YOUR
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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 35 | AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3 | 2019 ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY
FINANCE
Improved W-4 for 2020
REVIEWS
The Smashing Pumpkins
ENERGY
Solar Opportunities
HEALTH
HPV Prevention
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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THE ARTS
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BENSON
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FAMILY
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EVENTS
FOCUS ON THIS WEEK!
ON TEN
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FINANCE
Treasury and IRS Issue Improved Form W-4 for 2020 to Simplify Filing and Increase Transparency By Michael Herek Sponsored By Blue Capitol Wealth
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RENEWABLE ENERGY
Local Opportunities for Renewable Energy By Michael Shonka, Solar Heat and Electric
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REVIEWS
The Smashing Pumpkins, “Shiny And Oh So Bright, Volume 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.” By Tatiana Ballinger
This week’s top ten events you don’t want to miss! By Focus Omaha
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THIS WEEKS FEATURE
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REAL ESTATE
Existing-Home Sales Climb 2.5% in July By Eric Cano
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HEALTH
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COUNCIL BLUFFS
An Estimated 92% of Cancers Caused by HPV Could be Prevented by Vaccine By Focus Omaha
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HAPPY HOUR
We gathered up some of the BEST Happy Hour spots in and around the Omaha metro! Focus is your FREE Arts, Entertainment, Health, Personal Finance, & Music Newsweekly. We’ve brought all of these elements together for the first time, all in one weekly format. Our goal is to provide you, the customer, with the best possible publication to suit all of your needs.
Focus 7914 W Dodge Rd. # 413 Omaha, NE 68114 (402) 208-6545 focusomaha@gmail.com www.focusomaha.com
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THRU SEPTEMBER 1 TYRANNOSAURS: MEET THE FAMILY THE DURHAM MUSEUM 801 S 10TH ST, OMAHA MUSEUM HOURS Mon: 10AM-5PM Tue: 10AM-8PM Wed-Sat: 10AM-5PM Sun: 1-5PM What has 60 razor-sharp teeth, bone-crushing jaws, lived 68 million years ago and will soon be leaving The Durham Museum ? Tyrannosaurus rex…arguably the world’s most popular dinosaur! Be sure to get there before it’s to late! ----------------------------------------------------WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 7p - 9p ART ON THE ROCKS: EXPLORE FIGURE PAINTING WITH STEPHEN KAVANAUGH THE B SIDE OF BENSON THEATRE 6058 MAPLE STREET OMAHA Join us for Art on the Rocks, a monthly workshop hosted by local artists that explores the creative process!
Room Festival food and drink, including on-site tents and nearby restaurants Giant games, hosted by The Afternoon and Spielbound, including giant chess, Connect 4, Jenga, Settlers of Catan, Bag Toss and Yard Pong Live music and entertainment, provided by Blues Ed and Omaha Circus Arts And more! ----------------------------------------------------MIDTOWN CAR SHOW PRESENTED BY RAY’S ORIGINAL BUFFALO WINGS TURNER PARK IN MIDTOWN CROSSING A classic show & shine event, featuring the area’s finest in collector and one-of-a-kind rides.
boards, candles, various resin art, coral sculptures, greeting cards and more! I’ll be packed with so many types of art and it’s all affordable. And free brownies! ----------------------------------------------------BFF’S YOUTH ENGAGEMENT TEAM IN COLLABORATION WITH TED & WALLY’S ICE CREAM - PRESENT: 2019 YOUTH PUBLIC ART PROJECT BFF invites all Omaha-area high school Juniors and Seniors to apply for a chance to install one of two public art pieces on the west side of Ted & Wally’s in Benson!
Chosen artists will receive an artist stipend of $100 after the completion of the project - Installed pieces will be publicly displayed on the west-side of Ted & Wally’s in Benson for one (1) calendar year Requirements: - Must be an enrolled Omaha-area High School Junior or Senior - Must submit (up to) two designs before September 3rd - Chosen artists must be available to install public art pieces before October 4th
Specifics: - Open call for original design submissions APPLY ONLINE AT http://www.bffomaha.org/public-art.html August 2nd - September 3rd, 2019 - Designs should be scaled to fit a 30” x 82” ----------------------------------------------------space Sunday, September 1 - Winners will be announced on or before 10am-2pm September 9th, 2019 Turner Park at Midtown Crossing Free & open to the public; family-friendly; - Chosen artists will work directly with BFF Youth Engagement team to install dog-friendly pieces - Public art grand reveal and reception Learn the proportions of the human body For Car Owners and drawing techniques using technical Vintage cars and trucks to project cars, hot scheduled for October 4th, 2019 and organic drawing techniques, while rods, and motorcycles – all are welcome. drawing from a live, nude model! All ability There is no cost to show a car. Simply levels are welcome! Drawing materials check in upon arrival at the Registration will be provided and bringing your own Tent near Thirst Tea Café. Questions? supplies is encouraged. Full bar and drink Contact Tom Johnson, Midtown Car Show specials available. Ages 18+ coordinator, at carshomaha@gmail.com. $7 at door // $5 pre-sale // includes instruction and drawing materials ----------------------------------------------------FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 TURNER PARK NIGHT MARKET An eclectic mash-up of trendy vendors, food and entertainment!
