special education in Nebraska.

Indeed, there are certain intangibles, pivotal to the success of a developing mind, that cannot be measured by report cards or standardized tests

Omaha founder Blake Ha rris understands this well, an ADHD diagnosis and a rebellious nature placing him at odds with formal education for most of his life.

skating demos held at local schools and programs like Sk8 Kamp and Sk8 Skool, inviting area youth to share in the zeal, creativity, and persistence inherent in skateboarding culture.

Moody and Ha rris each represent the heart of education in Omaha, and they’re not alone. From philosopher-guitarist Jacob “Cubby”

Omaha cooking instructors, there’s much to glean from the pages to follow. Don’t worry…there won’t be a quiz at the end of the reading.

As always, thank you for your time and for making Omaha such a wonderful place to live and to learn.

TABLE of CONTENTS

032

FEATURES

032 038 MAKING THE GRADE

Exploring the Unique Needs, Challenges, and Achievements of Special Education in Nebraska ON BOARD WITH SKATEFEST OMAHA

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

001 From the Editor White Boards, School Boards and Skateboards

004 Between the Lines

006 Calendar of Events

026 Adventure Wander Women, Nebraska & Iowa's Inclusive Adventure Organization

044 History The Man Who Didn't Flinch

073 Obviously Omaha Local Independent Bookstores

090 Explore!

095 Instagram

096 Not Funny Typos I Have Known and Loved

ARTS + CULTURE

012 Visual Cartoonist & UNO Instructor Caitlin Cass

014 Music Cubby Phillips

018 Film Director Melissa Holder

022 Theater Executive Artistic Director Fran Sillau

PEOPLE

036 Profile Sportscaster Turned Educator

028 Gen O Piano Prodigy Sara Fernandes

046 Sports Referees John Higgins and Kipp Kissinger

GIVING

056 Calendar

060 Feature Good Vibrations Founder Judy Divis

Milken Educator Award-Winning teacher,Lisa Moody

Making the Grade

ABOUT THE COVER

Developing minds require guidance, care, and of course, funding—especially for those with disabilities. While students, parents, teachers, and officials may not always see eye-to-eye on where and how it should allocated, one resource in particular remains unanimously in-demand: passion. Turn to page 32 to learn how passionate Nebraskans are striving for a clearer, more accessible path to meeting the state’s special education needs.

Sarah Fernandes

THE LINES

Between

A LOOK AT THREE OMAHA MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTORS

CHRIS WOLFGANG Contributing Writer

Born and raised in the Midwest, Chris Wolfgang has been writing and editing for 20 years across a variety of topics and industries. She’s edited fiction for HarperCollins , written about goth weddings for Offbeat Bride, adapted translated Japanese text for manga, edited gaming material for Vampire: The Masquerade, and built publishing teams for several tech startups. You can also find a byline in a romance anthology, if you look hard enough. This is Chris’s second interim at Omaha Magazine she was an assistant editor for its fleet of publications from 2012–2014. She makes her home in Midtown with her partner, three cats, and whatever stray person or pet needs a quiet place to be for a bit.

NICKIE ROBINSON Graphic Designer I

Nickie was raised and lives in Tekamah, Nebraska. She has worked as a graphic designer and held similar roles in the newspaper publishing business for the last 15 years. She graduated Summa cum laude from University of Nebraska Omaha with a degree in studio art/visual technology followed by a degree in electronic imaging/media integration from Metropolitan Community College while belonging to three academic honor societies. When not designing, Nickie enjoys drawing, painting, cooking, and making signature craft cocktails which has led her to a part-time gig as a mixologist/bartender at BCB Vault in Tekamah. Nickie is an avid lover of architecture and interior design and enjoys everything from learning about architectural landmarks to implementing interior design trends in her home. She also enjoys spending time with her son, Adrian, who is currently attending his first semester at college and her dog, Max.

VERONICA PLOETZ Contributing Writer

Veronica Wortman Ploetz splits her story of origin between Omaha, Nebraska and Littleton, Colorado. She spends her days managing the leadership training team at a local transportation company. Off the clock, she's in pursuit of several creative interests including photography, repurposing furniture, and slowly updating a midcentury modern ranch style house. Wortman Ploetz has recently contributed to publications like Association for Talent Development , UNO Magazine. She and her husband enjoy gardening and watching their son play high school baseball. When not at the field, they take their wheaten terrier and spaniel on nature hikes. As a family the Ploetzes find their home away from home in Estes Park, Colorado.

Managing Editor JULIUS FREDRICK

Senior Editor KIM CARPENTER

Associate Editor

NATALIE VELOSO

Editorial Intern

CLAUDIA MOOMEY

Contributing Writers

LEO ADAM BIGA · TAMSEN BUTLER · GREG ECHLIN

MICHAEL KELLY · SARA LOCKE · LISA LUKECART

CAROL NIGRELLI · WILLIAM RISCHLING

DOUGLAS “OTIS TWELVE” WESSELMANN · MIKE WHYE LIZZY DIAMOND · CHRIS WOLFGANG

CREATIVE

Creative Director

RACHEL BIRDSALL

Senior Graphic Designer RENEÉ LUDWICK

Graphic Designer I NICKIE ROBINSON

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

M cCORMACK

STAY IN THE KNOMAHA!

Summer in the metro is jam packed with tons do—art, concerts, theater, festivals—we’ve got you covered with our comprehensive list and highlighted picks!

Art Music Festivals

JULIA CHILD: A RECIPE FOR LIFE

Durham Museum

October 7—February 11

Admission: Adults: $15. Seniors and Veterans: $12. Kids 3-12: $8. 801 S. 10th St. durhammuseum.org

Julia Child’s insatiable curiosity and tenacious spirit drove her to endlessly try, test, prove, and communicate how to make delicious food. Th is exhibition explores the key ingredients that led to Child’s personal evolution and America’s culinary revolution. Visitors will journey through her life as she explored the world and discovered her sense of curiosity, including the moment that ignited her love of French cuisine and inspired her career. At the heart of the exhibition, Child’s passion for teaching is explored, culminating with her legacy of inspiring chefs of all levels. Key experiences include an interactive The French Chef television set, documentation of Child’s distinctive voice and extraordinary contributions to the culinary works, and the sounds and smells of Julia’s Kitchen. Noon to 4 pm Sunday; 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday—Saturday. 402.444.5071.

TINA—THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL

Orpheum Theater

October 31—November 5

Admission: Ticket Prices Vary. 409 S 16th St. o-pa.com

Her voice is undeniable. Her fi re, unstoppable. Her triumph is unlike any other. A legendary comeback story, TINA is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, this electrifying sensation will send its audience soaring to the rafters. One of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner won 12 Grammy Awards, and her live shows were seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history. Th rough her life story and music, Tina Turner inspired and taught many to fi nd strength from within. Featuring her much loved songs, TINA-The Tina Turner Musical was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd. 402.661.8501.

JUNKSTOCK HARVEST EDITION

Waterloo

September 29—October 1, October 6—8

Admission: $15 (General Admission). 1150 River Road Drive. junkstock.com

Th is magical, one-of-a-kind festival draws visitors to Waterloo every fall. Junkstock is the place for vintage fi nds, unique antiques, handmade food, and one-of-a-kind repurposed relics. Guests can shop junk and vintage vendors and artisans, enjoy live music, try food trucks, and chill while children explore Kids’ Village. Amidst the shopping and eating are perfect photo opportunities to capture a stunning picture for Instagram or just secure a great new lock screen. The fi rst two weekends in October will be the ideal time to stroll through the stalls of unique handmade items and eclectic antique fi nds with an apple cider donut and a bloody Mary. 402.765.8651.

L D C E A of 8 15 22

» Exhibitions « BENEFIT ART AUCTION EXHIBITION

October 13—27 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Art supporters can experience 300 works of art by more than 200 local, regional, and national artists participating in the 2023 Benefit Art Auction. All artwork will be available for purchase at “Buy it Now” prices until Friday, October 27, when bidding begins at 70% of retail price. Proceeds support participating artists and Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. Open 11am to 5pm Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday; 11am to 9 pm Thursday. 402.341.7130.

—bemiscenter.org

MUSEUM INSIDER TOUR: OMAHA'S EERIE PAST

October 14 at Th e Durham Museum, 801 S 10th St. The Durham Museum's Insider Tours off er guests a chance to see the amazing, but rarely seen, museum collection and go behindthe-scenes of the museum with the collections team. October is the perfect time to creep into the basement collection and hear macabre tales of Omaha. Guests will learn about death and mourning, local legends, and the kookier side of the spooky city. 402.444.5071.

—durhammuseum.org

9 16 23

EVENTS

GLASS IN FLIGHT 2 BY ALEX HEVERI

Th rough October 15 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Guests can discover 16 life-like installations in a sculpture exhibition that showcases the beauty and importance of butterfl ies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. They can see the giant insects made of steel frames and Dalle de Vera glass and witness the interaction of sunlight and colored glass alongside the garden’s plant collection. Open daily, 9 am to 5 pm.402.346.4002.

—lauritzengardens.org

FLIGHT AND HOPE

Th rough December 22 at the Samuel Bak Museum: Th e Learning Center, University of Nebraska-Omaha, 2289 S 67 St. Th is exhibition explores themes of fl ight, journey, and migration through Samuel Bak’s oeuvre informed by his experiences as a forced migrant and refugee in the aftermath of World War II. 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 10 am to 6 pm Thursday; noon to 4 pm Sunday. Admission: free. 402.554.6100. —unomaha.edu/samuel-bak-museum-the-learning-center/ collections-exhibitions

JURASSIC NEBRASKA

Th rough January 2024 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S 20th St. Children can experience what life would be like if dinosaurs were around in their everyday lives; toss a football against some ferocious defenders, explore and discover fossils in a giant dig pit, climb Chimney Rock to look a T-Rex in the eye, and more. 9 am to 4 pm Tuesday—Friday; 9 am to 5 pm Saturday— Sunday. 402.342.6164.

—ocm.org

SHARING THE GLORY: THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN OMAHA

Th rough May 2024 at General Crook House Museum, 5730 N 30th St. The Douglas County Historical society’s 2023-2024 exhibit is a homer. Th is exhibition will focus on Omaha’s rich and extensive history and love of baseball. The General Crook House Museum is open seven days a week. 10 am to 4pm Monday—Friday, 1pm to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. 402.455.9990.

—douglascohistory.org

Concerts

DANIEL O’DONNNELL

October 1, 7 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. The Donegal based singer, who is one of the most prolific and successful recording artists in the UK charts, is the only artist in the world to score a hit in the UK album charts every year since 1988, an unprecedented and unbroken 35-year span, and in doing so, he has outshone everyone from Michael Jackson and Madonna, to U2 and the Rolling Stones. 402.345.0202.

—o-pa.org

ASKING ALEXANDRIA AND THE HU

October 1, 7 pm, at Harrah’s Casino Stir Concert Cove, One Harrah’s Blvd., Council Bluff s, IA. With special guests Bad Wolves and Zero 9:36. Th is band from Mongolia blends hard rock and traditional Mongolian throat singing to create their unique sound. 712.329.6000.

—caesars.com/harrahs-council-bluff s

JOSHUA RADIN

October 1, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Joshua Radin has been making a name for himself in the music industry since 2004. His music has appeared in fi lms and on television, and he has traveled all over the globe to perform. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

OHGEESY PRESENTS: GW2 TOUR

October 1, 8 pm, at Th e Admiral 2234 S 13th St. Experience hip-hop artist OHGEESY’s deft wordplay and head-nodding hooks surrounded by projection mapped visuals for the GW2 Tour. 402.706.2205.

—theadmiral.com

// 6 // OCTOBER 2023

CHEAP TRICK

October 3, 8 pm, at the Orpheum Th eater, 409 S 16th St. Combining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a fl air for the absurd, Cheap Trick provided the necessary links between ‘60s pop, heavy metal, and punk. Their sound provided a blueprint for both power pop and arena rock; it also had a long-lived eff ect on both alternative and heavy metal bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s (and beyond), who often relied on the same combination of loud riff s and catchy melodies. 402.661.8501.

—o-pa.org

FORTUNATE YOUTH

October 3, 8 pm, at Slowdown, 729 N 14th St. With Kash’d Out and Dubbest. From backyard BBQs in Southern California beach towns to its rise as one of the most popular reggae rock bands in the country, Fortunate Youth remains devoted to its roots and a simple mission: spread peace, love and unity with music. 402.345.7569.

—theslowdown.com

THE BAND CAMINO

October 4, 7 pm, at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. Hailing from Memphis, the Band Camino plays an appealing blend of uplifting indie rock and lush, romantic electro-pop. 402.345.0606.

—steelhouseomaha.com

ODESZA: THE LAST GOODBYE TOUR

October 4, 7:30 pm, at CHI Health Center, 455 N 10th St. With Special guests Bob Moses, Tokimonsta, and Qrtr & Olan. After playing at the Governor’s ball, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza earlier this year, the dance-electronic duo spends an evening in Omaha in a dazzling night of kinetic abandon. 402.341.1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

BABY JAKE

October 4, 8 pm, at Slowdown, 729 N 14th St. Baby Jake is bringing the glamour of the ’70s to modern day. Creating a unique mix of influences to develop an entrancing sound the Nashville-based singer’s loudest influence is his own personality. 402.345.7569.

—the slowdown.com

DROPKICK MURPHYS

October 5, 7 pm, at Th e Astro, 8302 City Center Dr. Born out of a dare in 1995, Dropkick Murphys have spent decades performing as an American Celtic punk-band.

—theastrotheater.com

TOWER OF POWER

October 6, 7:30 pm, at Holland Center Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. For over 55 years, Tower of Power has delivered the best in funk and soul music. The future of Tower of Power is set out to be vigorous and dynamic and will prove to be just that for fans around the world starved for the band’s groove just the way Tower of Power likes it!  402.345.0202.

—o-pa.org

BLACK VEIL BRIDES & VV

October 6, 7 pm, at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. With special guests Dark Divine. The BVB & VV tour combines three unique bands who champion the heavy-hearted, hopeless, and broken with mixtures of high intensity and melody. 402.345.0606.

—steelhouseomaha.com

MAX AND IGGOR CAVALERA

October 6, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. With Exhumed and Incite. Th is quartet, led by brothers Max and Iggor, will capture audiences with their intense heavy metal performance. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND FRIENDS

October 7, 7:30 pm, October 8, 2 pm at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Trumpet virtuoso, singer, and actor Byron Stripling joins the Omaha Symphony for an evening in celebration of American jazz legend Louis Armstrong. Stripling is joined by distinguished jazz artists in this tribute to Armstrong and his famous friends, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and more. 402.345.0606.

—omahasymphony.org

REO SPEEDWAGON WITH THE MAVERICKS

October 7, 7:30 pm, at the Orpheum Th eater, 409 S 16th St. Formed in 1967, signed in 1971, and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon’s unrelenting drive, as well as non-stop touring and recording jumpstarted the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. Platinum albums and radio staples soon followed, setting the stage for the release of the band’s explosive Hi Infi delity in 1980, which contained the massive hit singles “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” Th at landmark album spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot and has since earned the RIAA’s coveted 10X Diamond Award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the United States. 402.661.8501.

—o-pa.org

THE CLAUDETTES

October 8, 5 pm, at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. The Claudettes merge earthy blues and soul with punk spirit delivering a unique, compelling, and ultimately satisfying blend of genres with surprising hooks and ear-worms galore. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

SCOWL

October 8, 8 pm, at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. With Militarie Gun and Big Laugh. Scowl has quickly made a name for themselves as one of the most vivid and hard working acts in the rock world. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

AN EVENING WITH THE CHURCH

October 9, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. With Australian psych-rock guitar masters, Th e Church enter their fi fth decade of making music with all the fierce creative energy of their early years. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

AN EVENING WITH MARTIN SEXTON

October 12, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Th e 2023 tour takes Martin across North America in support of his latest EP, 2020 Vision , as well as reinventing his own classics for these critically-acclaimed solo performances. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

THE STEEL WHEELS

October 13, 7:30 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, Holland Music Club, 1200 Douglas St. The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound. In 2005, Jay Lapp (vocals, guitars, mandolin) and Eric Brubaker (vocals, fiddle) joined lead singer Trent Wagler (guitar, banjo) in forming the band as a vehicle for Wagler’s songwriting. They released several albums under Wagler’s moniker, before officially adopting the The Steel Wheels name with the 2010 release of Red Wing. 402.345.0202. —o-pa.org

HAYDEN, WOLF AND MOZART

October 15, 2 pm, at Strauss Performing Arts Center, 6001 Dodge St. Two classical era masterpieces supplement the world premiere of Adam Wolf’s French Horn Concerto performed by Principal French Horn of the Omaha Symphony Brett Hodge. 402.345.0606.

—omahasymphony.org

CARBON LEAF

October 15, 7 pm, at Barnato, 225 N 170th St Suite 95. A touring mainstay and an indie folk rock staple, this Virginia quintet’s well-hewn live show and musical style drift in and out of Americana, bluegrass, rock, folk, Celtic, and pop traditions with ease, using an arsenal of instruments to defi ne the band's lively stage presence and sonic landscape. 402.964.2021. —barnato.bar

RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER

October 15, 7:30 pm, at Th e Astro, 8302 City Center Dr. Ricky Skaggs is an outstanding country music singer-songwriter who has helped ape today’s music by introducing bluegrass sounds into mainstream country songs.

—theastrotheater.com

G FLIP

October 15, 8 pm, at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Originally a session drummer by trade, their music starts from the drums up. G Flip writes of relationships, heartbreak, and acceptance. Authentic, relatable, and always energetic, G Flip is a bonafide powerhouse. 402.884.5707. —reverblounge.com

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS

October 18, 8 pm, at Th e Admiral 2234 S 13th St. With Die Spitz. Amyl and the Sniff ers is Amy Taylor, Dec Martens, Gus Romer, and Bryce Wilson. Th is Australian punk band formed in Melbourne in 2016 and have since found international acclaim. 402.706.2205. —theadmiral.com

KEVIN GATES

October 19, 7 pm, at Th e Astro, 8302 City Center Dr. Kevin Gates’ 2023 tour is a celebration of the singer’s 2021 mixtape, Only the Generals, Pt. II, and will feature special performances by BIGXTHAPLUG and DJ Chose.

—theastrotheater.com

JON PARDI

October 20, 7 pm, at Baxter Arena, 2425 S 67th St. With Special guests Midland, Ella Langley, and DJ Highmax. Country artist Jon Pardi is touring internationally in celebration of his most recent album, Mr. Saturday Night . 402.554.6200 —baxterarena.com

GATLIN

October 20, 8 pm, at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Raised on Stevie Nicks and Taylor Swift, Gatlin has been cultivating her musical acumen since she was young. Since her fi rst release in 2020, she has been thrilling audiences with her emotionally open pop songs. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

STOP LIGHT OBSERVATIONS

October 21, 8 pm, at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Stop Light Observations is a dynamic fi ve-piece hailing from Charleston, South Carolina. Their sound is a unique blend of rock, pop, and indie, infused with electronic beats and soulful vocals. Their live shows are a testament to their authenticity and raw talent. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

SAMIA

TENNIS

October 16, 8 pm, at Slowdown, 729 N 14th St. With Sam Evian. Tennis is Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. Since their fi rst release in 2010 went blog-viral, the duo has continued to release new music and toured the country on stages both large and small. 402.345.7569 —theslowdown.com

BRENT COBB: SOUTHERN STAR TOUR

October 17, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Georgia native Brent Cobb takes inspiration from the “southern eclectic” music and stories from the American South and uses it in his Grammy-nominated songwriting. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

WILCO

October 23, 7:30 pm, at Th e Astro, 8302 City Center Dr. With Nina Nastasia.

—theastrotheater.com

THE NATIONAL PARKS

October 23, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. With Zach Seabraugh. As their name suggests, the National Parks take inspiration from the beauty of nature. Th at inspiration is prevalent in the folk-rock discography. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC

October 24, 7 pm, at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. Formed back in 1999 in Liverpool, England, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac is now recognized globally as the “fi nest Fleetwood Mac Tribute Concert Experience.” 402.345.0606.

