Newsletter
Local Writing
This is writing from local Omahans. It’s what they’re passionate about, and passion can be pretty infectious. We don’t want to get anyone sick here, but if you read a little, you might catch the bug, too. This is writing that will get off the couch and lead you on a Nebraska day trip. It will steer you away from fast food toward cheap, tasty, locally grown alternatives. From helping you to decide what movie to see on a Saturday night downtown, to helping you find a job on a Monday in midtown, this is Omaha: the stories, the people, the place.
Join the conversation with your comments. Or catch the bug and contact us about writing your own articles.
Recently Published
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Teens Reaping More Than They Sow We live in a city with ample farmers markets, yet none is as unique as the Teen Market Garden. A special program of the Gifford Park Community Garden, the Market teaches teens more than how to farm—they learn how to market a profitable business. At 15. |
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Facebook Prompts About-Face From Omaha World-Herald When an engaged lesbian couple were barred from appearing in the Omaha World-Herald's "Celebrations" section, the outpouring of support through Facebook was strong enough to prompt a reaction from the OWH. We interviewed Kristin Wilke to hear her side. |
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Footbridge Phobia Not (Very) Funny The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is many things: a date spot, an icon for the city, a passageway between Omaha and Council Bluffs. However, for one woman, the bridge is more: it's an irrational source of fear. Will Vicky overcome her footbridge phobia? |
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MarbleSpark Launches Project OpenBook MarbleSpark is an Omaha book publisher specializing in custom-made children's books of amazing quality and originality. Together with local artists, they've launched a new charity, Project OpenBook. Ann interviewed founder Phil Haussler to learn more. |
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An Interview with Omaha Entrepreneurs SponsorPark SponsorPark is a new Omaha based website that brings together sponsors with sponsees. We spoke with co-found Emily Taylor about how her company helps streamline the complex process of matching advertising dollars with the right sponsorship opportunities. |
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loom Weaves Omaha Loom: a hand-operated or power-driven apparatus for weaving fabrics. Or loom: one of Omaha's most respected dance parties. With the recent White Party, and the upcoming loom Weaves the Joslyn Sculpture Garden, we talked with loom's DJ Brent Crampton. |
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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of My Summer Reading People remember school summer reading lists differently: they were either the highlight of the summer or homework getting in the way of pool time. Now, as adults, we still read—the classics and the moderns—and we deal with the guilt of not reading more. |
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All Young Girls Are Machine Guns? That's What She Said Midwest Dilemma and Kyle Harvey will join All Young Girls Are Machine Guns for the Secret Attic Recordings CD Release Party. And this has almost nothing to do with the interview that follows. Silly questions, silly answers: local musicians. |
Regular Columns
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According to Right Brain Ann Troe is a local graphic designer and illustrator. Each month she will draw you into her world with light humor and a little ‘food for thought’. Her focus is to share what is going on in her life and connect with you! This isn’t just a one way street. Leave your comments, suggestions, and stories to share with Ann. Two (three, four…) heads are better than one! |
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All Cracked Up All Cracked Up is about the humorous side of life, as seen through the eyes of wife, mother, and woman Vicky DeCoster. Each month, mixing wit and compassion, Vicky will find what’s funny about life in Omaha. Something cracking you up? Write to Vicky here. |
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Art from the Heart Each month, writer Christa Hillmer will bring you the latest in Omaha’s arts and culture scene. Her column will feature local art and artists, as well as upcoming arts opportunities for the public. Have a suggestion for something Christa should cover? Write to her here. |
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Between Mind and Body Join me/Jara each month as I/she navigates through the space between mind and body. We are passionate and emotional people and sometimes that means that we’re irrational, but at the root of ourselves, we are searching for a way to balance ourselves in this crazy world. From tips on how to get the best produce in Omaha to exercise recommendations, I/Jara will share little health tips that I have/she’s learned along the way. |
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Bookworm with a View Mari Partyka is an avid bibliophile and accidental blogger. While managing an Omaha book club, she wrote a master lists of her favorite reads. Her annotations proved popular, and a blogger was born. Each month she will write about books, authors, and the literary community in Omaha. Her focus is to help fellow readers find thought (and discussion) provoking works of literature, both for private and public enjoyment. Want to know what book she has her nose buried in now? Ask her! |