For Attendees Looking for things to do this weekend? Enjoy a stroll around Turner Park, while taking in some sweet rides! Make plans to enjoy brunch or an afternoon drink on the patio at your favorite Midtown Crossing restaurant while you’re here. Click here for a complete listing of dining options 6PM to 10PM available – just steps from the Midtown Turner Park Car Show! Free & open to the public; family-friendly; ----------------------------------------------------dog-friendly SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 10A BENCH GRAND OPENING! Join us for an eclectic mash-up of trendy 1441 N 11TH ST, OMAHA vendors, food & entertainment. The Oma- There will be It’s a big day!!!! It’s grand ha Farmers Market and Midtown Crossing opening day! It’s Bench open house day! are again joining forces to present the It’s hutchfest day! It’s brownie day! Look, 2019 Turner Park Night Market! there’s A LOT going on that day in the North Makerhood. I’m so honored to be Night Market offers a night-time pop-up showcased with so many amazing makers. festival with a host of energetic activiI’ve got the amazing guys at the Brownie ties, attractions and vendors. Highlights Bar sponsoring my snacks! There will include: be three brownies and two toppings to sample. While supplies last so really it’s Marketplace, with more than 40 vendors best to be early and get to me first . I’ll offering handmade and up-cycled items. have paintings, repurposed vinyl records, Cocktail Patio, hosted by The Empire magnets, paperweights, table trays, cheese
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Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35
Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35 5
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 6p ROCK & GLOW IMMAUNUEL , 6901 N 72ND ST.Hot Air Balloon Glow & live music - with the Clockstoppers!
Labor Day Parade – Monday – 10a ADMISSION PRICES Admission is $7.00 per person, per day. *Children under 5 admitted FREE! Parade is FREE to attend!
Lawn chairs & picnic baskets welcome! Bring the whole family and enjoy an evening listening to live music and seeing the balloons.
MusicFest in the Entertainment Tent FREE Concerts with $7.00 Admission We have a great line up of musical talent this year! Check out the schedule and artists below… Balloon glow will happen at sunset. Saturday, August 31st: (Balloons are not launched but will be glowing) 6pm to 7:15pm – Moneymakers In case of inclement weather, event will 7:30pm to 8:45pm – The Ozzbournes be cancelled, check CHI Health Immanuel 9pm to 10:15pm – Sinners & Saints Facebook Page 10:30pm to Midnight – Ecstatic ----------------------------------------------------- Monday, September 2nd: FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 12p THRU 1:30pm to 3:00pm – Grunge Pop MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 3:15pm to 4:30pm – 3 & Out SEPTEMBERFEST OMAHA 4:45 PM to 6:00 PM – Tragic Kingdom CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA 6:15 PM to 7:30 PM – Topspin 455 N 10TH ST, OMAHA 7:45 PM TO 9:00 PM – Knight & Daze Family fun with lots of activities. Everyone is welcome to come celebrate labor with KIDDIE KINGDOM the SeptemberFest family. The Balloon Brigade will be providing hours of family entertainment with acts SeptemberFest – A Salute To Labor by: Since 1977 SeptemberFest has offered Comedy Juggler & Magician Joey Fratelli: four days of entertainment, educational Danger, comedy, juggling and audience and artistic displays, a carnival and participation, Joey Fratelli performs a high Omaha’s largest parade. The festival energy and skillful show that is fun for all runs for 4 days, ending on the Labor Day ages! See Joey on Saturday and Sunday at weekend. 2P, 4P, and 5P.
Spiderman: Spider-Man will be swinging by SeptemberFest this year on Sunday, Sept. 1, from 1p to 8p Robot Rangers: Maximus G & Royale: Robot Rangers will be patrolling the site: Sept. 1 and Sept 2., 2p to 2:45p, 3:45p to 4:30p, 5:30p to 6:15p and 7:15p. to 8p. Then on Monday, Sept. 3rd from 1p to 1:45p, 2:30p to 3:15p, 4:15p to 5p and 6p to 6:45p.