—steelhouseomaha.com

RAWAYANA

October 26, 8 pm at Slowdown, 729 N 14th St. Originating from Venezuela, RAWAYANA has become one of Latin America’s most exciting acts with their high-powered live show and distinctive fusion of reggae, funk, soul, rock, and Caribbean rhythms. 402.345.7569

—theslowdown.com

CANDLELIGHT: A HAUNTED EVENING OF HALLOWEEN CLASSICS

October 27, 6:30 pm, at Th e Rose Th eater, 2001 Farnam St. Candlelit concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience with awe-inspiring ambiance. A local quartet will be playing a variety of classical and contemporary Halloween songs.

—candlelightexperience.com

SWITCHFOOT- THE BEAUTIFUL LETDOWN 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

October 21, 8 pm, at Th e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. With Venus & the Flytraps. Samia broke out into the indie-rock scene with her debut album in 2020. Her follow-up album leans more into the genre, further enticing listeners. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

SYMPHONY SPOOKTACULAR: MAESTRO MYSTERY

October 22, 7:30 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. There is an instrument thief on the loose at the Holland. Help the Maestro catch the culprit and restore order to the orchestra before they get away for good. Th is concert features classical spooky favorites and will be a Halloween story the whole family will love. 402.345.0606

—omahasymphony.org

October 28, 7 pm, at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. In honor of their triple-platinum album’s 20th anniversary, Switchfoot released a re-recorded version of Th e Beautiful Letdown in May and launched the North American tour. 402.345.0606.

—steelhouseomaha.com

WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE

DISNEY PIXAR COCO LIVE-TO-FILM CONCERT: THE NORTH AMERICA TOUR

October 28, 7:30 pm, at Holland Center Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Watch a screening of the complete fi lm with Oscar® and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score performed by a 20-member Latin ensemble. In addition to the original score by Giacchino, Coco also features the Oscar®-winning song “Remember Me” by Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina. 402.345.0202.

—o-pa.org

SAMUEL J COMROE

October 1, 7 pm, at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St., Village Pointe. Samuel J. Comroe is a stand-up comedian who performs at over 100 clubs and colleges annually. His comedy is made up of the trials and tribulations of living with Tourette Syndrome and observational material based on his life experiences. 402.493.8036. —omaha.funnybone.com

BEN PALMER

October 4, 7:30 pm, at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St., Village Pointe. Ben Palmer’s (PalmerTrolls) show features comedic stories of him trolling hateful commenters on corporate Facebook pages, posing as city governments, making up fake cases to get on court TV, and pretending to be a journalist to send fake quotes to multilevel marketing companies and union busting corporations. 402.493.8036. —omaha.funnybone.com

DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE

October 5—8, 11—13 at University of Nebraska Omaha, 6505 University Dr. S.

RUBEN & CLAY

October 28, 7:30 pm, at Th e Astro, 8302 City Center Dr. Experience an unforgettable night with Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. Attend a special VIP “Sound Check Party” including a song that can only be heard during soundcheck. —theastrotheater.com

STAGE PERFORMANCES

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

Th rough October 15 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Tony Award-winner Beautiful: Th e Carole King Musical is the inspiring true story of singer/ songwriter Carole King’s remarkable life, her journey to fame, and the mammoth impact she and her work had on the music industry. While not without strife and heartache, King’s story and unbreakable spirit will capture audiences’ hearts. 402.553.0800.

—omahaplayhouse.com

MACBETH

Th rough October 22 at Bluebarn Th eatre, 1106 10th St. Powerful ambitions. Crippling guilt. Brutal consequences. William Shakespeare’s dark and bloody tragedy is as relevant today as it was 400 years ago. In this World Premiere adaptation by Beth Ann Hopkins, ambition corrupts a noble mind. He will betray and destroy all he holds dear. 402.345.1576.

—bluebarn.org

A new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of depravity, lust, love and horror. Henry Jekyll’s experiments have brought forth his other self—Edward Hyde. The two side battle each other in a deadly game of cat-andmouse to determine who shall be the master and who his slave. 402.554.7529. —unomaha.edu

LIFE DOESN’T FRIGHTEN ME

October 6—22 at Th e Rose Th eater, 2001 Farnam St. Th e inspiring poem written by Dr. Maya Angelou is adapted for the stage by renowned hip-hop theater artist Paige Hernandez, with original music by Grammy-nominated Kris Funn. Th is show is a musical journey of facing fears, embracing individuality, and turning to community in times of need. 402.345.4849 . —rosetheater.org

PIPELINE

October 6—November 5 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Where does the pipeline to prison begin? A gripping, thought-provoking, harrowing drama, Pipeline is the journey of a mother and educator who tries desperately to keep both her son and her students on the straight-and-narrow paths. It is an examination of the American education system and the obstacles that students, educators and parents encounter to achieve success. 402.553.0800. —omahaplayhouse.com

JEFF DUNHAM

October 7, 3 pm, at CHI Health Center, 455 N 10th St. American ventriloquist, stand-up comedian, and actor Jeff ery Douglas Dunham returns to the CHI Health Center with his edgy puppet characters. 402.341.1500. —chihealthcenteromaha.com

October 7, 8 pm, at Th e Admiral 2234 S 13th St. Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast in the style of community updates for a small desert town. Night Vale’s unforgettable live shows bring the audience into the story in surprising and thrilling ways. Th is live show is entirely stand-alone and does not require any knowledge of the podcast. 402.706.2205.

—theadmiral.com

BILL MAHER

October 8, 7:30 pm, at the Orpheum Th eater, 409 S 16th St. For more than 25 years, Bill Maher has set the boundaries of where funny, political talk can go. First on Politically Incorrect (Comedy Central, ABC, 1993-2002), and for the last 19 years on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher’s combination of unfl inching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 41 Emmy nominations.  Maher won his fi rst Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, VICE . In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, Religulous , directed by Larry Charles (“Borat”).    402.661.8501.

—o-pa.org

PETE LEE

October 13, 7 pm & 9:30pm, at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St., Village Pointe. Pete Lee might be the nicest person in New York City, but that’s because it’s impossible to sound aggressive with a Wisconsin accent. Lee has toured all over the country and has performed and written for many television and streaming programs. 402.493.8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

MATT FRASER

October 14, 8 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Matt Fraser is America’s Top Psychic Medium and star of the hit television series on E! Entertainment.   His sold-out live events, television appearances, and spiritual teachings have allowed him to bring healing, hope, and laughter to a global audience of fans and followers. From heartfelt emotional readings to stunning revelations, he has audiences on the edge of their seats with his outrageous personality and unique approach. 18 and over only.

—o-pa.org

402.345.0606

BLUEY’S BIG PLAY

October 14—15 at the Orpheum Th eater, 409 S 16th St. When Dad feels like a bit of Sunday afternoon time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans. The sisters pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean bag. Th is is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy-award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush. 402.661.8501.

—o-pa.org

BORED TEACHERS COMEDY TOUR

October 20, 7:30 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Th e biggest entertainment platform for teachers in the world, Bored Teachers, presents the funniest teacher-comedians in the world all on one stage. 402.345.0606.

—o-pa.org

TIM ALLEN

October 21, 8 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. The actor, comedian, and writer rose to prominence with his breakthrough role as Tim “The Toolman” Taylor on Home Improvement , where his comedic timing and physical humor made him a household name. Prior to his acting career, Allen worked as a stand-up comedian, often incorporating his experiences as a father and handyman into his routines. 402.345.0606.

—o-pa.org

THE NERD

October 14-15; 20-22; 26-29, check for showtimes, at Lofte Community Th eatre, 15841 Manley Rd. , Manley. Willum has never met Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI who saved his life when he was wounded in battle. Rick appears unexpectedly on the night of Willum’s birthday, and he is dismayed to fi nd out that his hero is a hopeless “nerd.” Th is outrageous comedy will have audiences laughing all the way home. 402.234.2553.

—lofte.org

CHRIS DISTEFANO

October 18, 7 pm, at Th e Astro, 8302 City Center Dr. Primarily a stand-up comedian, Distefano began his career in entertainment on MTV and MTV2’s show Girl Code and Guy Code. He has since had stand-up specials featured on Comedy Central and has made a name for himself in the stand-up community.

—theastrotheater.com

CRAFT COMEDY SHOWCASE

October 19, 7 pm, at Zipline Brewing Co., 721 N 14th St. The Craft Comedy Showcase is a free stand-up comedy show featuring the best local comedians Nebraska and beyond have to off er. Perfect for anyone to enjoy free laughs and an all-day happy hour.

—eventbrite.com/e/craft-comedy-showcase

LUCAS ZELNICK

October 22, 7 pm, at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St., Village Pointe. Lucas Zelnick is a stand-up comedian born, raised and based in New York City, who challenges his cushy upbringing through punch-heavy material. His stand-up clips have exploded online, receiving millions of views and thousands of followers across platforms. 402.493.8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

OPERA OMAHA PRESENTS: DON PASQUALE

October 27 & 29 at the Orpheum Th eater, 409 S 16th St. Hijinks and cunning flourish in this delightful comic opera. A crotchety miser is thwarted in his attempts to con his nephew out of an inheritance. With the guise and wit of a clever young woman and family friend, the old man becomes tangled in vines of his own buff oonery. 402.346.7372. —operaomaha.org

DAVID SEDARIS

October 29, 7 pm, at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. An Evening with David Sedaris, author of the previous bestsellers Calypso, Naked , Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim , and regular National Public Radio contributor will be live on stage for one night only, following the release of his newest book Happy Go Lucky. 402.345.0202. —o-pa.org

MORE:

TEACHERS’ NIGHT 2023

October 6, 4 pm, at the Durham Museum 801 S 10th St. Th is year’s week of appreciation for teachers in the area will culminate in the 20th annual Teachers’ Night, an appreciation event and resource fair for educators. 402.444.5071.

—durhammuseum.org

FAMILY ADVENTURE DAY

October 7, 9:30 am, at Camp Wa-kon-da, 402 Forest Dr. Fontenelle Forest is hosting a morning of outdoor family fun featuring an archery 101 course and competition, various yard games, bonfi re s’mores, a naturalist-guided hike, and backpacking, skill-themed lessons. 402.731.3140. —fontenelleforest.org

SLEEPING BAG SAFARI

October 7, 6 pm, at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium 3701 S 10th St. Join the Zoo for an overnight program where adult guests spend the night at the zoo’s Tent Camp Site and experience the exhibits after hours. Program includes picnic dinner and drinks, an evening hike, movie, snacks, “grab-n'-go” breakfast, morning hike, and a free day at the zoo. Th is event is for guests 21-and-over. 402.733.8401.

—omahazoo.com

WEST O WINE WALK

October 11, 5 pm, at the Shops of Old Town Elkhorn Th e West O Wine Walk will take attendees to 12 stops in downtown Elkhorn. In addition to a unique shopping experience, there will also be live music on every street. Admission is $20, and the fi rst 300 attendees will receive a free wine glass. 402.289.9560.

—westochamber.org

NELSON PRODUCE FARM PIZZA PIE NIGHT

October 27, 4 pm at Nelson Produce Farm, 10505 N 234th St. Nelson Produce Farm’s monthly Pizza Pie Nights are a wonderful time designed for families and outings with friends. Guests can enjoy homemade pizza and local music artists under the stars, with home-baked pies and ice cream for dessert. 402.830.0567.

—nelsonproducefarm.com

SCALES AND TAILS

October 28, 2 pm, at Fontenelle Forest 1111 Bellevue Blvd. Kids will do a little myth-busting about some of their favorite animals while learning about Fontenelle’s resident animal ambassadors. Th is fun family program will include slime-making, eating spooky cookies and other fun educational activities. 402.731.3140.

—fontenelleforest.org

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ILLUSTRATING HISTORY

TO BUILD THE FUTURE

ARTIST & UNO INSTRUCTOR CAITLIN CASS

The cartoon reads like the set up to a joke. A docent leads a group of curious school children through a museum to identify artifacts and objets d’art as she deadpans: “Now we’re leaving the hall of stuff we stole from other cultures and entering the hall of stuff we paid too much for.”

The work appeared in The New Yorker in August 2018, and its punchline, a one-line indictment of museum practices, was simultaneously amusing, accurate, and devastating. It also aptly encapsulated the witty, erudite work of Caitlin Cass—a cartoonist, installation artist, and assistant professor of illustration in the College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Th at the 36-year-old takes a scholarly approach to creating cartoons isn’t surprising. In 2009, the Chicago native received a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, where “great books” by history’s most lauded writers and philosophers comprise the liberal arts curriculum. She then earned her master’s of fi ne arts in studio art from the State University of New York in Buff alo in 2012.

While there, Cass developed The Museum of Failure, an installation that explored harboring “hope in the face of failure.” People like Franz Reichelt, who plunged to his death from the Eiffel Tower in 1912 after trying to prove that his wearable parachute worked, fascinated the artist and appeared throughout what she later developed into her Great Moments in Western Civilization series.

After earning her MFA, Cass became a member of the art faculty at Buffalo Seminary, a private all-girls’ high school in New York. The experience prompted her to create work that additionally focused on people of color, oppressed groups, and women’s history.

“I became more interested in history in that context,” reflected Cass, who often folds fantastical elements into the history she’s chronicling. “There is a line on which all history is myth making. We pretend it’s objective, but history is active.”

Scott Propreak, the then curator and now executive director of Buff alo’s Burchfield Penney Art Center, had been following Cass’s work online. When the museum decided to celebrate the centennial of the 19th amendment, he approached Cass to create illustrations commemorating the occasion. With an assist from the National Endowment for the Arts, the artist developed Women’s Work: Suff rage Movements 1848-1965; bimonthly

illustrations that appeared on the center’s website for a year and culminated in both a book and exhibition to mark the 2020 anniversary.

Often laconically witty in her approach, Cass distilled the time period into comics that captured its complexity. For example, on one page she depicted Suffragettes like famous athletes, their faces and relevant “statistics” listed as if on trading cards. On another, she created a close-up view of a voter application form marked with one word in bright red: “DENIED.”

The project lit a fi re for Cass.

“I just didn’t stop,” she confessed. “I kept going. Now I’ve doubled it. A new book, around 250 pages, will come out in 2024—Suff rage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the US.”

An exhibition timed to coincide with the publication will take place at UNO.

At about the same time as the Burchfield Penney project, The New Yorker also began featuring Cass’s work. Over a dozen of the artist’s cartoons have appeared in the venerable magazine’s pages, a career pinnacle for many illustrators that’s not easy to reach. The publication receives at least 500 submissions a week—all vying for the same 12 to 20 slots.

For all these achievements, her role as an instructor at UNO, a position she started in 2021, is what excites her—particularly because illustration is a new concentration beginning this fall for students interested in comics, cartooning, surface pattern design, animation pre-production, and illustration for children's books, editorial content, and advertising.

“It is relatively rare for state schools to offer a full-on illustration concentration,” Cass explained. “Most just have a class or two. Th is concentration allows students to see how they can make a living from readable images and visual storytelling.”

Amy Morris, professor of art history and director of UNO’s School of the Arts, is thrilled to have Cass head up the new concentration.

“Caitlin is an amazing hire,” Morris said. “She stands out in terms of teaching, research, and achievements. Her work is so genre-bending

and smart. It really straddles the line between literature and art. And Caitlin is already very accomplished. Being published in The New Yorker is very elite, yet she is so unassuming.”

Morris has been particularly impressed with how Cass structures her curricula to challenge UNO students on a variety of levels.

“She has her pulse on students and goes so far above and beyond to create opportunities for them outside the classroom,” Morris explained.

For example, Cass initiated “Comics and Coff ee,” a regularly scheduled Zoom session open to all UNO students that invites professionals like cartoonist and author Bob Mankoff, The New Yorker’s cartoon editor for 20 years, to share insider industry insights.

For her sketchbook courses, Cass also brings students into the community to places like parks, museums, and restaurants where they can hone their observational skills and have broader conversations about what they’re seeing and experiencing. One trip was to the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, where an exhibition featured work by many LGBTQ artists.

“It opened up a conversation about trans rights that was at times difficult to navigate, because there were a lot of differing intergenerational and cultural views,” Cass said. “I was really impressed with how my students handled it. It’s reassuring that these types of conversations are happening. The media tells us that we are increasingly divided and insulated in our communities, but the classroom is a place where cross-cultural conversations st ill happen.”

Those conversations are as important for the artist as they are her students.

“Just the opportunity to engage with students from all over Nebraska and the midwest has expanded my sense of the world,” Cass reflected. “From first generation students, to working moms, to retirees returning to school after a long career, I truly value being exposed to people's different world views and perspectives.”

Ideas that will, no doubt, continue to inform, impact, and influence Cass’s work goin g forward.

For more information about the artist, visit caitlincass.com.

STORY BY KIM CARPENTER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

Occam’s Occam’s Guitar Pick Guitar Pick

Cubby Phillips’ Ascent to Improvisational Enlightenment A/C Music

STORY BY JULIUS FREDRICK // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

“My life and my art are totally blended together; there’s less and less of a distinction, which is what I want. I like the unity of that.”

-Jacob Phillips

or time immemorial, people have strained against the unknown; subtle, often invisible forces crackling at the borders of perception. In ages past, such phenomena inspired myths, sagas, and mighty pantheons. Today, many are accepted as empirical fact, though hardly less remarkable—clockwork ocean tides wound daily by the moon’s circadian turns; monstrous, bewildering skeletons neatly catalogued in the fossil record; the potential and devastation wrought by dividing matter to a point once imagined indivisible. Yet, after millennia of intellectual rigor, an ancient dilemma defies consensus, despite, or likely because of, its proximity to the mind s in doubt.

The nature of knowledge, in and of itself.

Some thinkers, like the existentialists, believe that knowing—the sum of identity, experience, and memory—cannot be arrayed beyond broad, impressionistic, and ultimately subject ive strokes.

Others, like 25-year-old Jacob “Cubby” Phillips, ascribe to an opposing school of thought. Under the umbrella of ‘analytical philosophy,’ at least one tool is deft enough to shear objectivity from the metaphysical: pure logic, knapped to its most piercing lingu istic edge.

Though debate is endless and rife with contrasting views, Phillips’ arguments are sound—strung together potently, wordlessly, from the neck of his Eastman hollowbody guitar.

“It’s a term I’ve picked up from my reading, a term from the philosophy of language,” said Phillips on the title of his inaugural studio album, Prompted Assent. “There's a guy named Willard Van Orman Quine who developed this notion of ‘prompted assent.’ The short and sweet of it is, it’s a pre-linguistic recognition of truth. Oftentimes we think of truth as being associated with language. So, like, a sentence is 'true' or 'false,' right? But Quine felt that we needed a notion of truth that was even prior to language […] Truth is more fundamental than language—or our ability to grasp the truth, I should say, is more fundamental than our ability to grasp language.”

In simplified terms, words are malleable in the hands of circumstance—as likely to muddle truth as to clarify it. To Quine and Phillips, carrying and exchanging shared meaning requires a less porous vessel, however soluble its contents—the textured chords, modal harmonies, and unfettered solos of improvisational jazz, for example.

“So that ties to the music, at least in my understanding of improvisation, we’re trying to interact with, to build upon, what the other musicians are doing—to assent, or to dissent sometimes—in a way that isn’t the product of deliberation. Not hindered by thought, it’s a spontaneous agreement, or disagreement, to what each musician is doing,” Phillips explained. “Th at’s the source of my improvisation and my group’s music. The album is meant to emphasize this kind of primordial response to our interactions w ith others.”

A solitary note plucked from a rosewood fretboard, exposed and shivering as snares whisper in ambush; a wail of brass, joyous and

defiant, kicking and splashing in the wake of an abandoned harmony; sparkling enamel, flashing over candlelit cloth and crystal carafes. Communication between musician and musician; musician and audience. Assent and dissent, untethered from translation.

“Spontaneous creation requires a very particular kind of skillset, but not a particular methodology in which you’re trying to train your hands to play licks,” Phillips continued. “Quite the contrary, you’re trying to train your hands to be as unencumbered as possible, so that beauty can emerge...and to me beauty is among the most important things, because beauty inspires love and beauty is the result of love. It’s not that my life imitates my improvisation, it’s that they are the same thing—a practice in openness, and the marriage between receptivity and strength.”