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Come As You Are From a very young age, Omaha’s (self-professed) “divebar critic”, Steve Gates has never enjoyed getting dressed-up to hit the town. Not to say he doesn’t like nice places, he just hates the ones that seem overly stuffy and pretentious. His monthly column Come As You Are seeks out to find some of the best inexpensive out-of-the-way places in Omaha to eat, drink and be merry while still being treated like a million dollars…even if it looks like you just rolled out of bed. |
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Daytripper Each month, Jordy Clements, a head writer for Omaha.net, will write about the many great day trips available to residents and visitors of Omaha. The premise is simply to find fun, inexpensive entertainment that can be reached from Omaha in no more than a few hours. Have a suggestion for something that Jordy should cover? Write to him here. |
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Geeking Out LeAnn Tiede concocts a little bit science, a little bit fantasy and horror and a whole lot of sci-fi. If you can imagine it showing up on Big Bang Theory, it might just be here. |
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Lit and Life Lisa Sheppard writes each month about books and all things book related—authors, publishers, events and Omaha’s literary community. Lisa is a book blogger and member of several book clubs. |
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Mompreneur Maven Paula Dodds is an Omaha-area work-at-home mom with three wonderful daughters and a very patient husband. Paula runs her household and her business, P.S. Dodds. She’ll be sharing tips, tricks and stories of mompreneurs. Know a local mompreneur? Have a question for Paula? Leave her a message here. |
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Nature Boy Each month writer and conservationist Jeff Randall will bring you the eco-happenings from Omaha and the surrounding area. He’ll be providing ways to preserve and enjoy Nebraska’s great outdoors. Have a topic for Jeff to cover? Leave a message for him here. |
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Pug Life Jess Kamish is the president of Pug Partners of Nebraska, a non-profit that helps pugs in need. Each month, she’ll be drawing inspiration from her two pugs, Rocky and Lily, as she writes about issues related to dog care, rescue, and the uniquely endearing pug breed. A recent Bellevue University grad, Jess is Omaha.net’s first intern, and loves to hear about pet related stories and photos. |
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The Accidental Theist Each month, Beth Katz, an interfaith junkie and self-proclaimed spiritual dork, will explore issues connected to faith, religion, culture, interfaith relations, and everything in between. She’ll draw on her experiences as head of the Omaha-based Project Interfaith, but wants to hear how these issues affect YOU. Drop her a line. |
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The Career Coach Vickie Seitner writes each month about employment related issues. She brings over 15 years of executive management experience to her column, in addition to 10 years in the stock brokerage industry, and five years in the not-for-profit sector. She is the CEO of Career Edge One, a career counseling firm, and holds a Master of Science degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. Have a question you think she can answer? Write to her here. |
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The Dark Stuff Dave Splash is a music junkie, but not in the Iggy Pop/Keith Richards sense. It’s just that music is what he likes, what he knows, and, most importantly, what he writes about. Dave will be covering the music scene in Omaha, from the national acts that put the city on the map, to whatever small band is the Next Great Hope. A former record label owner (think Puff Daddy, only bigger), he appears Sunday nights at 9pm on 89.7’s New Day Rising show. Didn’t like that band he loved? Tell him about it. |
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The Wuzzy Chronicles Shawn Finch is a small animal veterinarian. She works at Banfield, The Pet Hospital of Papillion. Her family pets include Ebony the Lab Mix, Joy the Puppy, Noodle the Poodle, Max the Cat, Piggy the guinea pig, Princess Gerbil and Fuzzy and Wuzzy Rats. |
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What's Fresh? Want to learn about local resources for the foods you want to eat? Or maybe to gain some insight into what the “eat local” and “real foods” movements are all about? Each month, Christy Pooschke will give you the inside scoop on what’s happening with fresh foods in Omaha and the surrounding area (she’ll even toss in a recipe from time to time!). Have a suggestion for something Christy should cover? Write to her here. |
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Your Workplace Your Workplace is an informative monthly column about issues facing employees and their employers in the Omaha Community. As an experienced human resources executive, Kathleen Nicolini will discuss topics that employers and employees are facing and offer suggestions on how they can work together to be successful. As CEO of Favor Consulting LLC, she brings over 24 years of experience in all facets of human resources. Have a question you think she could answer? Write to her here. |