Musical Kids: “Musical Kids” is a group of kids ages 8 – 12 who are accomplished musicians and performers. They’ve been playing together for over 3 years. You will hear anything from acoustic guitars to cellos. 100 % kids. 100% live! They will be performing in the Kiddie Kingdom from 3p to 3:35p on Saturday, Aug. 31st. ----------------------------------------------------FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 LA FESTA ITALIANA OMAHA IL PALAZZO OMAHA, 6p 5110 N 132ND ST, OMAHA 35th Anniversary Labor Day Weekend! DANCE UNDER THE STARS! Amazing food, entertainment and plenty of activities for the kids! ADMISSION: $5.50 AdvTickets available at Hy Vee The annual Salute to Labor has something Strolling Magic of Jered the Incredible: $7.00 Admission at the door for the entire family, from the musical acts The strolling magic of Jered the Incredible Children under 12 free with adult in the Beer Garden, to plenty of is a presentation that you will never forentertainment for children in the Kiddie get! See Jered the Incredible on Saturday Friday, August 30th 6p-11p Kingdom, to a giant carnival midway for and Sunday from 3P to 6P, and on Monday The 70’s Band the entire family. SeptemberFest also from 2P to 5P. Saturday, August 31st 5p-11p includes arts & crafts, food, and a number Stilt-walking by Peter: The Brits of new special attractions each year. Sunday, September 1 Noon-11p Get your cameras ready for Stilt-walking Taxi Driver The event draws visitors from a five-state by Peter! ----------------------------------------------------area including Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, See Stilt-walking by Peter on Saturday FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 Missouri and South Dakota. The variety and Monday at 3P, 4P and 5P. SHEVY’S 10-YR ANNIVERSARY BASH of SeptemberFest programming attracts W/ LEMON FRESH DAY people of all ages and interests to make a Martika Variety Entertainer: 2607 N MAIN ST., ELKHORN weekend bus or auto tour to Omaha reYou won’t want to miss this talented 10 years ago.... volving around the celebration. Proceeds entertainer! - “I Gotta Feeling” by Black-Eyed Peas was from SeptemberFest fund a number of Saturday and Sunday at 2:30P, 5:30P and the #1 song in America community improvement projects, and 7P. Monday at 1P, 2:30P and 5P. - The Pittsburgh Steelers were the reignthe event has been honored with a numing Super Bowl Champions Omaha Wild Clowndum: ber of awards. The side-splitting, heart-warming, fun-lov- - “Avatar” was the highest grossing movie HOURS OF SEPTEMBERFEST 2019: ing Omaha Wild Clowndum will be joining - And little Shevy’s Bar & Grill In Elkhorn was opening it’s doors for the first time! Friday, August 30th – 5p to Midnight us again this year! Come stop by for free Fast forward 10 years and oh what a ride Saturday, August 31st – Noon to Midnight face painting, jokes, and fun games! it has been!?! A lot of blood, sweat and Sunday, September 1st – Noon to Midnight Friday, Aug 30th, from 5p to 9p. tears have been shed in this place. Also Monday, September 2nd – Noon to MidOn Saturday, Sunday and Monday they’ll a lot of Jager, Red Stag and Grape Apes night be clowning around from Noon to 8p.
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Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35
have been consumed. Would have loved every single person that has supported us over these 10 fantastic years (well except one, you know who you are!) ----------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 11a-3p HELP CELEBRATE 60 YEARS WITH JUST GOOD MEAT 4422 SOUTH 84TH STREET, OMAHA Visit there facebook page to enter or stop in to have a chance to win drawings for steak and raffle giveaways from August 30, 2019 through September 1, 2019 (one registration required per person and do not need to be present to win.) Drawings will be announced on facebook and via registration email for confirmation winners at about 10am on Tuesday, September 3, 2019. Stop in on Saturday, August 31, 2019 from 11am-3p for Free Brats (one per person as quantiies last). https://www.facebook.com/Just-GoodMeat-327093566384/ ----------------------------------------------------SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 10a-5p HUTCHFEST 2019 HUTCH, 3220 FARNAM ST, OMAHA Attention all fun hav’n heathens ~ join us for hutchfest SUNDAY FUNDAY 2019 in North Downtown Omaha! - Shop 250+ handmade