Though Phillips continues to develop his crafts (as both a musician and a writer), he’s reached an important milestone with the recording and imminent release of Prompted Assent. It marks a culmination of experiences and chance encounters from his upbringing and education—his Syrian Orthodox heritage and explorations of Tantrism, his performances with area punk and alternative outfits such as Chemicals, Icky Blossoms, and InDreama, and of course, his philosophy studies and jazz band rehearsals at the University of Nebraska Omaha. However, one prominent figure has offered a guiding hand since the onset of his career.

“My earliest musical memory is of Bob Marley,” Phillips said. “I even remember the song; “Buff alo Soldier” from the album Confrontation […] Bob Marley’s spiritual vision is really important to me. So, going into the main recording sets for [Prompted Assent], I read lyrics from Bob Marley’s “Mix Up, Mix Up” to set the tone for the sessions. Then, we recorded a Bob Marley track for the album.”

While the majority of Prompted Assent is, in Phillips’ words, “jazz–free, f***ing wild, jungle jazz—energy music” and was mastered by Grammy-nominated instrumentalist and sound engineer Nate Wood in New York City, Phillips entrusted his group’s cover of Marley’s “Jump Nyabinghi” to local producer and audio engineer Keith Rodger, widely known as “Kethro.”

“Cubby and I have had a really good, long relationship musically,” Rodger noted. "He trusted me with this particular tune (“Jump Nyabinghi”), to bring my flavor and attention

to it. To me, the tune had to honor Bob’s legacy—what he’s done for the culture and music in general—but also highlight this modernized twist of musicians that are extremely, extremely talented. Most of my work was done in the chopping room, the editing room, before I passed it to the mixing and mastering engineer to work t heir magic.”

Over years of working together, Rodger has not only developed a strong sense for Phillips musically, but personally. He believes the young instrumentalist has stoked the coals for a rad iant future.

“As an individual, he’s one of the most intelligent people I know; not only with academics, but emotions. He has such an optimistic view of the world, and he’s not afraid to take risks in those environments either,” Rodger affi rmed. “I truly believe that when it comes to the next generation of greats—whether it’s jazz music or guitar-based music—I truly believe Cubby’s going to be known as one of the heavy hitters coming out of our city. I think his records will last a really long time for those who respect the craft.”

As of June, Phillips resides in New York City, though he plans “to continue going back and forth [from Omaha]” because his mind “works differently in these two different places”—for the urgency and endless fonts of inspiration in NYC, and the stillness and creative freedom of Omaha. Indeed, he debuted Prompted Assent’s eponymous track at the 2022 Omaha Under the Radar festival to great fanfare.

“My plan is to continue to develop my relationship with my craft; to display my relationship with the guitar in a very naked way. Living in New York City, I want to take this time to fi nd collaborators here,” Phillips said. “But I’m not trying to create some grand empire, you know? I’d like to go with the flow and be a part of things that are bigger than me and just realize that, if I can develop a deeper relationship with my art, then I trust that the fruit s will come.

“My life and my art are totally blended together; there’s less and less of a distinction, which is what I want. I like the unity of that.”

Prompted Assent will be released November 16, 2023 and is now available for pre-order on bandcamp. For more information, check out Phillips' Instagram @lordcublington.

TheHourDead Haunts Omaha

Director utilizes local talent and locations to stream fear into the heartland

“We

were ahead of our time doing The Dead Hour since streaming wasn’t a huge thing,”

Melissa Holder

eon pink, orange, and blue lights strobe above a marquee advertising an all-night Fright Fest movie marathon at the Westwood Cinemas 8 in Omaha, Nebraska. Frankie and Finch wait awkwardly in line to buy tickets. The vibe feels first-date-gone-sour, but horror flicks and salty popcorn break the tension in an unexpected way.

“This is a buffet of blood, gorge yourself on gore,” a woman wearing bright red lipstick breathes seductively into a microphone from the projection room overhead, her introduction as DJ Raven crackling over the theater.

Zombies, werewolves, and killers literally leap off the screen to terrorize the moviegoers. Frankie and Finch run for their lives, exiting one sinister scenario after another until…

Will the couple perish on a terrible first date? Will they live to see a second? Will they turn into zombies? Flip on Amazon or Tubi to stream the rest of the episode from the anthology,  The Dead Hour Series

Co-creator Daniel Iske believes shooting the series in Omaha

“became a pride thing," which he takes as a “badge of honor.” The director utilized local locations such as farms, cornfields, and dirt roads to craft spooky scenarios, occasionally on his family's land in Springfield, Nebraska. Dead silence, discarded branches, and rusty sheds contribute to the atmosphere where normalcy takes swift detours toward the horrific.

The premise behind the episodes, written mainly by co-creator Scott Coleman (Iske's high school friend), blends bloody disbelief with societal or psychological commentary. The first episode of season three, “The Hunted,” parodies the classic “The Most Dangerous Game” short story by Richard Connell twisting it into a modern tale about how businesses regard employees as redundant numbers rather than humans. “Alcoholic Vampire” in the second episode of season one takes a bite into addiction.

“I’m embarrassed at how stereotypical I thought Nebraska would be…I didn’t think they had any theater.”

—Melissa Holder

The campy, mind-bending spine-chillers prop themselves up with homegrown talent. The real hair-raiser reflects a low budget, cheap cameras, and a five-person crew during the initial season. All the episodes, though, tie in Melissa Holder (DJ Raven) as the seductively eerie radio host.

“We thought, wow, we could really work with this,” Iske, 43, recalled.

After auditions, the co-creators wrote in the character of DJ Raven for opening segments to insinuate ominous forebodings, inspired in part by the The Twilight Zone  and  Tales from the Crypt . Holder’s raspy voice transforms to “her sex operator voice” in front of the camera surrounded sometimes by fog or candlelight, showing little more than a sultry side-eye, crimson lipstick, or a bare shoulder. The heavily mascaraed “crypt keeper” knocked down her shots in one night, spanning various locations depending on the season; sets included Iske’s basement, a downtown loft apartment, and an abandoned warehouse. Unlike her persona, Holder never foresaw this moment when she moved from Chino, California as a teenager.

“I’m embarrassed at how stereotypical I thought Nebraska would be…I didn’t think they had any theater,” she said.

Holder, 41, assumed she would move back to California to further her career but kept finding more and more opportunities in the heartland whether as an extra in the movie Election  (earning $50 for the day while a student at Millard West High School), or at the University of Nebraska Omaha as a theater major performing in a controversial role in Keely and Du. The sixteen-year-old girl partied in the cornfields as an extra in  The Dean’s Boy  under Iske’s direction in 1999.

The filmmaker didn’t start off shooting cannibal girls, agoraphobic homeowners, or android brides. Instead, along with his brother, the ten-year-old taped Star Wars action figures and cop chases with his grandfather’s camera. He edited the stories on two VCRs, relishing the storytelling, but not clinching creepiness until another collaboration with Coleman on  Fields of Dead  (previously known as The Wretched ) in 2008.

“It’s something I didn’t expect, but stumbled into it,” noted the University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate, with degrees in film and political science. “I would never call myself a horror fanatic. I don’t pretend to be a horror fanatic, but we have our style and people appreciate our different take on how we approach the episode.”

Iske and Coleman meet with notebooks in hand, jotting down pitches that often originate as a question. “The Hole” delved into the reasons a retired man might dig a hole in his backyard, a play on the audience's psyche rather than the visceral reactions common to bloodand-guts slashers.

The duo started the process in 2009, shooting all three seasons over the span of five years. Word spread through social media after the premiere dropped for free on their website, opening doors to better equipment and bigger casts. “Fright Fest” felt like a full-circle moment, since Iske watched movies as a child at the now closed-down Westwood Cinemas 8 with his grandmother, Regina Miller. The ’80s track lighting provided a perfect backdrop to bring the monstrous creatures to life.

“We were ahead of our time doing The Dead Hour since streaming wasn’t a huge thing,” Holder asserted.

California distribution company Terror Films discovered the twelve-episode, three-season anthology series during the pandemic, providing a significant platform outside the website (since taken down as of 2023). Holder streamed the show while snuggled next to her husband and two dogs at midnight on the release date in May. Her daughter Jade, 11, and son Drew, 7, lamented over their father re-watching it again and again, while stepson Nathan, 21, caught the action later. Iske, who owns Skyline Productions and creates corporate professional videos, thought it a “cool moment” after viewing it with his fifteen-year-old son, Chase.

Iske still needs to learn the ropes of the streaming process, keeping him too busy to write and direct.

“Is this a good ending to what we worked really hard on? Or is this a new beginning?” Iske wondered.

Audiences will have to wait and see since season four teeters on a cliffhanger.

All the World’s a Stage

“ “ and Everyone Belongs On It:

How Circle Theatre’s Fran Sillau Creates and Embodies Inclusivity

Omaha’s oldest independent producing company, The Circle Theatre, made its mark staging plays in nontraditional spaces. A new accessibility mission led by Executive Artistic Director Fran Sillau meets all people where they’re at, regardless of perceived capability. Sillau, who’s worked nationally in dismantling barriers to participation, has a disability himself.

“Disability is the new frontier in terms of inclusion,” said Sillau, who serves as US representative to the International Inclusion Arts Network at a time when theater grapples with representation issues. “We provide tools to countries or territories who would like more help and mentorship in that. It’s a great honor to serve in that capacity and it’s a great way to see what is happening in this arena.”

An actor, playwright, producer, director, educator, and administrator, Sillau has an MFA in directing and inclusion from Goddard College (Vermont). He travels widely to guest produce-direct Theater For Young Audiences shows and to present and consult on accessibility.

For him, inclusion extends to dramatizing stories of Holocaust survivors lest the world forget that intolerance and exclusion can spur atrocity.

Sillau grew up in the metro’s tight-knit theater community. The Council Bluffs, Iowa native’s introduction to creative stage-play came at the former Emmy Gifford Children’s Theater. He was in the company’s first production as The Rose.

“They raised me,” he said of its staff. “I owe a lot to that institution.”

In one of many full circle moments in his career, he served as director of accessibility for 23 years in addition to writing-directing main stage shows.

He only relinquished the role in October to make space for his everexpanding responsibilities.

At Circle, he advocates for “different ways of showing, being and doing, so that everyone can be involved.”

“We want audiences to come and take in our work. We love they know these are artists with disabilities. But it’s important to meet audience expectations about the art,” Sillau explained. "I am at a point in

my career where if we don’t play kindly and equally and equitably and nice, you won’t find me there.”

The pandemic presented an opportunity, he said, “To stop and reflect on the why of what we do. That’s when our workshops-mentorships evolved for the better because we found ways to really get to the heart of what we’re doing by going to the individuals and community partners who wanted to do this work with us. They have the audience, the individuals with disabilities, and we have the programmatic skills and together it’s become a more dynamic and engaging experience.”

Circle collaborates with Quality Living, VODEC, and Munroe-Meyer Institute, among others.

“We hire the best artists, teachers, mentors to go to organizations to teach acting, costumes, sets,” he added.

VODEC

Day Services Manager Kelly

Katelman says Circle provides “a rare and wonderful opportunity” for adults with intellectual disabilities “to proudly stand up and express themselves artificially and creatively.”

For this fall’s production of The Wise Men of Chelm by Issac Bashevis singer and teaching artist Courtney Stein Cairncross worked closely with QLI clients.

“They learned this play by this famous Yiddish writer at the same time they learned tools to explore theater,” Sillau said. That’s how Circle seamlessly builds productions (staged at the Jewish Community Center) around people with disabilities.

“We bring the arts to them, working with partners, caregivers, and mentors onsite,” he said. “We bring individuals in for technical rehearsals and performances and then we weave them authentically into the show.

“For so long people with disabilities have been an after-thought. We make them the first thought. We want to make sure everyone feels included in the work that we do.”

The late Doug Marr, Circle co-founder and artistic director, had a disability. He made the theater a proletarian haven, staging the Phil’s Diner series at an actual Benson eatery, later producing work in a mid-town church.

“NOT ONLY DID HE LOOK LIKE ME, HE WAS DOING THE THING I WANTED TO DO.”

— FRAN SILLAU

“Not only did he look like me, he was doing the thing I wanted to do,” said Sillau, who was mentored by both Doug and his wife, Laura Marr (an actress, educator, and arts administrator). “They were wonderful role models. They made me realize, wow, it’s really possible to make a living at this and to be successful, and to do it in your hometown.”

Sillau was a Circle teen actor, he said, when Doug told him: “One day we’ll just hand over the theater to you.’

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s nice,’ but didn’t really think anything of it,” Sillau recalled.

In time, Sillau accepted his stewardship role over the theater, the venue celebrating four decades this year.

“It’s an honor to be able to do this. A good artistic director is 80% listening and responding, 10% programming to community needs and 10% being a servant, and that last 10% is so important. It’s not about me. We’re here to bring the community’s joys and needs to light.

“I’m happily settling into helping guide others and really delving into the artistic side.”

Associate Director Carolyn Owen Anderson, who knew Sillau through WhyArts, affirmed Circle is fortunate to have someone with his “strong theater background” and “passion to make theater accessible.”

Still, the future is on Sillau’s mind.

“It’s my job to be thinking about the next 'Fran' that comes along and what we can do to elevate them the way I was elevated,” Sillau said. “I was lucky people opened the door for me and I was able to walk through; but somebody had to build that frame before that door came open, and that frame needs to continue to be reinforced. As a mentor, I reinforce that frame.”

While inclusion’s come far, it has a ways to go and he’s all about helping others get there.

“I want to teach the next generation of teachers-directors who want to learn the nuts and bolts of how to do it,” he said. Visit circletheatreomaha.org for more information.

“I was lucky people opened the door for me and I was able to walk through; but somebody had to build that frame before that door came open, and that frame needs to continue to be reinforced”

— Fran Sillau

Nebraska and Iowa’s inclusive adventure organization ensures that women who wander are never lost.

(L to R) Lindsay Vanzee, Kerri Sorrell , Jenn Riggs

STORY BY SARA LOCKE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

Ages ago, one’s ancestors ended a day of exploration around a fire; connecting with nature, their bodies, and their communities. A few technological revolutions later, and Wi-Fi and 24-hour access to work emails transformed the idea of exploring nature and sleeping under the stars into a luxury concept. Warnings about the inherent dangers of solo exploration and the pressure to invest in high-end camping equipment drove women even further from their drive to connect with the natural world. Add in accessibility issues, and the idea that the simple act of exploration was a pastime of the wealthy and physically fit, and the wedge between the great outdoors and the majority of the feminine population seemed impassible.

“There is a fundamental desire for humans to be outside,” Kerri Sorrell, co-owner of Wander Women Midwest insisted. “Modern society doesn’t allow, create, or prioritize that need for community and connection.”

That was a problem that founder and co-owner Jenn Riggs wanted to address when she founded the femme-exclusive backpacking and adventure organization, Wander Wome n, in 2018.

“I connected with Jenn when I heard that she was starting this business, and I really wanted to be involved,” Sorrell said. “I came on as an original tour guide in 2019. Our first trip was to Wildcat Den State Park in Southeast Iowa. It’s an area with a lot of limestone features, canyons, and really beautiful trails. I think that’s when I truly felt the magic of what Wander Women was and could be. It’s very infectious.”

The first excursion brought together nearly 30 participants, proving Jenn and Kerri’s theory that women were hungry for an opportunity to reconnect with nature. The fully inclusive adventures didn’t simply emphasize safety in numbers; they provided techniques and equipment useful to new thrill-seekers for any outing.

“I’ve always gravitated toward teaching, and being able to offer these women survival skills, basic and emergency bike repair and maintenance, and safety protocol is so dear to me. That first year really showed us how much of a need there was for this in Iowa, and I was excited to be part of what Jenn was creating,” Sorrell explained. “After our final trip together that season she mentioned that she wanted a partner. I leapt at the chance and became co-owner in 2020.”

When the COVID pandemic struck, most were forced out of gyms and fitness classes, gradually taking over local trails and giving birth to a new generation of intrepid, try-curious explorers.

“I think (the pandemic) re-inspired a love of the outdoors for a lot of people. There was that desire to be among community, and we saw an opportunity to bring people together and to do something we are all built to do that a lot of people hadn’t found the time or resources to do until then,” S orrell said.

It was her search for just such a community that precluded Lindsay VanZee discovering Wander Wom en in 2021.

“They’re based in Des Moines, and I’m in Omaha, but there wasn’t anything like that here,” said VanZee, who has a background in outdoor recreation and has spent time trekking the wilderness from Florida to Colorado. When she stumbled on WW, she made it her mission to ge t involved.

“I knew after just talking with them, these are truly phenomenal women,” she said. “They’re doing their research, they’re creating a safe and incredibly inclusive and accessible space, and they’re building the village that so many of us have been looking for. I immediately asked them ‘How can I be involved?’”

VanZee became a guide, regularly making the drive from Omaha to Des Moines for the next t wo seasons.

“I had been yearning for something like this. I would have gone absolutely anywhere to be part of it,” VanZee continued. “It’s not all ‘glamping’ and stories by the fire. It’s a physically and emotionally challenging, and fulfilling experience every time. You’re hiking all day; you’re sweaty, you’re gross, you’re exhausted, and then these women, having already thought of and provided everything, cook and serve you a meal. You sit there and allow yourself to be nurtured, to be taken care of, to sit quietly or to connect with other people who are there for any one of a hundred reasons. And everyone takes something new or different from each excursion, but everyone always walks away fulfilled.”

VanZee was willing to travel for these experiences, but she knew that wasn’t a privilege availa ble to all.

“At the end of last season I approached Jenn and Kerri and told them how wonderful their mission is and how happy I was to be part of it,” she recalled. “But I also had to let them know that if expanding was ever on the table, Omaha and Eastern Nebraska are a wide- open market.

“It’s such a testament to Kerri and Jenn, how solidly they’ve established this venture throughout Des Moines, their drive to include and empower as many women as possible, and the trust that they’ve shown me in letting me spearhead our Nebraska adventures.”

VanZee didn’t take that trust lightly, and immediately began scouting locations, sourcing gear, and planning an unforgettable event. This summer was Omaha’s first season with a Wander Women guide, and the overwhelmingingly positive response has ensured that it won’t b e the last.

“It’s beyond time that spaces were created in business, pleasure, social situations, that are safe and accessible for marginalized women,” VanZee affirmed. “I am so proud to be part of an organization that creates empowerment, connectedness, and the village we’ve all been missing.”

For more informa tion, visit wanderwomen midwest.com.

“I had been yearning for something like this. I would have gone absolutely anywhere to be part of it.”

—Li ndsay VanZee

STORY BY SARA LOCKE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

Sarah Fernandes is Redefining The Pint-Sized

Piano Prodigy Makes Practice Her Passion

“I have always loved music.” Sharmila Braganza explained. “When I was growing up in India, I didn’t have the opportunity to play an instrument, but I was always surrounding myself with music. I would listen to whatever I could, and I would sing. That was my instrument. My dad sang in a choir, and he was very musically and artistically talented, but circumstances were differ ent for us.”

Now living in Omaha with her husband Praveen and their three daughters, Sharmila finds that opportunities for excellence are anywhere her family nou rishes them.

“When my older daughters wanted to learn piano, I didn’t hesitate. Rachel and Hannah are 16 months apart, and I put them in lessons together under Mirela Mlynska.” Sharmila said. “I loved listening to them play and practice, so I would bring their oneand-a-half-year-old sister, Sarah, with me and we would sit in on their classes. Then in the summer of 2013 we bought our piano for the girls to practice and pl ay at home.”

When Sharmila would prepare dinner for her family, she would happily listen as her daughters practiced what they had been learning with Ms. Mlynska. Then one day, she heard a new song being plucked out slowly, yet melodically, on the piano. She came into the room to find her toddler on her tippy toes, trying to play just like her two big sisters.