artisans & vintage dealers from across the Midwest -Munch on street-style brunch fare from Omaha Foodie favorites like Block 16, Saddle Creek Breakfast Club, Via Farina, Gravy Train, Heartland Coffee & Nosh, Coneflower and 10 food trucks! - Sip on gourmet brunch cocktails or have a pint of locally crafted beer by Vis Major! - Play the day away in our oversized lawngames park, featuring Connect 4, Jenga, Bags, Bumper-Ball & Virtual Reality! - Jam out to live, local music performances curated by Maha Music Festival! It’s going to be a very fun day in the sun...so come out, slap FOMO in the face, let your hair down and get your fun did at hutchfest 2019! Visit www.hutchfest.co, or @hutchfestomaha on Instagram for more details! Family events continued from page 7
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 10a SEMPTEMBERFEST LABOR DAY PARADE 2019 DOWNTOWN OMAHA 2019 Grand Marshall: Terance “Bud” Crawford WBO Welterweight Champion of the World The SeptemberFest parade starts at 16th and Cass Streets, travels south on 16th Street to Capitol Avenue, continues east on Capitol to 10th Street and concludes by proceeding north on 10th Street to Mike Fahey street. The two hour parade goes on rain or shine. There will be flag carrying honor guards, marching bands, labor unions, businesses, floats, animals, horses, clowns and roaming artists. More than 80 units will participate with approximately 3,550 walkers. There will be five gigantic balloons at the same quality and scale as the Macy’s parade. Dozens of labor volunteers arrive at 6 a.m. to fill the balloons and guide the balloons along parade route. These gigantic balloons
Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35 7
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28
THURSDAY AUGUST 29
FRIDAY AUGUST 30
Feel Good Fridays w/ Tyi Hakeem The Omaha Lounge, 8:30p
2019 Summer 2019 Special Exhibitions at Joslyn Art Museum, 10a
Max Frost (Acoustic Performance) Homer’s Music & Gifts , 4p
Indulge: Friday Nights Champagne Bar, 5p
Aaron Bressman Acoustic Wednesdays Jams Legacy, 5:30p
The Hug & Unplug Acoustic Happy Hour Jam, The Down Under Lounge, 4p
Razorwire Halo with From the Arc, Fallen Reign & Low D American Dream / Hangout, 9p
Septemberfest Omaha CHI Health Center Parking Lot, 5p
Undisco Kids, Harney Street Tavern, 9p
Fun Run/Ride Kros Strain Brewery in La Vista, 5:30p
Mississippi Heat featuring Lurrie Bell Chrome Lounge, 5:30p
Jessica Errett The Cove Lounge and Grille, 5p
Polka Police bust the Mug Club Huber Haus German Bier Hall, 6p
Hot Air Balloon Glow & live music - free event, CHI Health Immanuel, 6p
Summer Series ft. Nic Hermsen Travel Design Lounge, 5p
Yoga for Beginners Lauritzen Gardens/Kenefick Park, 6p
Throttle Thursday, Dillon Brothers, 6p
Scott Moyer Band, The B. Bar, 5:30p
La Festa Italiana Omaha, il Palazzo, 6p
FREE Dance Class for Kids Omaha School of Music and Dance, 6p
La Festa Italiana Omaha, il Palazzo, 6p
Nate Bray, Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 6p
Open Acoustic Jam , Vino Mas, 6p
Sweet Tea Music, The Dam Bar, 6p
Dixieland Jam Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 6p
Open Life Drawing at Calli Commons, 6p The Persuaders, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p Bike Night at the American Dream/Hangout, 7p Buddy Guy & Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Ralston Arena, 7p
Jason Hinze, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p
Gideon, Lookout Lounge, 6p Chad Lee Duo, Surfside Club, 6p
The Ocean | Performance by Chris Duncan Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts , 7p Angie Mae Solo at The B Bar, 6p Last Minute Band, Dr Jack’s Drinkery, 7p The Ries Brothers Live, The Well, 7p
Fridays are Bomb Night! The New Frontier Bar, 6p
Héctor Anchondo Band, Havana Garage, 9p Friday Night Karaoke, Moe and Curly’s, 9p Red Delicious Red Delicious Ozone Lounge, 9p Release: A Pearl Jam Experience The Waiting Room, 9p Autumn Nights, Bar 415, 9:30p Dicey Riley, Dubliner Pub, 9:30p Daniel & the Deliverance The Down Under Lounge, 9:30p DJ Travis Howe Parliament Pub Downtown, 10p DJ Devon Dupree Parliament Pub West, 10p
Hovvdy & Lomelda, Reverb Lounge, 8p
Bozak and Morrissey Bogie’s Bar & Grill - West, 6:30p
Sailing in Soup, Tavern on Q, 7p
The Milk Carton Kids w/ Vera Sola Slowdown, 8p
Shadow Ridge American Legion Post #1, 7p
Bike Night, Therapy Bar, 7p
Trivia, The Cove Lounge and Grille, 8p