“Sarah has a very special gift. By age 2 she was playing the songs her sisters had learned, just by watching them and listening.” Sharmila said. “She has what you would call ‘perfect pitch.’ We started her in lessons when she was four, but by 2, she was already play ing by ear.”

“I just really loved hearing my sisters play, and I loved the sound the piano was producing,” S arah added.

The 11-year-old now takes virtual lessons with Dr. Washington Garcia Eljuri, who was the founding Director of the School of Music at the University of Nebraska Omaha when he first met Sarah, and who currently serves as the Dean of the School of Music at Stetson University in Florida.

The pint-sized prodigy is poised and well-spoken, but the true gift is that through her parents’ and instructors’ careful guidance, she maintains a balanced enough schedule to enjoy being a mostly typica l pre-teen.

“I love my cat!” Sarah exclaimed, before correcting herself with a giggle, “Ok, he’s actually a stray, but we look after him and we named him ‘Tuffy’, because he’s so tough! And I love listening to music. And I really like to read. I’m reading a book called Out of My Mind right now. It’s about a girl around my

age who can’t talk, but she’s actually really smart and people don’t know it. I like reading about gi rls my age.”

Being a bibliophile serves as excellent practice for Sarah’s other performative passion: competitive spelling. The sixth grader spent her summer juggling the Texas State International Piano Festival, where she attended masterclasses with world-renowned artists Marina Lomazov and Michelle Cann from the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Scripps National Sp elling Bee.

“I think that the two are kind of connected. When you’re a pianist, you have to be able to perform on stage with everyone looking at you and listening closely for any mistakes. That’s the same confidence you need to perform well at a spelling bee, whether it’s at school or qualifying rounds or at Scripps,” Sarah noted.

Sarah was the youngest participant in this year’s event, and finished tied for t enth place.

“I was really proud, and it was so amazing to be on the stage this year instead of just watching,” she continued. “I could feel how proud everyone was of me, and that makes practicing and competing s o much fun.”

The national stage is a lot for any competitor, but Sarah was no stranger when it came to prize-winning performances. At the age of 9, she took home first prize from the Charleston International Music Competition in the Romantic Division. The following year saw her performing at the American Protégé International Piano Competition, which earned her a debut at New York’s Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. She was recently invited to perform at the Holland Performing Arts Center, celebrating Project Harmony’s 25th Annive rsary Gala.

“It was a fundraiser, and I performed to help Project Harmony help a lot of children.” Sarah said. “I was able to share the spotlight with child music prodigies and it was a really ama zing time!”

It would be intimidating to ask such an accomplished girl what she wants to do with her life, but when asked what her future holds, she didn’t s kip a beat.

“A concert pianist, or a piano teacher. I’m a little too young to think too much about the future, but whatever it is, I hope it will involve piano,” Sarah affirmed. “I love music, and getting to share it with others is a really wonder ful gift!”

To hear some of Sarah’s original compositions, and to see past performances, follow her on YouTube @sarahfe rnandespiano

“I was really proud, and it was so amazing to be on the stage this year instead of just watching. I could feel how proud everyone was of me, and that makes practicing and competing s o much fun.”

Sarah Fernandes

MAKING THE GRADE MAKING THE GRADE

Serving Students’ Unique Needs Through Special Education

For expanded content, open the camera on your smart device and hover over the QR code above.

STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

BIRDSALL

undamentally, special education as defined by the U.S. Department of Education is instruction specially designed to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability. Federal law primarily the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the state’s special education standards (Rule 51) are in place to ensure that special education and related services are provided. Around 15% of American public-school students ages 3 to 21 receive such services, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education.

Nebraska’s State Department of Education requires educators to obtain specific credentials to be endorsed to teach students with disabilities. As the most recent fall term began, the state’s and city’s largest school district, Omaha Public Schools, announced that three of its elementary schools would be without special education teachers. Amy Rhone, administrator/state director for Nebraska Department of Education’s Office of Special Education, said staffing for special education needs can be challenging for school districts.

“Being a special educator is a very specific desire that individuals have to be drawn to. As our society has evolved and really embraced the notion of inclusion which we should be doing disabilities have also become a lot more visible,” Rhone said.

“The world of education has seen a significant decrease in staffing options; special education in particular feels these decreases even more as many do not believe they are

skilled enough to educate students with different learning needs. Oftentimes, teaching students with disabilities gets perceived as teaching students with high medical needs or behavior needs, requiring skills that individuals don’t always feel the most comfortable in attaining or ma intaining.”

Linda Safranek is a speech-language pathologist working exclusively with literacy both privately and in a local public school district. The former member of the Nebraska Department of Education’s Special Education Advisory Council is not only an educator, she’s also the parent of an adult son with autism and an intellectual disability who received special education services throughout his sc hool years.

“Any educator’s role is demanding, so special education is no exception. A student with an IEP (Individualized Education Program or Plan) requires specialized instruction, so a SPED teacher needs to have knowledge

of the general core curriculum as well as specialized knowledge to meet the needs of the students,” she said. “This is time-intensive and requires collaboration with many professionals and parents in order for it to work well. I know that turnover is higher in special education when compared to general education teachers.”

Safranek said that her family’s experience with special education teachers was generall y positive.

“Personally, my son’s special education teachers knew him well and made every effort to listen to my husband and me. We were part of a team, and while his teachers made instructional decisions hundreds of times each day that needed not involve us, we were included in making the larger decisions,” she said. “It was certainly not a perfect system but when we voiced some very big concerns, the district worked with us to find s olutions.”

DESIGN BY RACHEL

Jefferson E lementary’s Lisa Moody

Like Safranek, Lisa Moody has a dual perspective on special education. She’s a special education teacher at Omaha Public Schools’ Jefferson Elementary and from a family of educators, but she’s also a person with cerebral palsy who received special education services through the school districts of the public schools she attended. Early in 2023, Moody was honored with a Milken Educator Award, which honors top educators around the country and targets early-to-mid career education professionals for both their past achievements and promising futures in the field. Milken Educators also receive access to networking and development tools throughout the ir careers.

“I feel like it pushes me to continue to grow as an educator, and to continue to try and advance the field of special education,” Moody said. “Being a part of that network and winning that award has been so incredible in that it’s opened my eyes to the amazing things that are happening in education. And it gives you the opportunity to collaborate with advocates for education, warriors who are out there on the forefront coming up with just incredible things for students and school communities.”

Moody said she grew up seeing her mother’s passion for her work in the field of special education.

“I knew that was something that I wanted to do, and then being born with cerebral palsy, I naturally gravitated towards working with students with disabilities because I had a unique understanding of what that was like,” she said. “I knew that I could provide understanding, support, and a mindset that not everybody has. And I knew that I wanted to be an example for my students and for their families; just because you have a disability, or you don’t always navigate through life as easily as your peers, doesn’t mean that has to define w ho you are.”

Special education was in the spotlight in the Nebraska Legislature and across the state when LB 583 was introduced during the last legislative session. Approved by Governor Jim Pillen on May 31, 2023, LB 583 increases state funding for individual students and provides more reimbursement for special education expenses. Starting with the current school year, Nebraska school districts will receive additional aid equal to $1,500 per student and state reimbursement for 80% of their expenses to provide special education services.

“It is exciting that the state is prioritizing students with disabilities with this allocation. It will be important for school districts to be very well-informed regarding the increase in state reimbursement and how this can support our students with disabilities,” Rhone said. “I think that is going to require a lot of work on the State Department of Education to really think through how we best

use these opportunities for funding, as well as school districts, because we don’t want school districts to see special education as just a funding source. We’re working hard to make sure that people embrace this exciting opportunity without abusing it.”

Special education can begin at any age and PTI Nebraska, a statewide resource for families of children with disabilities and special health care needs, can provide initial guidance whether a pediatrician makes recommendations for evaluation after a toddler misses developmental milestones or whether a parent is concerned about an older child’s challenges in school. Special education begins with an Individualized Family Service Program or Plan (IFSP) for a child from birth to age 3 and an IEP or 504 Plan for a child from preschool through age 21. These written plans outline an individual child’s special education, services and supports but do not necessarily address the child’s general education if special education support or accommodation is not needed for all activities throughout the school day; so, even with a written plan in place, the child may access some general curriculum instruction with no additional special education services. Parents are involved in the development of these plans regardless of the child’s age and the students themselves participate more as the y mature.

“Parents are equal members of the team and their voices are essential. Educators know their curriculum and they do their very best to get to know their students, but parents most often know their children best. All voices are important on this team,” Safranek said. “Beginning in late elementary, but especially at the middle school level and beyond, the student should always be involved in the meetings. It’s important that they voice their own goals for their futures and that they understand how their IEP goals are working toward these.”

A parent may have to advocate for their child sometimes assertively if they believe the IEP is not being properly executed, or if they suspect there are problems in the classroom, said Michele Zephier, coordinator with The Arc of Nebraska, an organization which provides services, training and resources for people with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities. Zephier’s position also stems from personal experience as she’s the parent of a teen with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism.

“When it comes to special education in Nebraska, every child who has an IEP is entitled by IDEA or Rule 51 or the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). All of these ensure that every student has the right to an individual education plan,” she said. “It’s been a challenge to provide an equitable education f or my son.”

Zephier’s expertise as an advocate has grown over time often out of necessity and she has particular compassion for those who

“ I knew that was something that I wanted to do, and then being born with cerebral palsy, I naturally gravitated towards working with students with disabilities because I had a unique understanding of what that was like.”

—Lisa Moody

are new to the process of special education. She remembers early IEP meetings to be “overwhelming,” she said. “I’ve felt very frustrated, d iscouraged.”

She said she advises parents to “be the squeaky wheel” when a child’s special education needs are not being met, and to bring a trusted friend or even include a child’s pediatrician, therapist, or specialist (in person or via documentation) if possible, especially when the parent expects that an IEP meeting may become contentious. “The student with a disability deserves an education just as much as any other student ,” she said.

Zephier said parents can also find resour ces online.

“Of course, The Arc of Nebraska (arc-nebraska.org); we have a resource map on our website,” she said.

Some additional resources for information on situations from navigating an IEP meeting to filing a grievance include Educational Service Units (ESUs), disabilityrightsnebraska.org, educationrightscounsel.org and education.ne.gov/sped/iep-fa cilitation.

It’s not always easy, but special education in general has improved, Safr anek noted.

“Special education has evolved over time and for those of us from a different generation, it does not carry the stigma it once did. Thankfully, many districts are using inclusive practices so that learning differences are more widely accepted,” she said. “I believe there’s always room for improvement and we should always be striving to make things better… but we’re moving in the right direction.”

Rhone said she would like to see special education across the state evolve into a fully inclusive model, and that some communities and school systems need more support to get there.

“When I say ‘inclusion,’ that doesn’t mean every single kid is in the general education environment… I’m saying we provide the best educational opportunity for each student that meets their individual needs. That requires us to have specialized schools that provide support to kids,” she said. “We have a lot of schools that still don’t believe they can serve a kid in a wheelchair, regardless of their IQ or their intellectual capabilities. Sometimes the physical disability overtakes the expectation of an individual students… It’s really breaking down those barriers and the governance system within schools that will allow for us to truly be an inclusive model in providing support to all students.”

While there’s still progress to be made in special education in Nebraska, Rhone said there’s also much to be proud of.

“Over the last few years, the Nebraska Department of Education has rolled out our journey to inclusion really trying to encourage that we support each student where they’re at, rather than having low expectations and thinking students with disabilities can’t achieve flipping that script. And we haven’t seen resistance at all, whereas other states see quite a bit of resistance,” Rhone said. “And an amazing thing about Nebraska is that we provide support through our educational approach to students birth to 21. And we have a very seamless transition from early intervention into special education…. Early intervention is free, and there are very few states that actually have free services for the birth-to-3 population.”

“A person with a disability wants to feel like they belong and they have purpose… I think that if we want to create an inclusive community outside of the walls of the school, that it has to start with looking at the person. Find the commonalities, take the disability out of it, and look at the person first,” Moody said. “I’m very fortunate in that I’ve got a tremendous toolbox of interventions and supports that I can grab from, that will help me with some of those pieces that will help close those gaps for my students academically and with their communication and with their behavior… Understanding and knowledge and information has grown the field of special education and the opportunities that we provide for students with disabilities. I think with technology and advancement and understanding and growth, it has changed the field for the better.”

“A person with a disability wants to feel like they belong and they have purpose… I think that if we want to create an inclusive community outside of the walls of the school, that it has to start with looking at the person.”

— Lisa Moody

The Play-by-Play

Celebrated Sportscaster Ross

Jernstrom Lends His Voice and Expertise to Aspiring Journalists

STORY MICHAEL KELLY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

Afamiliar face and voice in his hometown, Ross Jernstrom enjoyed two long stretches as an Omaha sportscaster 14 years at KETV and 26 at WOWT. But in retirement, he’s found a new role and a third act.

Today, he’s an educator. Not exactly a teacher, but as a daily adviser to journalism students at his 1974 alma mater, Westside High School. And he’s loving it.

“It’s a joy to be with the students,” said Jernstrom, 67. “I have about 50 in my classes, and most are on the honor roll sharp and confident. I’m fortunate to get to share my expertise and knowledge from all my years in broadcast journalism.”

After retiring in August, 2020, he took a few months off but was ready for something new when Westside called in February, 2021.

“I was totally surprised,” Jernstrom said. “They’d had a resignation, and I asked what my responsibilities would be. It sounded good and I asked when they’d like me to start. The response was, ‘How about tomorrow?’”

He started right away, and for the past two-and-a-half years has not only helped students hone skills in a classroom setting, but also on athletic fields. Some volunteer for the student television station, WTV, and swing into action for broadcasts.

“As soon as school lets out at 3:10pm,” Jernstrom said, “we’re out on the football field setting up for the game at 7 with 15 students and as many as four cameras to live-stream the game. They are free on YouTube and we average 6,000 viewers. We had a total of 50,000 last football season; you might have grandparents in Arizona who want to watch.”

Not every athletic event is televised, but students cover beats for all 20 Westside sports. Stories appear on the student-run news site, Westside Wired , at westsidewired. net, which covers not just sports, but all school-rel ated topics.

That’s good for the school community, but the experience also lays a career groundwork for aspiring journalists. At the spring Nebraska School Activities Association journalism competition, the names of eight finalists in sports were announced in descending order and the final two were from Westside. “For an adviser,” Jernstrom said, “that’s your proud est moment.”

Tom Kerkman, athletic director at 2,100-student Westside High, said Jernstrom has emceed school banquets for many years, knows all the coaches, and helped start the athletic ha ll of fame.

“Ross is like a walking encyclopedia and he’s a true Westside supporter,” Kerkman said. “He was a newscaster for 40 years, and he’s a calming presence for the students when they broadcast the games. He’s a real mentor to student journalists.”

In the early ’70s, Jernstrom ran cross country and track at Westside before enrolling at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a political science major. He took a broadcasting course, though, and volunteered when ABC needed someone to hold a sideline cone-microphone. (He accidentally bumped into legendary Alabama Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who said in his deep drawl, “Excus e me, son.”)

Ross eventually shared meals with famous broadcasters, heard their stories, and switched his major to broadcast journalism.

“I got big eyes and thought this is what I want to d o,” he said.

As a student, he also served as a busboy at the Alpha Phi sorority where he met UNL cheerleader and future kindergarten teacher Julie O’Meara of Omaha. They married in 1980 and raised two children, Jay and Holly.

Jernstrom says his most memorable interview came at the 1985 World Series in St. Louis. He had scheduled a Kansas City player, who bailed at the last minute to take infield practice. Left high and dry seconds before going on air, Ross quickly buttonholed KC manager Dick Howser, who fortunately agreed to the “live shot.”

Dave Webber, retired WOWT sports director, called Jernstrom “a hard-working, generous soul,” always looking to help. They shared many car trips to away Husker football games as well as flights to bowl games.

“After bowl games,” Webber said, “Ross would give up being on the air chit-chatting. Instead, he was finding players to bring to me. He would whisper in my ear who it was, and might even mention a play he made in the game. It made everyth ing smooth.”

Jernstrom never wanted to be a physician like his brother and father, the late Dr. Roger Jernstrom, who delivered about 10,000 babies. One was Andy Roddick, who grew up to become the 2003 U.S. Open tennis champion. ESPN interviewed Dr. Jernstrom about the emergency procedure he had performed on Aug. 30, 1982, when the umbilical cord was wrapped three times around baby Andy’s neck.

Years later, Ross spotted Roddick on the Husker sideline, said ‘Hello,’ and introduced him to the doctor in the Memorial Stadium tenth row who had safely guided him int o the world.

Ross Jernstrom hosted years of his popular Sunday Sports Extra half-hour shows, covered 25 Husker bowl games, and became WOWT sports director in 2009. He has emceed countless banquets and received numerous awards. And he never had to bounce from one job market to another. “To stay in one place in sports on TV,” he said, “is almost unheard of.”

No, he never left home. And now he is pleased to hold a new hometown title, “journalist in residence,” helping students back at his old hi gh school.

FEATURE On Boardwith SkateFest

Empowering Youth and Building Community Through Skateboarding

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BoardOmaha

STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA |

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN | DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

Freedom that’s what skateboarding gave Blake Harris. He now aims to share that experience toward extending the sport, and more importantly, toward empowering area youth and building community. Through his BIPOC-led nonprofit SkateFest Omaha, Harris serves inner city youth in need of positive outlets. He was once one of those young people himself.

orn with ADHD and a rebellious streak, he struggled identifying healthy ways to channel his energy and focus.

“I had a rough home life dealing with domestic violence, getting in trouble in school, fights, bullying, you name it,” he said. “I needed an outlet to get away from those things and skateboarding really was that thing I latched onto. Because I was suspended, expelled from many schools I wasn’t able to get into school [sanctioned] sports, skateboarding was that next best thing I could turn to.

“The reason I started SkateFest Omaha is I wanted to give back to that kid I was in the inner city without any other outlets that kid who gets in trouble all the time, that adults don’t want in their programs.”

His introduction to the sport came playing skateboarding icon Tony Hawk’s video game series, Tony Hawk Pro Skater

“I played every single one religiously,” said Harris, whose mom not only encouraged him but joined him. They also watched the X Game s together.

“That was just something we would always do. But I never picked up a skateboard until I was like 10 years old when some kid in the community was riding one,” he said. “He was pretty good. I thought it was cool.”

Skateboarding culture forms a strong conduit for young people struggling to find their place, as evidence d by Harris.

“It’s just about expressing yourself and who you are to the fullest extent,” he explained. “There’s no uniforms or team in skateboarding. It’s really an individual sport. You’re encouraged to be who you are and to get out there with friends and have fun.”

Then, there’s the resilienc e it builds.

“You have to be a certain type of person to be a skateboarder because one of the main premises is falling, getting hurt, and getting back up again no matter what,” Harris said. “If you don’t have it at first, then you’ll develop that mindset and that really ta kes you far.

“You have to just be willing to be out there and go against the grain because the very act of skateboarding makes you stand out. You can’t be afraid of being different.”

Much like graffiti artists are now in-demand muralists, skateboarders have become modern role models.

Harris appreciates all he’s learned from the sport.

“It just gave me that never-give-up mindset. When things get hard, you go harder,” Harris explained “Whenever I would take a fall, it would just fire me up. It just kind of transitioned right into life. I’ve done a lot of great things that I’m very proud of wit h my life.”

Besides skateboarding, Harris credits the people he met in Omaha’s Bridge Church and Abide Network with helping him grow into the person he is today.

“It was a life-changing experience. They were all into traveling and doing positive things,” he said. “I attribute a lot of love to them. They took me in. I never had traveled before; I thought it was something that just rich people did. I traveled to 16 different countries within four years went really hard at that.”

The reason I started SkateFest Omaha is I wanted to give back to that kid I was in the inner city without any other outlets—that kid who gets in trouble all the time, that adults don’t want in their programs.”

—Blake Harris

FEATURE // ON BOARD WITH SKATEFEST OMAHA

He even learned the nuances of photography along the way.

“I went to school (UNO) for entrepreneurship but that was only because I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Harris recalled. “I found a passion in photography and videography; after school I started purs uing that.”

Globetrotting opened his heart to giving back. He realized that a goal of making images for hotels and resorts in exotic locales, such as Thailand and Italy, affir med his eye.

“I then dedicated 10% of what I made to going across the world and doing videos and marketing for underserved parts of the world,” he said “I was able to do that for a school for kids with mental disabilities in Mexico and for an orphanage in Rwanda, Africa.”

Once back home, he sought to throw “a little event” around skateboarding in 2021. When it got pushed to late summer, he staged pre-events that exploded in popularity.

“The attendance was wild. I was like, wow, this is something that really needs to be done,” Harri s recalled.

The eventual SkateFest feat took things to another level “It was a hug e blowout.”

After establishing SkateFest as an organization, he launched Sk8 School at Roberts Skatepark, the first of several programs he’s since developed.

“We formed a real community around that. We continued to do events and were more and more successful each time,” he said.

“By 2023 we expanded our programming to where we’re now in some inner city public schools. We partner with a ton of nonprofits. The programs and events are growing; more and more people show up.”

“Sk8 School,” he noted, “is about building rapport and mentor-mentee relationships teaching kids how to skateboard in a posit ive manner.

“We get to know the kids. We can really take a youth from not knowing even how to push or not even having any skateboard experience to being a good, safe, skateboarder. It’s really cool how it works […] We’re about showing that representation to kids who look like me and where I come from and saying, ‘Hey, you can be a skateboa rder, too.’”

Sk8 Kamp offers a day camp creative experience.

“We give kids a skateboard,” Harris said. “They get to design their board however they want with art, paint, markers. We teach them how to assemble their skateboard. We give them a brief history lesson. Then we give them a skateboarding lesson. They’re able to take their board home, craft it, and take it f rom there.”

The immersive programs and events emphasize community engagement.

“A big part of our organization is bringing new people into skateboarding and letting kids know that this is here this is another additional outlet you can pursue,” Harris said. “We go into schools or show up at events and we do pretty much a pep rally for the youth. Our demos are really energetic. I’m on the mic talking to kids, hyping them up. We bring our skateboards and ramps out and our staff hit the ramps doing cool tricks. The kid s love it.”

Among the elementary schools, SkateFest has intersected with Rosehill, Fontenelle and Howard Kennedy. It’s also shown out at the Omaha Summer Arts Festival, Juneteenth JoyFest, Kiewit Luminarium,

Omaha Children’s Museum, The Kaneko, Seventy Five North’s Community Day, and various area parks.

Leandra Toney, DREAM after school program site director at Howard Kennedy, said she appreciates how Harris and his team use positivity to expose kids to a character-building activity they’d otherwise not experience.

Events feature live art and music, vendors and, naturally, skateboarding competitions –from beginner to advanced.

Josh Dotzler, Abide CEO and Bridge teaching pastor, said, “It’s been fun to watch Blake grow as a leader in our community. He has always had a big heart and infectious smile. He’s combined his love for skating with his love for people and desire to make a difference. He’s a great example of what it looks like to pursue what you love and use it to make a difference in the world.”

One of Harris’ longterm goals is to build more skateparks in Omaha’s inner city, and beyond.

“We really want a facility to house everything we do: an indoor skatepark, music venue, art workshop. That’s the vision,” he said.

Mark one down and more to go with the North Omaha Ramp dedicated in July at 3703 Florence Blvd. SkateFest teamed with PlaceMade and other partners to construct it. Led by Jewel Rodgers, PlaceMade converts blighted properties into commun ity assets.

Rodgers says she’s impressed by the community stakeholders Harris brought to the project, and the “energy and enthusiasm’” he brings to collaboration.

The project, Harris explained, “turned into this huge collaborative effort between many different locals and organizations in North Omaha.”

The site includes gardening beds and a mural, where the Sk8 School sess ions unfold.

The ramp is named after Caden Foster, “a youth who used to come to all the skateboarding events we held,” obser ved Harris.

Caden died in 2022 in an automobile accident.

The site holds special meaning for Harris as his grandparents’ home once overlooked the property.

“It was really a haven for everyone in my family,” he said. “We would always be there on that property right where the ramp is now situated.

“Since the ramp was built and installed, it’s been used every single day. It’s really become a positive thing for that area.”

Harris described the ride he’s taken with SkateFest as “amazing.”

“I’m so grateful every single day I’m able to do this for a living it blows my mind I get to wake up and h ave fun.”

Visit skatefestomaha.com for more information.

We really want a facility to house everything we do: an indoor skatepark, music venue, ar t workshop. That’s the vision.

-Blake Harris

The Man Who Didn’t Flinch

US SUPREME COURT CASE MEYER VS. NEBRASKA A PRECEDENT FOR AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES

When Robert T. Meyer attempted to teach 11-year-old Raymond Parpart the Biblical story of Jacob’s Ladder in a rural, oneroom school in Hampton, Nebraska, his efforts ended with his arrest. The infraction wasn’t providing religious instruction in a school; Meyer taught at Zion Lutheran Church’s elementary school, a private institution where separation of church and state would not have been an issue. Instead, Meyer’s crime was teaching about religion in German.

The date was May 25, 1920. World War I was still a recent memory, and providing elementary school education in a foreign language, particularly German, ranked as a crimin al offense.

One year earlier, the Nebraska legislature had passed the Siman Act, which specified: “No person, individually or as a teacher, shall, in any private, denominational, parochial, or public school, teach any subject to any person in any language other than the English language.” While teaching a foreign language was permissible for high school students, it was outlawed below the 8th grade. (Ancient languages such as Greek, Hebrew, and Latin w ere exempt.)

Christopher Capozzola, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology who teaches a class on the history of the Supreme Court and is the author of Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I and the Making of the American Citizen (2008), said, “The Siman Act only ever applied to one language and that was German. There

was the fear of propaganda and that teaching German to small children would weaken their minds and loyalty to America.”

The act was part of a broader, coordinated anti-immigrant effort to prevent, or at least significantly restrict, people from speaking German, especially since Germans comprised a significant portion of the state’s immigrant population at the time. By 1910, close to 60% of Omaha’s population of more than 124,000 claimed Ger man descent.

Nebraska’s Council of Defense, established to coordinate war efforts within the state, targeted German activities. GermanAmerican societies were discouraged from gathering, with many disbanding. German ministers were compelled to deliver sermons in English, and shopkeepers were prohibited from conducting business in in their native tongue. The public burned German textbooks throughout the state; Omaha crowds gleefully participated in smashing beer steins (an event promoted by the Red Cross), and Lincoln’s mayor forbade the visiting Minneapolis Symphony from performing work by German composers. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln also took part in anti-German sentiment with the school newspaper proclaiming, “Regents Ready to Rid University of Every Suspicion of Disloyalty.” Academic loyalty tests resulted in the unjust firing of at least two professors for insufficient patriotism.

STORY BY KIM CARPENTER DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

So virulent was nativist feeling regarding all things Germanic that many Germans changed their surnames. Mueller became Miller; Schmidt, Smith. Even towns couldn’t escape. Berlin was rechristened Otoe, and Germantown transformed i nto Garland.

It was within this context that Meyer, a 42-year-old mild-mannered father of six who wore a neatly trimmed mustache and round spectacles befitting a scholar, asked his pupil to read aloud in German. Although he couldn’t have known it at the time, his ensuing arrest for defying the Siman Act became a pivotal moment in American jurisprudence and served as precedent for determining the extent of civil liberties for the next century.

Meyer could have resolved the issue quickly. Parents at the school paid his bail, and members of the church’s congregation offered to pay the $25 fine.

The teacher refused out of principle.

Native Nebraskan Ross Benes, whose 2021 book Rural Rebellion: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold, which chronicled the state’s evolving political landscape, came across Meyer’s story while conducting research. “He easily could have backed down to the authorities,” Benes said. “It would have been easy to abide by the rules.”

Instead, Meyer appealed his arrest through his lawyer, Arthur Mullen, an Irish Catholic Democrat, whom Capozzola described as “the Clarence Darrow of Nebraska who was happy to take on lost causes. He really wanted to try this case.”

Indeed, Mullen was delighted to fight lawmakers he labeled “bigots” and a law he considered a form of “Chauvinistic hysteria,” so he eagerly brought Meyer’s case before the Nebraska State Supreme Court, arguing that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s due pro cess clause.

In his 1940 autobiography, Western Democrat (1940), Mullen didn’t mince words. He recounted how, during Meyer’s instruction, “to little blue-eyed boys and flaxen-haired girls…a shadow fell across the sunlight of the doorway. There stood the count y attorney.”

The teacher, Mullen continued, was not to be dissuaded:

“I had my choice,” [Meyer] told me afterward in that quiet voice which was more impressive than any shouting. “I knew that, if I changed into the English language, he would say nothing. If I went on in German, he would come in, and arrest me. I told myself that I must not flinch. And I did not flinch. I went on in German.”

“Why?” Mullen asked.

He widened his gaze a little. “It was my duty,” he said simply. “I am not a pastor in my church. I am a teacher, but I have the same duty to uphold my religion. Teaching the children the religion of their fathers in the language of their fathers is part of tha t religion.”

In February 1922, the Court ruled against Meyer’s appeal and upheld the constitutionality of the Siman Act, citing its necessity for maintaining public order and assimilating immigrants into American society.

Mullen and Meyer remained undeterred and appealed the decision to the US Supreme Court, which overturned the Nebraska court’s ruling in June 1923. Conservative judge James McReynolds authored the majority opinion regarding the Fourteenth Amendment:

“Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness b y free men.”

This phrasing was significant. It served as a central factor in several more famous US Supreme Court cases, such as 1967’s Loving v. Virginia, which ruled that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional. The Court also cited it in 2003’s Lawrence v. Texas, which ruled that states could not criminalize homosexual conduct, and 2015’s Obergefell v. Hodges, which required states to license and recognize samese x marriage.

For all that influence, the general public is often unfamiliar with the soft-spoken Nebraska school teacher’s role in shaping American civi l liberties.

“I read a lot about Nebraskan history when I researched the book, and this stood out to me as significant legal history I was not familiar with,” Benes said. “I had lived my whole life in Nebraska and went to UNL, and it took me by surprise. Meyer was a Nebraskan who helped expand freedoms throughout the US. What he went through allowed millions of Americans to learn about other cultures and languages they otherwise would not have had access to.”

Capoz zola agrees.

“Meyer v. Nebraska is on the list of the most important cases you’ve never heard of,” he said. “It doesn’t fit easily within a box of conservative or liberal. It cuts across party lines. It applies to worship, and it’s foundational to bilingual education. The court has acknowledged it in the right to marriage equality and it’s a great window into life in Nebraska in the early 20th century.”

For more informat ion, visit: history.nebraska.gov

history.mit .edu/people/ christoph er-capozzola

r ossbenes.com

I had my choice. I knew that, if I changed into the English language, he would say nothing. If I went on in German, he would come in, and arrest me. I told myself that I must not flinch. And I did not flinch. I went on in German.

—Robert Meyer

STRIPES OMAHA

Referees John Higgins and Kip p Kissinger Meet in Houston for Men’s Final Four

Along way from their Nebraska roots, John Higgins and Kipp Kissinger found themselves in Houston last April among a pool of eleven basketball referees, chosen by merit to work the NCAA Men’s Final Four. It’s the dream of close to 900 Division I officials who literally log miles hustling up and down basketball courts through the course of a season.

They didn’t find out until the day of the Saturday doubleheader that they’d be working together in the first national semifinal between San Diego State University and Florida Atlantic University. Not since 2004 had two officials from the same city limits (Randy McCall and Verne Harris of Denver) teamed up as part of a three-ref crew in a Men’s Final Four contest.

Both Higgins and Kissinger had previous Men’s Final Four experience, but never in the same game.

“We had talked about it offline, ‘Hey, wouldn’t that be neat if we worked a game together?’” said Kissinger who lives in Gretna and works full-time with an insurance broker in LaVista. “Certainly we were both hoping for it, but until they actually read the assignments at our meeting that morning, we had no idea. It was an incredible feeling that we were going to take the court that night together.”

For John Higgins, teaming up with Kissinger for arguably the crowning event of college sports went beyond the pride of officiating in his ninth Final Four and the satisfaction of seeing Kissinger, whom he considers a good friend, work his second.

“That gave me goose bumps,” said Higgins, an Omaha resident who owns a local roofing company. “That was fun, especially when I helped Kipp get into high school [officiating] and then college.”

As a guard from 1994 to ’98 at Nebraska Wesleyan University, an NCAA Division III school, Kissinger first encountered Higgins during summer ball in Omaha 25 years ago when both kept themselves in shape. It was the first time Kissinger was put in his place by Higgins, whose assignments by then as a Division I ref had been well-established in the Missouri Valley and Big 12 conferences.

“If I didn’t feel like he called a foul, I let him know about it and he went right back at me,” said Kissinger with a laugh. “It was my first interaction with John’s personality, who he was, and I immediately gained a lot of respect because he did it the right way. In interacting with me, he let me know that there’s a definite line on how you interact wit h referees.”

Unbeknownst to Kissinger, Higgins was also sizing him up as a potential referee knowing that the former’s playing days at NWU were over.

“I knew I wasn’t going to play professionally,” said Kissinger, a graduate of Sandy Creek High School in Fairfield. “I love the game of basketball. It’s been a huge part of my e ntire life.”

Through officiating, Kissinger remains connected to the game he loves. Still, he knew he also had to work at it and develop a thick skin to ignore the unprintables yelled from the stands.

“Obviously I had to do my job of calling plays and getting plays right, but there’s so much more to it,” Kissinger noted. “John has helped me so much over the [last] 25 years.”

It’s now up to Kissinger, who earned his first Final Four assignment in 2018, to carry on the lessons learned from Higgins; the Final Four semi they worked last season ended up being their last time sharing fl oor space.

STORY BY GREG ECHLIN // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

“We had talked about it offline, ‘Hey, wouldn’t that be neat if we worked a game together?’”

— Kipp Kissinger

Ki pp Kissinger

John Higgins

Higgins had no idea at the time, but was later offered and accepted a job as a supervisor for college basketball officials on the West Coast. Though it might create the impression of constant late-night flights to Los Angeles or other coastal destinations, Higgins will actually be spending more nights this season at home in Omaha.

“I can travel when I need to travel. I can stay home when I need to stay home, so that’ll be fun and that’ll be good,” said Higgins who plans to have multiple games going simultaneously while watch ing at home.

In retrospect, the dramatic finish to the game they worked a game-winning jumper by SDSU’s Lamont Butler before the final buzzer will be etched in time as one of their most memorable.

Besides the pandemonium that followed the game’s outcome, the best thing about it from the refs’ view? No one left griping about the officials.

“That’s your ultimate goal: They’re not talking about you,” H iggins said.

From jumping on one plane to another, arriving at the next arena the following night, Higgins has missed plenty of family events over the years. But these days, he’s enjoying it more around Omaha, the cit y he loves.

Still, Higgins professes his passion for the game and finds it strange not to be taking the floor.

“It’ll be different, but I was getting close to the end anyway,” said Higg ins, now 62.

At the same time, an opportunity awaits Kissinger perhaps, to mentor the next Omaha native to partner up with at a future Men’s Final Four.

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GRADUATE SERVING STUDENTS AS FULLTIME EDUCATOR AT HIS FORMER SCHOOL

WWhen Adrian Felix walked through the doors at his former school in August, it was a full-ci rcle moment.

Felix joined Chandler View Elementary as a physical education teacher, taking on the role of his former teacher, who retired in May. The opportunity brought big shoes to fill, following someone who helped him succee d in school.

“Ms. Tamara Freeburg helped me a lot when I was a student there,” said Felix. “It’s a mix of emotions.”

Felix attended the Omaha Public Schools from elementary school through high school. After high school, he attended the University of Nebraska Omaha to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher. Then, he joined our district as a student teacher, serving students at Spring Lake Elementary.

“I’m an Omaha Public Schools kid, and I want to be a role model for those kids in similar situations that I was in growing up,” said Felix. “I want to show them that you can make a difference and give them that light that might not always be shini ng on them.”

Felix says his experience as an Omaha Public Schools student inspired him to join our district as a full-ti me educator.

“I’m excited for the next journey, and I appreciate everyone who has been a part of this one. It means a lot to me,” he said during a May celebration i n his honor.

Felix made a lasting impact on students and staff during his time as a student teacher. Spring Lake Elementary surprised him with an end-of-year send-off. Guests included many of those who helped him along the way.

His cooperating teacher, Spring Lake Elementary’s Aimee Noel, coordinated the celebration. She said Felix will continue to benefit students for many ye ars to come.

“Adrian is very detail-oriented and has great compassion for the kids,” said Noel. “He’s very open to learning and becoming a better teacher. I believe he’ll [have] an impact on our profession.”

Throughout the building that day, Spring Lake Elementary staff wore shirts representing the colors of the schools he attended, symbolizing the milestones in his education. Students also delivered hand-made cards for their stud ent teacher.

“It feels really rewarding that these people know that they mean what they mean to me,” said Felix. “They’re here for me on something that I am proud to accomplish after all this time.”

LearningMedia

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These Nebraska Public Media segments are just a few of more than 30,000 FREE educational resources PreK-12 educators and students can find in PBS LearningMedia at pbslearningmedia.org.

“This is an incredible depository of trustworthy, curated, standards-aligned resources that can encourage individual exploration. It’s really a one-stop shop that saves time for busy teachers,” said Nebraska Public Media Director of Education Jessica Mitchell-McCollough. “It also connects directly to Google Classroom and other content and software programs that teachers use with students.”

Everything in PBS LearningMedia is created in close collaboration with educators and subject matter experts, and it includes content that is specific to Nebraska. The thoughtfully designed resources span eight subject areas, and support equitable teaching and learning. Users can simply search by grade level and age to find appropriate materials that support critical thinking and problem solving. More than 60 public media stations from across the country work with educators in their communities to develop materials for PBS LearningMedia.

At home, parents can trust PBS LearningMedia is a safe space for kids to do research for school assignments. “This resource isn’t just for teachers. Parents and caregivers can be confident their students are accessing a safe and engaging educational space,” added Mitchell-McCollough. Mitchell-McCollough says Nebraska Public Media’s experienced educational team is available to guide PBS LearningMedia users who have questions.

“Our team complements the online resource. We are here to support parents, teachers and students, and we want to hear how Nebraska’s learning community is enriching real-world learning with the materials,” she said. Questions?

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GIVING CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER 2023

Oct.