PWP Battle of the Phoenix 2019 The Waitng Room, 7p
Max Frost at The Waiting Room, 8p
The Power Strangers w/ Fat Nap Dr Jack’s Drinkery, 7p
Village Pointe Farmer’s Market, 8:30a
Rat Pack Jazz, Rockbrook Village, 7p
Florence Mill’s Farmer’s Market 9102 N 30th Street, 10a
Ladies Night, Rednecks, 7p
José González w/ Bedouine Slowdown, 7:30p Soul Tree Duo, The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p The Vibrators / Some Kind of Nightmare / Tiananman Squares, brothers lounge, 8p Introduction to Swing Dancing at Fraternal Order of Eagles, 8p The Penske File, Red Cities, The Borstal Boys, Lookout Lounge, 8p Comedy OPEN MIC The Barley Street, 9p
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Sherri MC, The Omaha Lounge, 8:30p Latin Night, Rehab Lounge & Nightclub, 9p The Zooeys, The Matriarchs & Sadie Sanner, Barley Street tavern, 9p Magick K Acoustic, Harney Street, 9p Chris Shelton, Dubliner Pub, 9:30p Hardcore Happiness Standup Backline Comedy Theatre, 9:30p
Save the Hero, Therapy Bar, 7p
Omaha Farmers Market - Old Market, 8a
Kid Zombi, Wired Pub, 7p
Septemberfest Omaha CHI Health Center Parking Lot, 12p
Hayseed Cowboys Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie, 7:30p
Bring Your Own Vinyl Afternoon at the Down Under Lounge, 3p
MUSTARDVISION Vol. 3, Slowdown, 8p
La Festa Italiana Omaha, il Palazzo, 5p
Tom Rhodes, Funny Bone Omaha, 7:30p,
Tim Javorksy and The Jazz Carte Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 6p
Linoma Mashers, Mars Bar and Grill, 8p
Logan Corbino w/ Scott Severin & Wovenhand, Reverb Lounge, 8p Jerm Boor, The Down Under Lounge, 9:30p Pineapple Karaoke Queer Nite at the Sydney, 10p Twisted Post Bar and Grill, 8p
Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35
SATURDAY AUGUST 31
Tom Rhodes, Funny Bone Omaha, 7p Homers Past Employees Reunion! DJ Sets By all Homers Employees! The Sydney, 7p
John Worsham, Vino Mas, 7p Josh Powell at Infusion Brewing Co Infusion Brewing Company Southwest, 8p 24 Hour Cardlock, Pink Flamingos and Jeremy Mercy, Barley Street Tavern, 8p Aorta HipHop Presents: Young Giants Lookout Lounge, 8p Labor Day Masquerade R&B Edition Love’s Jazz & Art, 8p 9 Mag’s Ryan Henry’s All White Party at Karma Nightclub, 8p
Midtown Crossing Car Show Turner Park, 10a Garden Yoga Joslyn Art Museum, 10:30a Septemberfest Omaha CHI Health Center Parking Lot, 12p 35th Anniversary: La Festa Italiana at il Palazzo, 12p Marina’s Gaming Guild The Down Under Lounge, 5p DU Sunday-Night Karaoke The Down Under Lounge,10p
Satchel Grande, The Waiting Room, 8p Mikey Dean LIVE Acoustic Therapy Bar & Grill, 8p
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 2
Charlotte Fletcher & Soigne`, The Well, 8p Omaha Farmers Market - Old Market, 8a Dr. Oak’s Comedy Rap Battle at the Backline Comedy Theatre, 9pm
Septemberfest Omaha Downtown Omaha, 10a
Kali Indiana, Copacabana Lounge, 9p
Septemberfest Omaha CHI Health Center Parking Lot, 12p
Grunge Pop American Dream/ the Hangout, 9p
Will Ferrell Double Feature The Down Under Lounge, 3p
DJ Nick Bliss, Burrito Evy, 9p Tragic Kingdom, Septemberfest 4:45p Starbound, Chrome Lounge, 9p Karaoke, Moe & Curly’s, 8p JImmy Hendrix and ZZ Top Tribute at Forte Music Hall, 9p Young Giant’s Hip Hop Night at the Lookout Lounge, 9pm
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 3 Fall Bags League, 1912 Bar, 6:30p
Charm School Dropouts, Ozone Lounge, 9p Open Jam, Barley Street Tavern, 7p The Prairie Gators, Harney Street, 9p Sweet Nothing, Rathskeller Bier Haus, 9p
Acoustic Open Mic Night The New Frontier Bar, 7p
Ecstatic at Septemberfest 2019, 9p
Open Mic & Jam, Therapy Bar, 7p
Dr. Oak’s Comedy Rap Battles The Backline, 9p
Acoustic Open Mic Apollon Art Space, 7:30p
DJ Shif-D, The Cove, 9p
Tuesday Blues w/Héctor Anchondo The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p
Diego Danger & Domestic Blend The Down Under Lounge, 9p
Spencer’s Trivia Dojo The Down Under Lounge, 8p
Dicey Riley, Dubliner Pub, 9:30p Open Mic (Standup), The Backline, 9p Crypt Fiend ~ Carnographer ~ Mere Shadows, O’Leaver’s Pub, 10p
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1
DJ Lucas Krance, Parliament Pub West, 9p Tribute to the Greats- Karaoke The Down Under Lounge, 10p
Omaha Farmers Market Aksarben Village, 9a Hutchfest 2019 North Downtown Omaha, 10a
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Quotes & Notes
team was spot on. It was inspiring and neat to see that happen after practice.”