FEATURED EVENT

FEATHER OUR NEST 2023

Benefitting Fontenelle Forest

Location: Fontenelle Forest Nature Center

Bellevue’s Fontenelle Forest aims to provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature, hoping to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world. At the annual Feather Our Nest benefits, guests are invited to a enjoy twilight stroll on the Riverview Boardwalk, bid on handcrafted items, explore the trading post exhibit to learn about the forest’s storied history, and enjoy cocktails and seasonal offerings by Heirloom Fine Foods. Money raised from this event will benefit the forest’s mission to create a sustainable future through their work in conservation, education, and recreation. —fontenelleforest.org/fon/

October 1

GOLD RUSH 2023

Benefits: Golden Retreiver Rescue in Nebraska

Location: SumTur Amphitheater, Papillion -grrin.org

October 1

SUPERHERO HEART RUN OMAHA

Benefits: Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) Location: Werner Park -superheroheartrun.com/omaha

October 1

2023 JDRF ONE WALK

Benefits: JDRF

Location: Mahoney State Park -jdrf.org

October 1

LINCOLN TAKE STEPS

Benefits: Crohns and Colitis Foundation Location: Lincoln Children’s Zoo -crohnscolitisfoundation.org

October 3

FIRST TUESDAY FUNDRAISER FEATURING THE CRABBY BLUES BAND

Benefits: Pine Ridge Reservation Propane Fund

Location: Shucks (119th St.) -omahablues.com

Oct. 01

October 5

FRIENDS OF DUET BENEFIT

Benefits: Developmental Disability Resources and Support Location: Storz Mansion -duetne.org

October 5

LET LOVE LEAD ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

Benefits: Scatter Joy Acres Location: Scatter Joy Acres -scatterjoyacres.org

October 6

AN EVENING AMONG ANGELS: GIVE CANCER THE BOOT

Benefits: Pediatric Cancer Families Location: CHI Health Center Omaha -myangelsamongus.org

October 6

ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA

Benefits: MKS Studio Location: Divine Sphepherd Lutheran Church -mks.studio

October 7

BIKETOBER

Benefits: 712 Initiative

Location: Barleys -712initiative.org

Oct. 6

October 7 & 28

2023 KOMEN NEBRASKA MORE THAN PINK WALK

Benefits: Susan G. Komen Foundation

Location: Werner Park -komen.org

October 7

PROSPECT HILL CEMETERY CLEANUP DAYS

Benefits: Prospect Hill Cemetery

Location: Prospect Hill Cemetery -prospecthill-omaha.org

October 7

TOUCH-A-TRUCK

Benefits: Child Saving Institute

Location: UNMC/Fiserv Parking Lots -childsaving.org

October 8

OMAHA WALK TO END HYDROCEPHALUS

Benefits: Hydrocephalus Association

Location: Chalco Hills Recreation Area -hydroassoc.org

October 8

2023 WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S-LINCOLN, NE

Benefits: Alzheimer’s Association

Location: Haymarket Park -act.alz.org

October 9

ANNUAL COAT DRIVE

Benefits: Calistus Foundation

Location: African Farms -calistusfoundation.org

October 12

3RD ANNUAL CELEBRATE GOOD GALA

Benefits: Goodwill Industries, Inc. Location: The Relevant Center, Elkhorn -goodwillomaha.org

October 12

CHARIOTS CHAMPIONS INVITATIONAL

Benefits: Chariots 4 Hope

Location: Indian Creek Golf Club -chariots4hope.org

October 12

THE STARS AMONG US GALA

Benefits: Heartland Home Mission

Location: Hilton Omaha -heartlandhopemission.org

October 12

DANCE FOR A CHANCE HALLOWEEN BALL

Benefits: YES Omaha

Location: Omaha Design Center -yesomaha.org

October 13

2023 BENEFIT ART AUCTION OPENING RECEPTION

Benefits: Area artists, Bemis Center programming Location: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts -bemiscenter.org

October 13

VISION BEYOND SIGHT - THE JOURNEY IS JUST BEGINNING Benefits: Outlook Enrichment Location: Omaha Marriott Downtown -outlooken.org

October 14

FUNDRAISER FOR ROGER ANDERSON

Benefits: Army Veteran Roger Anderson (Medical Expenses)

Location: Fraternal Order of Eagles, Bellevue -bellevuefoe3912.com

October 14

ROLL ALS TO THE GUTTER! 2ND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR CHAD MCBRIDE

Benefits: Chad McBride (Medical Expenses)

Location: Maplewood Lanes -maplewoodlanesomaha.com

Oct. 13

2023 First Place

Tattoo Parlor

COUNSELING CONNECTIONS & ASSOCIATES

October 14 & 28

VOLUNTEER AT THE COMMUNITY DONATION CENTER

Benefits: Restoring Dignity

Location: Restoring Dignity Community Donation Center (J St.) -rdomaha.org

October 15

HOT CIDER HUSTLE

Benefits: ALS in the Heartland

Location: Lake Zorinsky -nebraskaruns.com

October 15

MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER

Benefits: American Cancer Society

Location: Homes Lake Park, Lincoln -cancer.org

October 20

REMIX

Benefits: Women’s Center for Advancement Location: Omaha Marriott Downtown -wcaomaha.org

October 20

IMAGINE… OHB’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT

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

Benefits: Omaha Home for Boys

Location: The Barn at the Ackerhurst Dairy Farm -ohb.org

October 20-22

STAMP OUT BREAST CANCER

Benefits: Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Location: Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Lincoln -stampindreams.com

October 22

GOLF SCRAMBLE FUNDRAISER

Benefits: Nebraska PRIME Youth Baseball

Location: Tiberon Golf Club -elkhornathletics.org

October 22

MY SISTER’S KEEPER 23RD ANNUAL CELEBRATION

Benefits: My Sister’s Keeper

Location: Scott Conference Center -pilgrimbc.org

October 26

STAND UP AGAINST BULLYING ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

Benefits: RESPECT Programming

Location: St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church -respectall.org/fundraiser

Dr. Kristi Tackett-Newburg Founder/Owner

2023 First Place

Counseling Services

October 27

FRIENDS OF RITECARE DINNER AND AUCTION

Benefits: Scottish Rite Foundation of Omaha

Location: Scottish Rite Masonic Center -scottishriteomaha.org

October 28

AKSARBEN BALL

Benefits: Aksarben Foundation Location: Aksarben Foundation -aksarben.org

October 28

PANCAKE FEED

Oct. 28

Benefits: The Hungry Location: Sozo Coffeehouse, Downtown Omaha -greatadventureministries.com

October 29

TRUNK OR TREAT IN FARM HILL

Benefits: Local Non-Profits Location: Zen Coffee Company -zencoffeecompany.com/events

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

Omaha Magazine encourages readers to visit venues' websites and/or calling ahead before attending an event or visiting a museum.

Carrying the Tune

“When you give a kid an instrument and you show them how to play that instrument, and then you show them a professional that they get to hear play the instrument… what a gi ft that is.”

—Judy Divis

STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RACHEL BIRDSALL

udy Divis is a former music educator and accomplished musician who’s played viola with the Omaha Symphony for 37 years and serves as president of the Omaha Chamber Music Society (OCMS). She was a youth when her music studies began days of newfound wonder and hard-won experience that continue to color her perspective. She learned about music, but also perseverance, and gained confidence in her ability to learn just about anything, Divis said. Today, she enjoys the opportunity to guide young musicians in her work with “sideby-side” events pairing student and professional musicians in addition to youth outreach activities.

“When you give a kid an instrument and you show them how to play that instrument, and then you show them a professional that they get to hear play the instrument…what a gift that is,” she said. “For many artists, they kind of bond with their art. I think that as we develop technologically as a society, we must also include the nurturance of the humanity side of our lives music does that. For one thing, you have to be present and involved. You’re learning a discipline, skill; you’re learning how to listen and c ommunicate.”

Divis has also learned to listen for instruments that need a little help. As a professional, Divis knows firsthand the importance of soundness (as in well-maintained) in the sound (as in musical quality) of an instrument. Still, instrument maintenance and repair can be costly for families, and many student-musicians are forced to

make do with a flawed instrument. So, about five years ago, Divis began seeking resources and support for the upkeep of student-owned instruments, which led to her founding what has become Good Vibrations. The program aims to maintain and repair instruments belonging to students in Omaha-area Title I schools.

Omaha Chamber Music Society General Manager Jay Wise said that student-owned instruments are often family heirlooms, handed down to students. They’re a source of both pride and emotional attachment, but without proper maintenance, may be hardl y playable.

“It became Judy’s dream to help get these instruments repaired and restored. In 2018, she partnered with Omaha luthier Sarah Gray and was able to raise some modest funds to repair a collection of instruments for students at Bryan Middle School, where all three of her kids attended and participated in school orchestra. Under Divis’s leadership, Good Vibrations has since raised some $80,000 and repaired over 300 instruments,” Wise said. “She still has a strong connection to Bryan Middle School, and reports that those first restored instruments are still being played, sometimes by a younger sibling. Her program, besides restoring instruments, has as a goal educating teachers and students on the proper care and maintenance of stringed instruments. She’s gratified to see those first instruments still being lovingly cared for and played.”

Wise describes Good Vibrations as a oneof-a-kind program.

“Judy’s goal is not necessarily musical, but personal. School music is a valuable and maybe even vital tool for teaching individual accomplishment, teamwork, camaraderie, goal setting, and building self-esteem,” Wise said. “She wants to help support successful and energetic people who will in turn give back to their communities.”

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Good Vibrations initially focused on string instruments, with Divis capitalizing on a trusted relationship with Sarah Gray of Sarah E. Gray Restoration who had worked on Divis’s violas in the past; it now shares space in the Flatiron Building in downtown Omaha as part of Gray’s connections with Flatiron Luthier Cooperative, which became one of Good Vibrations’ early supporters. Omaha Public Schools Foundation is another key partner who has helped the relatively new organization grow and evolve. The program has expanded to all instrument categories and also takes in used instruments. The third annual instrument drive, with the University of Nebraska Omaha’s classical music station KVNO, took place in August and brought more than 30 instruments along with monetary support to the program. Divis said the total number of instruments refurbished by Good Vibrations is well into the hundreds.

“I stopped counting,” Divis confessed. Along with the instrument program, Divis has also sought funding for promising young musicians to receive private lessons with area professional musicians from her post at the Omaha Chamber Music Society. The scholarship students include violin, trumpet, bass, and clarinet aspirants. Divis said both Good Vibrations and the Omaha Chamber Music Society education program have received an outpouring of support and encouragement from the community.

“I love how much everybody’s on board. I have a great team of people to work with, everybody embraces the idea, and it is wonderful. And every single minute of all the work that I do will be worth it if one child has a better life,” Divis said. “Music has saved my life more times than I care to e numerate.”

For more information on Good Vibrations or the OCMS programs, visit omahachambermusic.org/good -vibrations.

Omaha’s Ouija Chronicles Dialing the Dead

// STORY BY LIZZY DIAMOND // DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

Tos ome, Ouija boards are sinister vehicles to contact evil spirts. Others see the boards as an interesting way to connect with those who are gone, while some may view them as a silly parlor trick sold by a board ga me company.

Talking boards have existed as a method to reach the deceased for centuries. The earliest variations of this method of spiritual communication date back to 1100 AD, in China. The most widely recognized version of the talking board, the Ouija board, was made in 1891 by Kennard Novelty Company.

The Ouija board was originally invented as a way to contact loved ones, inspired by the practice of reaching out to the dead that grew popular during the carnage of the Civil War. Sales continued to boom during first and second world wars. Until the 1970s, talking boards had a relatively lighthearted reputation. That changed with the release of William Friendkin’s The Exorcist in 1973. After moviegoers witnessed a little girl possessed after using a board, many grew weary of the game.

There is much speculation as to whether or not Ouija boards actually allow users to commune with spirits. Cindy Odorizzi of Magical Omaha a shop specializing in metaphysical items shared her thoughts on the mystif ying topic.

“Ouija boards are nothing particularly magical. They are just a tool, much like tarot cards. They help you get in a mindset and meditative state to be able to communicate with spirits or energies,” she said. “Most people get into this mindset easily, but the board can be a useful aid. I have also seen the boards work too well when overly excited participants unknowingly (or knowingly) make the planchette move with their fingertips.”

Omaha had its own version of a talking board, the ‘Ouija Queen,’ produced here in the midtwentieth century. The idea for the Ouija Queen came from James Acuff, who partnered with Isadore Chapman of Iowa Finance Company to fund the production. The Ouija Queen functioned the same as Ouija boards, but there were a few visual differences of note. As opposed to the Ouija board’s neutral black or brown, the Ouija Queen had a colorful blue and yellow background with star illustrations. The Ouija Queen had “Au Revoir” printed across the bottom instead of “Goodbye.”

Chapman founded the American Novelty Company in 1943 specifically to produce the popular talking boards. The Ouija Queens were produced at a factory in South Omaha that was staffed by women and older men not fighting in the war. During production, workers would take home boards and try to contact their sons, fathers, brothers, and husbands who had been lost overseas. It provided hope and comfort in t rying times.

Production of the Ouija Queen continued in Omaha through the 1960s before the

American Novelty Company eventually retired the board. The company went on to manufacture other Halloween-themed products, like small stone statues and glow-in-thedark skeletons, but they never returned to the talking boards. Today, prices for Ouija Queen boards can reach up to $350 online.

Whether Omaha’s orignal or the more popular version sold nationally, many have formed unique, ocassionally thrilling experiences around a talking board. Omaha Native Katie Evans recounted one su ch occasion:

“I was in fifth grade the first time that I used one. My older sister had introduced me to them,” Evan s recalled.

She’d go on to use the Ouija board multiple times in grade school with her siblings. But during those sessions, her sister forgot to mention a few important rules like, never playing alone and always saying goodbye to spirits before ‘h anging up.’

“She did not tell me the rules, and I broke them all,” Evans confessed. “I did it by myself. I did not sa y goodbye.”

Once, Evans decided to play alone in her basement after midnight. The lights were turned off and candles were lit, just like her sister had done before. The game piece spelled out a name: “William.”

“That was the last time that I used one. I threw it back in the box, threw it into the game closet and ran back upstairs.”

Despite her terrifying last experience, Evans would consider using a Ouija b oard again.

“Maybe with a group of people...I’d definitely be cautious and follow the rules,” she said.

Odorizzi also shared that she’d experiment with Ouija as a kid; then, with her mother and sister, and in adulthood with a friend. The latter would engage with a spirit board a few ti mes a month.

“Some days we would get nothing, other times it would be very rewarding,” Odorizzi said. “One time my grandmother came through and told me a sweet, personal message...”

She also described an instance when the board spelled out “Chevrolet” after it was asked to offer the friends a name they’d understand.

“Most of our experiences were just a few unanswered questions before we would lose contact with the spirit,” she said. “Almost like they were stations on a radio, and we could only tune into them for a short di stance...”

Tancy Ellis sits cross-legged on a yoga mat in the living room of her art-infused, immaculate, cozy home she shares with her husband, Rick, in Omaha’s Aksarben neighborhood. She adjusts her laptop computer to eye level, waiting for members of her Friday morning yoga class to pop up on a Zoom call. John Christensen check s in first.

“Good mor ning, John!”

“Morn ing, Tancy.”

“As I recall, aren’t you going on vacation to Lake Ok oboji soon?”

“I’m al ready here.”

“Oh! I’m surprised you’re with us today, then. There must be many yoga spots near you in Lake Okoboji,” Ell is replied.

“Well,” he hesitated. “I’d feel like I was being unfaithful.”

Christensen’s endearing sentiment isn’t that far off the mark. Ellis’s yogis exhibit tremendous devotion to her, not just because they benefit from her classes, but because she has become a valued constant in their lives. When COVID shut the doors of the downtown health club that housed a yoga studio, forcing practitioners into the seclusion of their homes, Ellis kept stress levels down and muscles strong by teaching three to four classes a week via Zoom. Ellis put her students’ well-being front and center; not surprising, having spent the majority of her life caring for others.

She was born Mary Frances Dodson, the eldest of six children. The family lived near 44th and Pine streets in Omaha in the shadow of Holy Cross Catholic Church and Mercy High School, both of which she attended. Her parents called her “Francie.” However, her little sister couldn’t quite master that moniker, instead pronouncing it “Tancy.” The name stuck.

Gentle and patient by nature, Ellis earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) from Creighton University’s College of Nursing in 1972. For the next 46 years, Ellis watched over chronically ill children and brought comfort to anxious parents.

“I spent my entire career in the pediatric department at the University of Nebraska Medical Center,” Ellis said. “I began in pediatric cardiology, then spent the last 36 years in pediatric nephrology. In other words, kids’ hearts and kids’ kidneys.

“I had a great love for the work and for the families.”

But even the most dedicated health professional needs to breathe. Ellis arrived at that point when she hit her mid-40s.

“I felt a need to work with wellness, not chronic illness,” she said.

To help achieve this, Ellis went back to Creighton and in 1997 earned another bachelor’s degree, this time in fine art. As a reward for earning the degree, Ellis’s oldest friend gifted her six yo ga classes.

“I thought, ‘yoga? whatever!’” she recalled.

But those classes change d her life.

“I did it. I loved it. I never stopped and I’ve been practicing yoga

SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

several times a week since 1997,” she enthused. “It helped me personally; deeply. It helped me center myself; to be more healthy and balanced.”

Another gift in 2013, this time a small inheritance from her mother, allowed Ellis to attend yoga teacher training at the Yoga Now studio in Benson. She became certified as a 200-level hatha yoga instructor, which combines physical postures with the breathing and meditation exercises associated with the ancient art of relaxation.

The essence of yoga easily correlates with Ellis’s Jesuit education and the nursing school’s mantra that stresses care for “mind, body and spirit,” making her a natural to help others achieve “whole person” wellness. Her teaching career began in 2016 when the personal trainer at the luxurious Pinnacle Health Club at 20th and Dodge streets asked her to start a meditation yoga class. Her popularity brought opportunities to teach other classes.

“I had already decided that yoga for aging was my niche and it worked out because all of my yogis were older,” Ellis said. “I had a group of about 20 people, plus a group of Union Pacific retired ladies who said, ‘We want to hire you as our private yoga teacher.’ They’re wonderful!”

COVID not only closed Pinnacle’s doors in 2020, it brought about the athletic club’s closure, forcing Ellis to teach from home ever since.

“At least the overhead is low,” she cracked. “When Pinnacle closed, my two daughters said, ‘Well, mom, don’t fret. Use Zoom.’ Zoom has forced me to put my body movements into words.”

Ellis kept all 30 of her students. Sheri Kennedy, a yoga veteran whom Ellis describes as her youngest and fittest yogi, under stands why.

“I was used to yoga classes that were a little more challenging,” Kennedy confessed. “But Tancy has such a gentle way about her that I just couldn’t resist. Tancy’s classes are a little calmer and quieter, which is very appropriate with Zoom. She’s very descriptive you can visualize what she’s tal king about.”

Credit to Ellis’s nurse’s training for her communication skills. During Friday morning’s Zoom class which concentrates on the body’s core, Ellis had Sheri and John and the other yogis sit on the floor and twist their body to “scrape the dough off the side of the bowl with your core...now circle the other way…and pause.”

Ellis holds three classes a week, each concentrating on a different aspect, like stretching, breathing, meditation, balance, and the more physical floor work. She charges $35 a month for 10 months and asks her students to donate to a charity the remaining two months.

“If you do what you love, money follows and grace follows you,” Ellis sagely affirmed. “You have an energy that’s added to your world.”

ellness

After Illness Teaching

YOGA INSTRUCTOR, TANCY ELLIS

They Were The Way

Father and Son Duo Meets

Classic Vehicles i n the Middle

Asmall clock sits in the middle of the glove compartment door of Pat McCaslin’s 1969 Jeep Wagoneer. It doesn’t run but it’s the crown jewel representing the last six years of work he’s spent returning the Jeep to showroom condition.

In fact, he doesn’t want it to run. Even though it looks sparkling new, after having been in storage for about half a century, it carries a risk. “It’s so old that everything inside it is dried out,” said Pat, 63, “ If you turn it on, it would probably short out.”

The dark green Wagoneer is the third and latest vehicle that Pat has restored. Nearby rests a 1964 Ford Fairlane and 1966 Ford F-250 pickup, both appearing fresh off the lot.

Pat’s fascination with vehicles began years ago. “Even as a young kid, I was a big fan of older cars, I don’t know why. They had a certain appeal to me, more than a new car ever did,” Pat said. “Especially pickup trucks which makes me even mor e strange.”

He started working on another pickup truck while studying at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. However, he never finished it. “It was beyond my capabilities at the time,” he confessed.

After earning a degree in criminal justice, he joined the Omaha Police Department for a 24-year-long career. His itch to work on vehicles never let up, and around 2001 he learned that the F-250 was for sale in Montana. A grainy picture revealed it was a palette of colors brown, white, primer gray, turquoise, and more and it had been used hard on a ranch and then by a construction company. Still, Pat thought he’d buy it even though transporting it to Omaha would cost more than its $900 price.

“The engine started but the clutch was out and you couldn’t move it forward or backward,” Pat recalled. “Several of the brake lines were broken so it had no brakes.”

The pickup appealed to Pat because it was rare. Out of 79,345 F-250s Ford built in 1966, only 3,500 were capable of shifting from rear-wheel-drive to 4-wheel drive. Unlike many of today’s vehicles, in which the turn of a knob on the instrument panel can change them from 2-wheel-drive to 4-wheel drive, the 1966 pickup requires more effort. It must be stopped so someone could physically rotate the setting on the hub of each wheel before resumin g travel.

Not long after its arrival, Pat began working on the truck in his spare time. He contracted out the painting and upholstery while he toiled on everything else. Finally, when he

retired from police work in 2008, the now one-color Marlin blue F-250 looked as if it’d cruised from 1966 untarnished.

Although Pat worked with a security firm for a while, he still had time to look for a Ford Fairlane. “We had one when I was a kid,” noted Pat of when he grew up in North Omaha. “When Dad traded that one in for a different car, I was really upset. It had a special place for me. I liked its styling.”

Pat placed a note online about what he was looking for and a local man popped up to offer the Fairlane; however, he did not have the car’s title. So, Pat backed off. A few weeks later, the man came forth again, saying he had contacted the previous owner and now had the title. A bit dubious, Pat eventually learned the offer was legitimate and made the purchase. Then yellow, the Fairlane is now a deep, rich Guardsman blue, a color Ford created in the mid-1960s.

“I do quite a bit of work on the cars myself. What I can’t do, I farm out,” Pat said. Like his two other classics, the Fairlane has features rarely seen on modern cars, such as vent windows. When open, they would direct air over the people in the front seat but with the increased use of air conditioning, their purpose disappeared and so did they.

Also, the Fairlane has something that the F-250 and Jeep don’t working windshield wipers. “It’s the only one of the three I can drive in the rain,” Pat chuckled. Actually, he like owners of other classic cars in Nebraska can’t drive the restorations much at all. Their classification as ‘classics’ limits them to driving to and from car shows. “I’m not even supposed to make a Menards run in this,” said Pat, as he opened the driver’s-side door.

“Listen to this,” he said next, closing the door with a solid thump which makes today’s car doors sound like tin toys.

Walking behind his home’s three-car garage, Pat entered a just-about finished detached two-car-garage. Its foundation and exterior were built by a contractor while Pat finishes the interior. The Jeep Wagoneer occupies one part of the garage. Once avocado green, it’s now dark green.

The Wagoneer is a vehicle long admired by Pat. “We had a neighbor who had one when I was a kid and I thought it was the neatest thing on the planet,” he said. When his brother-in-law in Phoenix said he had seen one, Pat asked him to take a look at it. “It’s a project,” warned the brother of Pat’s wife, KC.

Looking at pictures of the Jeep, Pat made a deal over the phone and had it trucked to Omaha. Having been in Arizona for many years, the Jeep had water, not antifreeze, in its cooling system. So, when it arrived in Omaha on a cold February day in 2017, the water froze, cracking the eng ine block.

Despite that, Pat liked what he saw. “Everything was there and everything was original which was pretty unusual. Lots of times guys put them up high and put big wheels and tires on them. This was the original vehicle but it still needed a t on of work.”

KC said the day Pat finally started the Jeep; many people turned out. “The neighbors, everybody heard it and came over. It was like Frankenstein resurrected ,” she said.

Not everything built comes with instructions. When installing the tailgate’s window, Pat and KC about had it put in place when they realized they were holding it backwards. “We just had to laugh about it,” said Pat, who once found a dead scorpion in the Jeep. Finally, last year, Pat could dri ve the Jeep.

The Jeep and the F-250 have won honors at classic car shows. Pat holds off entering the Fairlane because it would have to go up against Mustangs, GTOs, Corvettes ,and other such luminaries of the 19 60s class.

Joining Pat in his restoration work is his 32-year-old son Patrick, a physical therapist technician at Immanuel Hospital. He’s the only one of Pat and KC’s four children to help Pat in the garage.

Patrick began assisting when Pat was working on the F-250. “His passion for that got me engaged,” said Patrick, who drives a 2019 Honda Civic as his daily transportation. “And then the second and third car. I helped him and more each time.”

“Having hands-on experience influenced me more and more,” Patrick continued. “When it came time to work on the Jeep Waggoneer, I said, ‘Hey, what can I do? I want to help you. I want to learn. I want you to teach me the things you know.’”

Patrick likes to stage the Jeep for car shows by creating themes for it. At times, he has put fishing poles, a minnow bucket, fish nets and a tackle box in it to make it look like it’s about to leave for a fishing trip. Duck decoys and faux shotguns dress it up for hunting excursions.

KC said she’s proud of the work Pat and Patrick put into the vehicles. Occasionally, she lends a hand, like the time she helped move a 600-pound engine block. “It’s not like giving a check to someone for a completed car,” she said. “It’s an accomplishment.”

Pat, KC, and Patrick like going to car shows and meeting owners of other classics. It’s there they swap news and learn of others offering and desiring auto parts such as the Jeep’s dash board clock.

“It’s fun to take a drive out it’s a conversation piece as well,” KC said. “People come up and they all tell a story like ‘My grandma had this, my dad had this,’ ‘We had a vacation in this’…it sparks historical conversations for people. That’s a nice thing about the c ar shows.”

THE PLOT THICKENS BOOK MARK THESE LOCAL INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES

Whether it’s the latest thriller, whodunit, bodice ripper, or any other literary genre, metro bibliophiles can find what keeps them reading past their bedtimes at one of Omaha’s independent bookstores. While each shop has its own distinctive character (and in some cases, speciality), one thing is evident at all these locations: the people who work here adore books and are themselves passionate readers. That translates into carefully curated selections, ranging from current best-sellers to beloved classics, which you can browse in person while simultaneously supporting a local business.

1.THE BOOKWORM

2501 S 90th St. | 402.392.2877

A perennial favorite since 1986 with Omaha readers, this bookstore is a family business known for its vast selection of books on a broad range of topics. Helmed by knowledgable staff who are ready with enthusiastic recommendations, The Bookworm is also popular for its regular book talks, which feature international, national, and local authors on a broad range of topics. Book clubs, children’s story times, history groups, philosophy discussions, and themed events keep book lovers connected. The Bookworm has over 100 active registered book clubs with 1,200 members, who receive special discounts, such as a 20% discount on books designated for discussion. The Baker’s Dozen program gives participants a credit equal to the average price of one book after purchasing 12. —bookwormomaha.com

2.THE NEXT CHAPTER

2508 Farnam St. | 531.218.7996

One of the most recent additions to Omaha’s book scene, The Next Chapter opened in 2019 and quickly established itself as a Midtown community cornerstone. It’s not surprising given that the owner, Shelly Mutum, was following in the footsteps of her parents, who owned Prairie Books and Gifts in Hastings, Nebraska, for over 40 years. Mutum brought that familial expertise to Omaha when setting up her shop, which boasts an impressively wide-ranging selection. Book clubs are popular with patrons with themes like “BookT & Wine,” “Young Adult,” “Romance,” “LGBTQ,” and “Sci Fi/Fantasy.” The cozy shop also offers wine, beer, and cocktails to patrons who can sip and drink on the patio during warm months or cozy up to the fire during winter. Readers are also welcome to bring well-mannered dogs to accompany them while browsing the stacks. —nextchapterbooksandgifts.com

3.DUNDEE BOOK COMPANY

4915 Underwood St. | 402.281.3315

This quaint bookstore started in 2017 as a “roving bookstore” that was transported on a handcart made of rescued barn boards. The owners, Ted and Nicole Wheeler, selected titles for events to amplify the experience of each specific place where the cart stopped. In 2020, the cart graduated to its own brick-and-mortar in the heart of Dundee, where the Wheelers continue to share their love of contemporary fiction, international literature, and books that help change the world, as well as an expanded children's section that embodies that same ethos. They’re more than qualified to make

those selections. Ted is a resident assistant professor in Creighton University’s College of Arts and Science’s English Department and himself the author of three books, including the best-selling novel Kings of Broken Things. Nicole is the web and eCommerce product manager at the McGraw Hill publishing company. —dundee-book-company.square.site

4.JACKSON STREET BOOKSELLERS

1119 Jackson St. | 402.341.2664

Nestled in the heart of the Old Market, Jackson Street Booksellers has been buying and selling used, rare, and out-of-print books since 1993 and has developed a legendary reputation for stocking hard-to-find tomes. This large, general shop carries thousands of titles, often stacked floor to ceiling in every corner, with a special interest in scholarly titles with a focus on subjects like art, literature, architecture, design, history, science, and philosophy. With over 50 years of combined experience, the expert staff provides knowledgeable and comprehensive book assessments in the Omaha metro area and can help patrons find just about anything—whether that’s a cookbook from the Great Depression, a 19th-century military atlas, or a translation of an ancient Chinese epic poem. Settle in on one of the comfortable reading chairs and prepare to revel in flipping through vintage pages. —https://www.facebook.com/people/ Jackson-Street-Booksellers/100063656915770/

5.LEGEND COMICS

6068 Maple St. | 402.391.2377

For over a decade and a half, Legend Comics has been providing locals with access to tens of thousands of comic book and graphic novel titles, whether its the newest release or a sought-after back issue. The 2014 winner of an Eisner Award for best comic book retail store in the world (the industry equivalent of an Academy Award), Legend has it all: superheroes and villains, children’s selections, horror, mythology, and more—plus unique and rare editions. Previously in a temporary spot on Leavenworth Street after having to vacate its Elmwood location, Legend has since established a permanent storefront in Benson. Don’t miss their Legend “Picks of the Week” for the hottest comic and graphic novel suggestions or ask a knowledgable staffer for a trade recommendation. Creator’s Workshops also provide opportunities for writers and artists to come together and support one another in refining their craft. —facebook.com/LegendComics/

6.THE BOOK NOOK

6107 Maple St., Benson | 531.466.7665

144 S. 38th St., Blackstone | 531.466.8081

2115 S. 67th St., Aksarben Village | 531.999.2683

118 N. Washington St., Papillion | 531.999-1827

This independent and locally-owned bookstore boasts multiple locations conveniently located throughout the metro. Shelves are lined with thousands of new and gently-used hard and paperback books. The focus is on sustainability: 70% of the inventory is previously owned, with items required to be like new and come only from nonsmoking homes. The shop’s ever changing assortments also include puzzles, t-shirts, games, DVDs, Blu-Ray movies, and more. A focus on “Local Originators” also places the spotlight on local authors and creators. No matter the part of town you’re in, you can find something to stack on your bedside table here, making the Book Nook a favorite location in all four of the neighborhoods it serves. —booknookbookstores.com

DINING FEATURE

STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

COOKING CLASSES

IN THE METRO

Learn to Amuse Your Bouche

The notion that “anyone can cook” may seem reasonable to some, yet mystifying to those less temperature and knife block-inclined. With the right guidance, however, cooking can become an intuitive experience—and a healthy serv ing of fun.

Paula Dreessen’s Crème de la Crème

Paula Dreessen reads cookbooks like other people read novels—she devours them with great enthusiasm. In fact, her home has a cookbook library (something she requested when it was built), providing a ladle's-length index for Crème de la Crème's prospective students. She affectionately refers to her Silvercreek Estates home as the “Crème Cottage” or “Crème de la Crème HQ.”

For years, Dreessen has taught cooking classes out of her Elkhorn abode— though COVID had the chef making house calls. A year-and-a-half later, she moved into her current residence, replete with a custom-made teaching kitchen.

A prolific food blogger since 2015, Dreessen started cooking at a young age. She spent many years in the kitchen with her mother and other family members who taught her French cuisine, Th ai cooking techniques, and more. She commenced her culinary career as a freshman in high school, initially picking up shifts at a local Italian restaurant.

Each cooking class she offers at ‘HQ’ features a theme, such as a “Cozy & Comforting” soup class or the “Elevated Classics” tutorial that aims to enhance classic dishes. The school’s menu is revised as the seasons change, and the recipes used in her class are all original concepts. She doesn’t teach other people’s recipes, she said.

Dreessen sources her ingredients locally, with seasonal herbs sprouting from her own garden. She is a proponent of utilizing quality ingredients to create qua lity meals.

She’s also willing to share her recipes.

“Th at’s how recipes evolve—by being passed on from one person to another,” she said.

Her favorite recipe to teach is her ‘Rustic Tomato Tart,’ and her favorite classes are those with generational participants, like mothers and daughters, because she enjoys the interactions that tend to unfold when they work together in the kitchen.

“That’s how recipes evolve— by being passed on from one person to another.”

-Paula Dreessen

Toanyone who is intimidated by the idea of cooking, Dreessen said, “So, you ‘don’t cook’? Guess what? You can!”

Dan Benigno’s Chef Around the Block

Chef Dan Benigno has been in the restaurant business for three decades and counting. He’s worked for both “big and little places,” but it was his time spent as a chef at the Union Pacific headquarters that compelled him to delve deeper into international cuisine.

“Cooking at UP, for the very diverse employees, I tried to cater to them,” he said. “I tried to get as authentic meals as I could for lunch. It was fun to try new things. I learned a lot from that stint.”

Nowadays, he offers a wide variety of cooking classes— including basic skills classes that cover things like kitchen safety and knife handling—as well as different cuisine classes including Asian, Italian, German, and Indian fare in two locations: his pop-up shop in Midtown or at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Cou ncil Bluff s.

He attended culinary school at the Arts Institute in Denver, but urged that those interested in culinary careers should focus on getting hands-on experience in restaurants to learn faster.

“If you want to learn Chinese food, you have to work in a Chinese joint. If you want to learn how to make pizza, you have to work in a pizza joint. If I want to get good at cutting onions, I need to sit down and cut 50 pounds of onions. Culinary school isn’t going to give students 50 pounds of onions to cut, but UP will,” Benigno said.

Benigno’s solution for cutting onions without tearing up? “Sharp knife – go fast,” he advised.

Many of Benigno’s students are shocked to discover that they have been doing something incorrectly in the kitchen, whether that’s chopping vegetables or boiling dumplings.

“I absolutely love classes. Watching them learn something new is always fun,” he said.

His two-hour classes start with mise en place.

“We cut all our vegetables, we cut all our produce, we cut all our proteins,” he said. “Everything is staged and ready to go before we cook anything. I start off at the basic, ‘Th is is a cutting board; this is how to safely use a cutting board; this is how to clean a cutting board; this is how to hold a knife; this is the proper way to hold your produce when you’re cutting, this is how we set up our station when we're cutting.’

“The fi rst hour is getting all the knife cuts done, getting all the vegetables for the dish—picking basil, cracked bell pepper, ginger, whatever the recipe calls for. The last hour is the assembly of all the ingredients and showing them how to present it, plating the dish, how to hold a ladle to pour. All those little details that you don’t really think about to make you more efficient in the kitchen because the bottom-line is, I think everybody belongs in the kitchen and my job

is to make you more comfortable so you’re more likely to stay there. Getting you comfortable with a knife, getting you comfortable with making dishes, and not adhering so strictly to recipes.”

He often gets amused watching students in his classes who try to turn the class into a competition—siblings and couples are often the main culprits. “It’s just food,” he said, “Calm down , it’ll be OK!”

Shelley Elson-Roza’s Heirloom Fine Foods

Originally a hedge fund analyst, Shelley Elson-Roza and chef husband Tony returned to Omaha after living in Chicago and realized their mutual love for organic, farmto-table food. Both culinary school graduates, they started teaching classes at various locations around the metro area before Shelley became a private chef.

“We both worked in high-end, fi ne dining kitchens, and a lot of people love to eat and experience gastronomy and love food,” she said. “But it’s almost like the movie, The Menu , where the guy knows a lot about food but is scared to cook it when he gets put on the spot.

“People want to learn to cook without recipes, how to make bread, people want to fall in love with the slower life, to make something with the food they get at the farmer’s market,” Elson-Roza said. “So, we teach cooking classes that bridge the gap between culinary school and the more demonstration-on ly classes.”

They offer two different tracks of cooking classes at their location on 72nd Street:

“We have a meat-focused track and then we have what we call ‘Culinary Adventures’ that are a like a trip to Morocco or a trip to Mexico that teach about the spices used in this cuisine and the staple dishes of that cuisine. So, we have the knife skills, bread making, soup and stock making, and then like the trip to Mexico, a trip France, a trip to Italy-ty pe classes.”

Classes are three hours total between the cooking and the eating and are designed to make students feel as if they’re at a friend’s home, cooking a meal together.

“We’re just helping people slow down and fall in love with being in our kitchen,” she added.

The food used in their cooking classes is organic and sourced locally, when possible. She estimates around half of their recipes are original—the other 50% are authentic but mindful of not appropriating the recipe.

Tony also teaches cocktail classes and “the more masculine cooking stuff, like how to cook a perfect steak,” said Shelley with a laugh. Her favorite class to teach is the Peru class because that’s where she and her husband honeymooned.

Visit cremedelacremeomaha.com, chef-around-theblock.myshopify.com, and heirloomff.com for more information.

Archetype’s Espresso Extraordinaire

Isaiah Sheese Puts Omaha Beans on the Map with World Championship Run

Archetype Coffee in Little Bohemia—from the sharp scent of coffee grounds lingering in the air to the calming din of conversation, every sensory experience seems tailored to the comfort of the customer. The décor, delightfully understated, combines elements of a more traditional café with tasteful splashes of modern architecture. The way these aspects mingle together so perfectly could be dismissed as a happy accident…if the owner and creator of Archetype Coffee was anyone other than Isaiah Sheese.

Having competed in eight national competitions, and placing fourth in this year’s World Barista Championship, Sheese’s relationship with coffee is steeped in passion. This affinity for caffeine can be traced back to his childhood. As Sheese said, “Since I was a kid, I drink a lot of coffee. There's some coffee shops in Tulsa that I would visit from time to time. My first job in a coffee shop was fun, It was a mom and pop shop where we made a drink called 'The Big Train' and they would change the art in there every month.”

Sheese’s origins in the barista world mirrors the sleek but modest arrangement of Archetype’s aesthetic—a man whose humbleness belies an artistic and scientific comprehension of his craft.

“Our parents’ and our grandparents’ coffee was bitter. The sourcing of coffee was terrible, the roasting of coffee was terrible, there wasn't very much science backing any of that up,” he recalled. “And so the problem was the pendulum swung from super dark roast and bitter all the way over to light roast—and there are defects in both of those.

"So on the dark roast side, it's carbon. On the light roast side, it tastes papery. And it's not balanced. Neither of them have sweetness. If something is too acidic, it's not going to have sweetness, and so it wasn't until the last decade where the pendulum is swinging back into that middle ground

where you have a well-developed, wellroasted, well-sourced coffee.”

Many calculations imperative to the coffee industry escape comprehension, or sometimes even regard, by the general public. Explanations by Sheese and Archetype Roaster Jason Burkum pierce the mystique surrounding truly exceptional coffee. Burkum works in a large room at the back of the Little Bohemia location alongside a massive roasting machine. The sheer size of this metal behemoth is contrasted by a comfy workspace on the other side of the chamber. Burkum and Sheese have worked together since Archetype’s inception in 2014, roasting and brewing from a hole-in-the-wall shop in Blackstone.

Burkum spoke about the nature of roasters, and noted, “We're sort of an odd breed of person because you have to be curious and creative, you have to be technical, but you also need the stamina and patience to deal with a lot of repetition. Sometimes for creative people, it's hard to do things the same way every time, because they get bored. But once you find the right road for something, there's no need to keep trying to reinvent the wheel.”

Burkum has competed in numerous events as well, and while his job may be less faceforward and flashy than Sheese’s, it’s no less vital to Archetype’s winning formula. Alongside Burkum’s veritable ‘bean dungeon’ is a room filled wall-to-wall with a staggering variety of appliances and accoutrements. Sheese detailed the numerous displays he used to present his drinks to the judges of the 2023 Barista Championship— depicting colorful scenes of nature adorned with backlights, these drink dioramas are designed to highlight specific aspects of the accompanying beverage.

“Every year, we do try to do something different, something more creative than last year. Anything that's culinary is multisensory, you know? We taste with our eyes and nose before we taste with our mouth,”

Sheese explained. “So the more layered that you can create this experience for these judges, the better that you're going to score. If you can visually get them to make those connections between, say, the flavor of raspberry and the color red, that creates a much more interesting experience.”

Throughout this exposition,the impression that Sheese has maintained a sense of humility throughout his many years of successful competition and business growth becomes apparent.

Regarding placing fourth in the World Barista Competition, Sheese said, “I think what’s interesting about competitions is that there are a lot of amazing baristas that might be better than some of the competitors. They’re doing this job every day, they’re behind the bar every day. Do I think whoever wins the World Barista Championship is the best in the world? They have the title. Are there baristas out there that are potentially even better? I think so. Do I feel like I’m fourth best in the world? I feel like I’m one of the best—I’ve worked hard through every competition while owning a business.