By Focus Omaha
When asked what the messages were, Frost added, “Each one of them gave their own Head Coach Scott Frost discussed the message and meaning of Blackshirt. I left process of handing out the Blackshirts on Monday, “We actually, this was a spur of the out Jay Foreman too who is my teammate. I moment kind of thing, but we didn’t want to don’t want to say necessarily what they said individually. Jay Foreman was one of the just have the Blackshirts show up in guys’ neatest ones to me, he said there are only lockers. We wanted it to mean more than two jerseys in his office. His first Husker jerthat. So, we got on the phone and got some sey and his Blackshirt. Actually, in his will, he of the Blackshirts that are in the vicinity to come to practice today and they kind of took said he’s going to be buried with his Blackshirt. So if anything tells you what it means turns coming up in front of the team and to those guys, his message told us that.” telling us what they thought it meant and what it stood for and then they presented Defensive Coordinator Eric Chinander statthe Blackshirts to the guys. Some of them ed, “It was an awesome experience. It meant were my teammates, some of them were the world to me and the guys. I’ll never like my good friends. They did an unbelievable to talk about what those guys say because I job. The Kelsay brothers were here, Jason want them to feel like they can come back to Peters, Steve Warren, Barrett Ruud, Marc the team and say what they want, but you’re Munford, Kenny Wilhite, Tony Veland, talking about a deal where some grown men Keyuo Craver, Zack Bowman, some great are shedding a tear, one of them being right Huskers and great Blackshirts and their here,” Chinander said. “We just told those message to the
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Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35
guys what it meant to be a Blackshirt. I don’t know if they have heard that from enough guys yet to get this tradition back where it needs to be. It was an awesome idea; one I will cherish for the rest of my life.” Chinander also talked about the differences he sees this year’s defense, “It is just a more mature group and a more workmanlike group. It is a group that knows what has to be done if we want to be successful. It’s not a ‘we are going to do it our way.’ It is a ‘we are going to do it Coach Frost’s way.’ To me, it’s a completely different attitude.” Not to leave the offense out, there are plenty of playmakers. Not the least of which is JUCO transfer Dedrick Mills. Frost said, “Dedrick is a little like Adrian [Martinez] and what I was saying about him. We had high hopes when we got him out of junior college. I think he’s surprised me on how quickly he’s caught on and his talent. He’s been a real pleasant surprise in camp, and I see good things coming from him. He runs really hard
and plays hard and comes to practice every day and works. He probably has better breakaway speed than I expected, and he’s hard to bring down. He’s going to be a big addition to our offense and I expect him to be on the field during our first play on Saturday.” Mills Compares his own running style to Marshawn “Beastmode” Lynch and if he’s anything close to him, he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch. No matter what the final record is when the season is over, the culture of Husker football is back and this team from the coaching staff down to the water boys once again get what it means to wear the scarlet and cream. As a side note, some may remember Tom Osborne offered to give up his skybox during the Mike Reilly tenure so the University could use it for additional revenue (he was actually upset by the culture of the continued on page 13
team and direction it was going.) He is now thankfully going to be using it once again.
www.focusomaha.com
But all sports, especially football, come down to matchups and based on 2018 stats, are there certain things we can say about both teams in this week’s game assuming that are similar to last year’s versions? Yes. Each football team is rated in at least 6 categories:
Inside the numbers with Dr. K By Dr. K
Projecting how a team will perform in its first game based on last year’s statistics is an almost impossible task because the tweaks that teams make from year to year based on improvement in physical skills, mental development, and emotional maturity in returning players is hard to project. Moreover, coaches understand players better as time goes on so a young player who might have played a lot last year might be used far differently because of things seen late last year or in the spring. Everyone knows the buzz surrounding Nebraska this year as the whole world expects the same miracle that Coach Frost engineered at Central Florida going undefeated in year two and winning the Sugar Bowl. Is that realistic? No one really knows.
1. Overall offensive rating; 2. Overall defensive rating; 3. Offensive rushing rating; 4. Rushing defense rating; 5. Offensive passing rating and; 6. Passing defense rating. The overall offensive and defensive ratings been weighted by their correlations to points produced (or points not scored) over the past 3 years. Once each of the separate stats for each category, then the 6 categories are then correlated against points scored (or not scored) as between the categories to insure perfect weighting. The one notion that became exceptionally clear---especially in the NFL---is that winning teams do not settle for many field goals. They have the ability to score short yardage touchdowns both running and passing. Good teams score field goals and
great ones score touchdowns. The more we weighted short yardage touchdowns---especially rushing---the more correlated with winning the numbers became. Out of these stats, we have crafted a prediction model which after game 4 produces about 80% winners. The data is not predictive enough to be valid at such a high rate until after game 4. Game 2 is a 50% crapshoot and game 3 gets us to 60% but it takes that 4th game of data to really predict effectively. Our metrics are based on what we deem a “perfect game” by a team on either side of the ball. The specific formulas are proprietary but include many of the standard numbers you often see but they are weighted in the fashion that has been most predictive over the past 3 years. A “perfect” score by an offense or defense overall or in the rushing or passing categories is 100. NU’s rushing offense was rated at 94.29 while South Alabama’s rush defense was rated at 93.85; both outstanding numbers. If South Alabama was a Power 5 conference team, we would call this even. But with such a large difference between the conferences, one should assume that this is a moderate NU advantage (but not as great as most Nebraskans would think). Nebraska will run the ball reasonably well but this will not be one of those 400+ yard rushing totals of yesteryear that fans expect. NU should
have some big plays but drive after drive of smash mouth football pounding South Alabama into submission is not likely. NU’s passing offense was rated at 29.26 while South Alabama’s passing defense was rated at 26.51. While that might not seem like a huge difference, it is over a 10% margin which reflects at least a moderate advantage even before we take the conference differential into account. But neither team is even average here as anything under 30 is a fairly poor number. When we consider the matchup of South Alabama’s offense against Nebraska’s defense, a similar picture emerges. SA’s rushing offense was rated at 79.35 while NU’s rush defense was rated at 78.21. Both of these are solid numbers even if not dominant. Once the conference differential is taken into account, one would have to give NU some edge. Of course, the area that NU expects to be most improved is the defensive line and, if true, then this could be a much larger edge than last year’s numbers suggest. SA’s passing offense was rated at 24.43 while NU’s passing defense was rated at 28.98; both poor numbers. Even without the conference differential, this would be an edge for NU. Will this allow NU to use more continued on page 14
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man to man coverage and let the safeties be more active in run support? Very likely but that will make NU more vulnerable to big plays with the cornerbacks in single coverage.
he’s the first guy in I hope a long line of walkons while I’m here that comes in, goes to work and becomes a guy that’s gonna play or start for us, so he deserves it and I hope he isn’t the last one.”
Husker fans are anxious for one of those 77-7 games that makes them feel good times are just around the corner. This will not be 77-7 but more like 31-7. Solid but not spectacular. If the offensive line becomes more than just serviceable, this could be a good team. But if just an average offensive line is our lot in football life for 2019, then games like this will be common.
Frost was also asked about naming team captains for the 2019 season. “We’re going to vote on captains today,” Frost said. “As a matter of fact, the guys are going vote in the room. I don’t want to do it to early cause I want to see the guys to experience fall camp to see who the guys who represent them the best and who the best leaders are. The guys are going to vote on it today. Probably the one difference this Once the season starts, the numbers from year from years past is we don’t have a lot of each gave provide vital clues about every seniors on offense so it might possibly not team on both sides of the ball. We know that be four seniors, but it’s going be the best over the last 3 years that the teams with two leaders on offense and (defense).” better numbers have won about 80% of the Frost also spoke about the growth of the games in the NFL alone and in college the defense in the second year under defensive dominance is even greater. coordinator Erik Chinander. Stay with us all year for weekly analysis of last week’s Husker game by the metrics, a preview of next week’s game, and also make sure to visit http://fantasy-sports-metrics. com for all major sports metrics.
www.focusomaha.com
Walk-On Program is back in full gear By Focus Omaha
Head Coach Scott Frost spoke on Friday about some of the scholarships he’s awarded to walk-ons. “We gave one away today.” Frost said. “I think on our team the way the roster sits with our 85 (scholarships) we probably have three to give. We’re still trying to decide on a couple of them, but we put Trent Hixson on scholarship today. The team was fired up for him, so he’ll be on scholarship.” Frost said the ability to award scholarships to walk-on players is a great way to recognize the contributions walk-ons make to the program. “I’ve kind of said all along that the walkon program is going to help us,” he said. “I thought it would take a little while to get those guys into the program but we develop them the same way we develop the scholarship guys. [We] give them reps. I kind of thought Trent might be the first guy, but
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“(Chinander) has plenty of experience coming in, it’s just first years are hard,” Frost said. “First years, trying to get guys to understand what we expect out of them, trying to get guys to understand the scheme. You know, I could relate on offense. We can go out on the field right now with the offense and call something the guys have never seen or heard of before and as long as it fits within the rules of what they know to do they just run it and don’t blink. And the defense is starting to get that way too as (Chinander) was talking about what our next opponent does out of a certain formation and when the guys heard what they did they said ‘so you want us to make this adjustment’ and he goes ‘OK, you got it. Next’ and moves on to the next thing. “All that stuff hopefully will make us a better team because the guys just understand better. We coached our butts off last year trying to get them here but it’s just hard to get all the way home in one year, and I think we’re way farther down the road right now.” Saturday, the Huskers will conduct a light evening workout inside Memorial Stadium as part of their Boneyard Bash night with UNL students. Kickoff for the season opener is scheduled for August 31, at 11 a.m. at Memorial Stadium with television coverage provided by ESPN.
GET YOUR FOCUS ON! www.focusomaha.com
Focus | August 28 - September 3 | Volume 3 Issue 35
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Existing-Home Sales Climb 2.5% in July Existing-home sales strengthened in July, a positive reversal after total sales were down slightly in the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Although Northeast transactions declined, the other three major U.S. regions recorded sales increases, including vast growth in the West last month. Total existing-home sales1, https://www. nar.realtor/existing-home-sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 2.5% from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.42 million in July. Overall sales are up 0.6% from a year ago (5.39 million in July 2018). “Falling mortgage rates are improving housing affordability and nudging buyers into the market,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. However, he added that the supply of affordable housing is severely low. “The shortage of lower-priced homes have markedly pushed up home prices. Home price appreciation has been much stronger in the lower-price tier compared to homes sold in the upper-price tier, based on the analysis of proprietary deed records data from Black Knight, Inc. and Realtors Property Resource®. Of the same homes that were sold in 2018 that were purchased in 2012 in 13 large metro areas (repeat sales transactions), the lower half of the market had increased by more than 100% in 2018 in metro areas like Atlanta-Sandy-Springs-Roswell, Ga.