“During my finals presentation I made a mistake. I had to pull another shot of espresso, which is something I don’t think I would have been able to under a time limit if I wasn’t working as a barista on a daily basis.”

Every element of Archetype Coffee, from Sheese’s honed skillset to Burkum’s behindthe-scenes wizardry, down to the choice of interior design, marries technical knowhow with a genuine passion for a craft that’s as intensive as it is refreshing.

To that end, the pair have made Archetype anything but archetypical—but rather, a trendsetter in Omaha’s burgeoning bean scene.

Visit drinkarchetype.com for more information.

Dining Review

Jerico's Keeps the Good Times-and the Generous Helpings-Coming Though 45 Years of Business

OOmaha, Nebraska. A city renowned for its exceptional beef, boasts a national reputation that revolves around stockyard culture. Nebraskans have strong opinions on the matter—not only on the cuts of steak—but also where to enjoy them.

Jerico's Restaurant has remained a Dodge Street staple since 1978, withstanding decades of hurdles in an industry that sees businesses open and close their doors within a 5 year average; it stands as a testament to how restaurants maintain their identity and practices in an industry rife with unpredictability and ever-shifting standards.

Upon entering the familiar old building, the establishment presents a classic steakhouse motif: it’s dimly lit with tables surrounded by deep leather bucket chairs and topped with crisp, white linens. The aroma of fresh bread and the smooth baritone of Dean Martin fill the dining room, completing the ambience. It’s a bit like being an extra in a Brat Pack film or visiting the set of Mad Men.

Jerico’s is where you dine for the classics: prime rib, filet mignon, New York strip, rib eye steak, porterhouse, and sirloin are the stars of the menu.

BeefBourguignon

The same is true of the food. Jerico’s is where you dine for the classics: prime rib, filet mignon, New York strip, rib eye steak, porterhouse, and sirloin are the stars of the menu (all preferably cooked to rare, bloody perfection). Lamb and pork chops and grilled quail, lobster, and shrimp are also on offer. For lighter fare, chicken, cod, and salmon round out the dinner options.

Although limited, the wine list offered suitable selections. Uncomplicated red wines, like a Kendall Jackson cabernet or Rodney Strong pinto noir, provided nice counterpoints to any of the red meats on the menu. Whites like a Benvolio pinot grigio and Brancott sauvignon blanc were suitable whites for chicken and seafood. This isn’t the place you go to for a huge wine cellar; it’s where you dine and expect the right wines to complement your dinner choices. Before dining, don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in an old-school cocktail like a Gold Cadillac, Robert’s Bomber, or

Brandy Alexander—there’s something rather delightful about settling back deep in those bucket seats with a cocktail glass filled with ice and a boozy concoction.

Like the rest of the menu, appetizers veer toward the classics. Our table’s favorites have typically included the breaded portobello mushrooms, lightly seasoned and wonderfully moist; the shrimp cocktail with tangy cocktail sauce; and the in-shell gooey escargot.

One of the hallmark features of any steakhouse experience lies in the precise preparation and presentation of its star attraction: the steak itself.  Prime rib is a Midwest staple and the breakout star on Jerico’s menu. Large and succulent, the medium-rare cut was full of flavor and perfectly representative of legacy steakhouse fare. Baked potatoes always seem like just the right side companion. Nothing quite compliments beef like a fluffy potato smothered in butter and sour cream—plus a little juice from your steak.

This is steakhouse indulgence, after all, so one might as well throw carbs and caution to the wind. As a counterpoint to these heavier selections, the cod was light and flaky, with subtle seasoning and a hint of lemon and butter.

As Omaha becomes increasingly recognized on the national stage for its restaurant nouvelle cuisine and ethnic food offerings, there’s something rather comforting about a legacy restaurant like Jerico’s. Uncomplicated, unfussy, and thoroughly unpretentious, there is a reason the vaunted Dodge Street restaurant is under five years shy of its half century mark. The steakhouse is an Omaha classic and well worth a visit for a taste of meat, potatoes, and yesteryear.

For more information, visit jericosoma

Uncomplicated, unfussy, and thoroughly unpretentious

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, craveable 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.co m

DINING GUIDE Omaha

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 awardwinning 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.com

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

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.co m

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 wood-fired 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

Historical Facts

ROTELLA

Third Generation 1957

Eight year old Louis Rotella Jr. on 24th & Pierce Street in 1957, little did he know at this time that the building in the background would become the second home of Rotella’s Italian Bakery in 1964. At this location his father Louis Sr., and his son Louis Jr. would propel their family owned bakery into the nationwide marketplace in the 1980s. Louis Jr. has been guiding the bakery as Vice President and later as CEO since 1975. Their current modern La Vista facility sits on 44 acres and is now one of the largest custom bakeries in the United States.

Celebrating over 100 Years of Baking Excellence!

Since 1921 rotellasbakery.com

First Place

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.com

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 Best of Omaha’s 20 Years in a Row!

Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. lamesaomaha.co m

ROMEO’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

BARROCO WINE BAR AND CRAFT COCKTAILS - $$

2935 South 108th St. - 402.885.8185

(Next to Christian Nobel Furs)

Barroco Wine Bar and Craft Cocktails is an upscale bar with an authentic European vibe. Choose from over 200 wines by the bottle, 40 wines by the glass, classic craft cocktails, beer, locally sourced pizza, charcuterie, and other light bites to compliment your beverage experience.

—barrocowinebar.com

Omaha

DINING GUIDE

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: MondayWednesday 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

STEAKHOUSES

CASCIO’S - $$

1620 S. 10th St. - 402-345-8313

C ascio’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.

LUNCH: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.,

DINNER: Monday-Friday 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 4:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m.,

LOUNGE: Monday-Friday Cocktails only 2 p.m.-5 p.m. —droverrestaurant.com

explore.

LET’S PLAN A ROAD TRIP!

NEBRASKA

DISNEY'S ALADDIN October 3—8 at Lied Center in Lincoln The classic animated film comes to life in a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy, and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities endless. 402.472.4747. —liedcenter.org

OCT 3-8

HARVEST MOON FALL FESTIVAL October 7 at Dawes County Fairgrounds in Chadron The Harvest Moon Fall Festival packs a ton of family fun into one day-long event. More than 100 vendors, games, and contests will keep the family busy, and for the adults who need a break, the beer garden provides the right refreshments.

—harvestmoonfallfestival.org

BACON & BREWS FOR BOOKS October 14 at Fonner Park in Grand Island Imagination Bacon presents a bacon and brew fest featuring local craft brew and wine samples alongside unique bacon-inspired appetizers. All proceeds will benefit the Heartland United Way Imagination Library Program to ensure all children start kindergarten with a library of their own. 308.382.4400. —visitgrandisland.com

MARISSA MULDER IN “I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN” October 6—8 at Brownville Concert Hall in Brownville Multiple award-winning songstress Marissa Mulder digs deep into the iconic catalogue of John Lennon and Paul McCartney and puts her unique stamp on infectious songs like “Penny Lane” and haunting ballads like “Julia” and “She’s Leaving Home.” 402.825.3331. —brownvilleconcertseries.com

DUSTY’S PUMPKIN FEST AT THE CODY’S October 7—27 at Buffalo Bill State Historical Park in North Platte Located on the beautiful grounds of Buffalo Bill State Historical Park, Dusty’s Pumpkin Fest features many great family activities. Check out the corn cannons, hay slide, wagon rides, horseback riding, petting zoo, bounce house, fire pits, delicious concessions, and more. 308.530.0048. —dustytrailz.biz

TASTE OF COLUMBUS October 8 at Ramada in Columbus This spectacular event is an evening for the Columbus community to come out and experience samples of tasty dishes from local restaurants and food vendors, taste a variety of beverages from wine and craft beer distributors, and participate in the Signature “Royal Auction” all while supporting two community non-profits. 402.564.2769.

—thecolumbuspage.com

ALL HALLOWS’ EVE October 13—14 at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island At Stuhr Museum’s All Hallows’ Eve celebration, guests can stroll along the treat trail to gather goodies from local organizations and businesses. In the Railroad town, guests can stop and listen to ghost stories or grab tasty treats. This is a family-friendly event, and all are encouraged to wear a costume and have a good time. 308.385.5316.

—stuhrmuseum.org

WILLA CATHER 150TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION October 14—15 at Brownville Concert Hall in Brownville This birthday celebration includes a theater adaptation of Cather’s A Resurrection, dinner, and music event with a menu inspired by Cather’s novels, a river cruise on the Spirit of Brownville, and more. 402.825.3331. —brownvilleconcertseries.com

OKTOBERFEST! October 20 at Steinhart Lodge in Nebraska City Nothing says fall quite like Oktoberfest. Enjoy an authentic German meal paired with a German beer while dancing to your favorite German music. A cash bar will be available with additional German beers and other drinks. 402.873.8733. —arbordayfarm.org

DAYTRIPS IN NEBRASKA, IOWA, KANSAS, AND MISSOURI

COMPILED BY Lizzie Diamond

PUTT PUTT FORE PUPPIES October 20 at Adventure Golf Center in Lincoln Capital Humane Society serves the Lincoln community by sheltering homeless pets, advocating for animal welfare, and education for the public about responsible pet care. Putt Putt Fore Puppies will raise funds to help care for homeless animals and help them find their forever homes. —event.golfstatus.com

BOO AT THE ZOO October 26—27 at Lincoln Children’s Zoo in Lincoln Boo at the Zoo is Lincoln’s largest trick-or-treat event. The entire family will love stopping at over 40 trick-or-treat booths to get candy, coupons, and more. All of the money raised during Boo at the Zoo directly supports the Zoo and its animals. 402.475.6741. —lincolnzoo.org

LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND

October

28—29 at Arbor Day Lodge State Historical Park in Nebraska City Living History weekends allow guests to step back in time to see historic trades, talents, and other demonstrations come alive. This weekend is full of Vintage Halloween frivolity as Arbor Day Farm celebrates Halloween history, customs, and games throughout the 52-room mansion. 402.873.7222. —arbordayfarm.org

IOWA

RYAN NORLIN GIANT PUMPKIN

WEIGH-OFF & PUMPKINFEST CELEBRATION October 7 in Downtown

Anamosa Welcome to the Pumpkin Capital of Iowa. Enjoy a true Main Street festival and be a part of the festivities that have drawn thousands to Anamosa since 1989. Some activities include dozens of food and craft vendors, kids’ games, one of the largest parades in all of Iowa and, of course, giant pumpkins. 319.462.4879. —anamosapumpkinfest.com

IOWA STATE FAIR FLEA MARKET

OKTOBERFEST

September 29— October 1 at the Amana Colonies Guest are invited to enjoy beer, live music, games, German food, and so much more all through the colonies. Some festivities include the Official Oktoberfest Keg Tapping Ceremony, performances by the Amana Colonies Folksingers, the Oktoberfest Parade, and a Bratwurst eating contest. The colonies boast a weekend full of polka, smiles, laughter, and rats. 319.622.7622. —amanacolonies.com

October 7—8 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines Once a month from October to December, visitors will find antiques, collectibles, home decor, jewelry, purses, bags, and more at the Iowa State Fair Flea Market in the newly renovated 4-H Exhibits building. New merchandise and vendors are added monthly, and admission is free. 515.262.3111. —iowastatefiargrounds.org

HALLOWEENAPALOOZA October 13—14 at Bridge View Center in Ottumwa The 13th annual Halloweenapalooza (on Friday, the 13th) is Iowa’s premiere horror movie film festival and all things Halloween celebration. Attendees can enjoy celebrity guests, a costume contest, zombie walk, spooky vendors, and much more seasonal fun. —halloweenapalooza.wixsite.com

MISERY October 20—23 at Hope Martin Theatre in Waterloo Based on the novel by Stephen King. What happens when an author’s “number one fan” rescues him from a car crash and takes him to a secluded house to recuperate? What if that “number one fan” has a bone to pick about how their favorite character was treated? Paul Sheldon finds out what happens in this stage adaptation. 319.291.4494. —wcpbhct.org

GHOULISH GALA October 21 at Salisbury House & Gardens in Des Moines

The Ghoulish Gala fundraiser is sure to be an elegant and ghostly affair. Guest can enjoy a variety of wine, beer, hard seltzers, or signature spooky cocktails as they drift through the historic halls discovering exciting entertainment around each twist and turn. 515.274.1777 —salisburyhouse.org

KANSAS

CHEAP TRICK October 5 at Stiefel Theatre in Salina Cheap Trick are an indisputable American institution, beloved around the globe since 1974 for their instantly identifiable, hugely influential brand of pop rock’n’ roll. The band are true pioneers with an unparalleled streak of certifiably classic tunes. 785.827.1998. —stielfeltheatre.org

PIONEER HARVEST FIESTA

2023 October 6—8 at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Fort Scott Visitors are invited to experience educational and historic exhibits, refreshments, and live musical entertainment all weekend. All three days are alive with steam engines, blacksmiths, food and flea market vendors, agricultural demonstrations, and many other fall activities. —pioneerharvestfiesta.com

WILD ABOUT CRAFTS: SIPS & SELL

CRAFT FAIR October 7 at Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina This event will have a wide variety of vendors with a multitude of handmade items for sale, along with commercial vendors. There will be food trucks, a cash bar, and wine slushies on site for the event. 785.827.9488. —rollinghillszoo.org

OZFEST October 14 at Dorothy’s House and The Land of Oz in Liberal Liberal, the official home of Dorothy Gale, celebrates The Wizard of Oz all year long, but it really gears up in October during OzFest. The festival celebrating the anniversary of the movie will include live entertainment, games, costume contests, food, and fun. 620.624.7624 —dorothyshouse.com

FINAL FRIDAYS October 27 at Lawrence Art Center in Lawrence On the final Friday of every month, the streets of Downtown Lawrence, the Warehouse District, and random places city wide come alive with a range of arts and culture events. Final Fridays include activities for kids, exhibitions designed to challenge adults, music, dance, and theater for all ages. 785.856.3040 —explorelwarence.com

MISSOURI

LIBERTY DAYS 2023 October 6—7 at Stars and Stripes National Museum/Library in Bloomfield Visitors can step back in time and experiences history come to life with a living history timeline adventure. Re-enactors and living historians will embark on a journey from the Revolutionary War to the modern era. There will be food trucks on site to keep everyone fueled up for the day. 573.568.2055.

—nssmil.org

KANAS CITY BALLET’S JEKYLL

& HYDE October 13—22 at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City Witness the psychological torment and self-destruction of Henry Jekyll, a morally upright and well-mannered doctor, as he struggles against the vile urges of his alter ego Edward Hyde in Victorian England. This North American Premiere of Val Caniparoli’s newest ballet focuses on the eternal struggle of good versus evil as it plays out within one man. 816.931.8993.

—kcballet.org

WITCHES & WINE 2023 October 19 in downtown Hermann This ladies-only, 21-and-over event in downtown Hermann is the spookiest way for ghoulfriends to go out on the town. The event will feature wine, food, dancing, shopping from vendor sand local shops, a costume contest, karaoke, and more. 573.789.0771

—visitherman.com

47TH ANNUAL HANNIBAL FOLKLIFE

FESTIVAL October 21—22 in Historic Downtown Hannibal The Hannibal Folklife Festival was created to educate and celebrate Hannibal’s rich history by showcasing traditional craftsmen, artists, food, music, and performers in the period setting and architecture of Hannibal’s Historic North Main Street. 573.221.6545. —hannibalarts.com/folklife

Photo by Travel South Dakota

HALLOWEEN HAUNT Through October 28 at World of Fun in Kansas City As darkness falls, fear rises when the Overlord calls his army to transform the park into Halloween haunt. This Halloween event allows park guests to experience the thrills of their favorite rides and the chills of extreme haunted attractions as they navigate the fog-filled midways where over 400 monsters lurk to feed off their screams. 816.454.4545. —worldsoffun.com

SOUTH DAKOTA

SIOUX FALLS NATIVE AMERICAN DAY PARADE October 9 at 13th

St. and Phillips Ave. in Sioux Falls

The Sioux Falls Native American Day Parade and celebrations provide hope in continued healthy dialogue on conversations surrounding the well-being of Native Americans and the Sioux Falls community through truth, reconciliation, and self-representation. —travelsouthdakota.com/ sioux-falls/events

ZOOBOO October 27—29 Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls The Great Plains Zoo will thrill kids and adults alike with their Halloween extravaganza. Visitors will enjoy exploration of the entire zoo, trick-or-treating, hundreds of painted and carved pumpkins, and the Creepy Carousel or Trickor-Treat Train. 605.367.7003. —greatzoo.org

Oct. 27-29

OUR FARM, SD Through October 31 in Parker Our Farm is a new Pick Your Own Pumpkin Patch with a corn maze, petting zoo and several other fall favorites. Kids can play around all weekend on their multiple slides, zip lines, and bounce house. Concessions are available on-site for the perfect fall day. 605.310.1962. —ourfarmsd.wixsite.com

YANKTON’S HARVEST HALLOWEEN

October 28 in downtown Yankton

Guests can have a spooky good time along Walnut Street and in the Meridian District in downtown Yankton at the annual Harvest Halloween. They can enjoy fall and Halloween-themed games, activities, vendors, trick-or-treating, an art market, bands, dances, and more. —harvesthalloween.com

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

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Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters was exactly right when he wrote, “We don’t need no education.” Thus, implying with that famous double negative that it’s “no education” that we “don’t need,” or therefore “We need education.” Then, unfortunately, the lyric goes on to say in similar fashion—via another double negative—that, in fact, “We need thought control.”

This proves the importance of education. If you are not educated you might have trouble being understood. That is, your meaning might get garbled. We cannot know for sure if Roger Waters doesn’t not regret not being taught about double negatives in grammar school. But he probably does not never think about that gap in his education.

Knowledge sets you free. As Frank Herbert said in Dune, “Fear is the mind killer.” He was right. And all fear is based on the unknown. What we don’t know scares us. I read all the Dune novels back when they came out. I have re-read all of them multiple times over the years and now, I no longer fear giant sand worms—the Shai-Hulud—or time bending messiahs known as Kwisatz Haderachs. Why not? Well, Frank’s books educated me about both. I even have recently gained updated knowledge of the upcoming release of Dune: Part Two in theaters next spring…or summer…or who knows when… Oh hell, because of the actor’s strike I’m afraid it may never come out.

So, anyway…on the top of my schedule for tomorrow is “Root Canal.” Normally that would be frightening, but all I have to do is Google it and thus, by learning about the procedure—by understanding the ins and outs, the particulars of the operation—I can relax, secure that the professionals trained to delve so deeply into enamel, gum, and bone, with sharp steel, whirring drill bits, and medieval shaped probes are guided by science, skill, and knowledge of the barbarous task at hand. All will be well.

Of course, you have to be careful when Googling because a simple typo can be the difference between “Root Canal” and “Boot Canal.” One clumsy keystroke and you end up reading about a man stabbed 28 times before escaping from the “boot” of a car pushed into a “canal” near the site of the Battle of the Boyne in County Meath, Ireland. This does not lead to a calm state of mind. On the contrary, it leads to increased stress regarding parades celebrating William of Orange, and what might happen to me anytime I open the trunk of my car.

As we all know once your Google has gone off course, there’s no telling where you may end up. It turns out that the attempted murder of the man in the “boot” tossed into the “canal” was near the town of Slane. And the early name of that crimeridden little town was “Ferta Fear Fiac” meaning “the Graves of the Men of Fiac” and it appears to have taken its modern name of Slane from “Slanus,” a King of the legendary Fir Bolg, who is believed to be buried on Hill of Slane. Knowledge is so important. Someday this little snippet about the “Men of Fiac” will come in handy at a cocktail party.

Is there any such thing as a “cocktail party” anymore? I’ll have to Google that…carefully. Meanwhile, knowing that tomorrow’s root canal is scheduled for my wife and I am only driving her there and back—that makes a big difference. Dental work is my mind killer.

I don’t need no root canal.

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