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(165%), Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. (103%), Miami-Fort-Lauderdale, Fla. (119%) and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. (125%). The median home price for homes purchased in the upper half of the market in these same metro areas in 2012 increased at a much slower pace when sold in 2018. “Clearly, the inventory of moderately-priced homes is inadequate and more home building is needed,” said Yun. “Some new apartments could be converted into condominiums thereby helping with the supply, especially in light of new federal rules permitting a wider use of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages to buy condo properties.” The median existing-home price2 for all housing types in July was $280,800, up 4.3% from July 2018 ($269,300). July’s price increase marks the 89th straight month of year-over-year gains. Total housing inventory3 at the end of July decreased to 1.89 million, down from 1.92 million existing-homes available for sale in June, and a 1.6% decrease from 1.92 million one year ago. Unsold inventory is at a 4.2-month supply at the current sales pace, down from the 4.4 month-supply recorded in June and down from the 4.3-month supply recorded in July of 2018. Properties typically remained on the market for 29 days in July, up from 27 days in June and up from 27 days in July of 2018. Fifty-one percent of homes sold in July were on the market for less than a month.
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According to Freddie Mac, the average commitment rate(link is external) for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage decreased to 3.77% in July, down from 3.80% in June. The average commitment rate across all of 2018 was 4.54%. “Mortgage rates are important to consumers, but so is confidence about the nation’s overall economic outlook,” Yun continued. “Home buying is a serious long term decision and current low or even lower future mortgage rates may not in themselves meaningfully boost sales unless accompanied by improved consumer confidence.” First-time buyers were responsible for 32% of sales in July, down from 35% the month prior and about equal to the 32% recorded in July 2018. NAR’s 2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers – released in late 2018 – revealed that the annual share of first-time buyers was 33%. As the share of first-time buyers rose, individual investors or second-home buyers, who account for many cash sales purchased 11% of homes in July, up from 10% recorded in June 2019 and down from 12% recorded in July a year ago. All-cash sales accounted for 19% of transactions in July, up from June and down from July of 2018 (16% and 20%, respectively). Distressed sales5 – foreclosures and short sales – represented 2% of sales in July, unchanged from June but down from 3% in July 2018. Less than 1% of July 2019 sales were short sales. “Present rates have opened the market for a number of potential buyers who couldn’t afford a home just a year ago,” said NAR President John Smaby, a second-generation Realtor® from Edina, Minnesota, and broker at Edina Realty. “Additionally, NAR has been continued on page 17
working with the FHA for years to establish new condominium loan policies. Our hard work has paid off, and this change will begin benefiting buyers, sellers and our members as soon as this fall.� Regional Breakdown Compared to June, existing-home sales recorded in July rose in the Midwest, South and West, but fell slightly in the Northeast region. Compared to last year, July sales dropped in the Northeast and West while experiencing modest gains in the Midwest and South. Median home prices rose from a year ago, except in the Northeast. July existing-home sales in the Northeast decreased 2.9% to an annual rate of 660,000, a 4.3% decline from a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $305,800, down 1.0% from July 2018.
just 0.8% below a year ago. The median price in the West was $408,000, up 3.7% from July 2018. Single-family and Condo/Co-op Sales Single-family home sales sat at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.84 million in July, up from 4.71 million in June and up 1.0% from a year ago. The median existing single-family home price was $284,000 in July 2019, up 4.5% from July 2018. Existing condominium and co-op sales were recorded at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 580,000 units in July, about equal to the rate from the prior month and down 3.3% from a year ago. The median existing condo price was $254,300 in July, which is up 2.5% from a year ago.
In the Midwest, existing-home sales edged up 1.6% to an annual rate of 1.27 million, which is a 0.8% increase from July 2018. The median price in the Midwest was $226,300, an 8.1% surge from a year ago. Existing-home sales in the South increased 1.8% to an annual rate of 2.31 million in July, up 2.7% from a year ago. The median price in the South was $245,100, up 5.2% from one year ago. Existing-home sales in the West shot up 8.3% to an annual rate of 1.18 million in July,
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An Estimated 92% of Cancers Caused by HPV Could be Prevented by Vaccine During 2012-2016, an average of 43,999 HPV-associated cancers were reported each year, according to a new study published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Among the estimated 34,800 cancers probably caused by HPV, 92 percent are attributable to the HPV types that are included in the HPV vaccine and could be prevented if HPV vaccine recommendations were followed, according to the report.
vaccination coverage to 80% has been and will continue to be a priority initiative for HHS, and we will continue to work with our governmental and private sector partners to make this a reality.” CDC researchers analyzed 2012-2016 data from the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Programexternal icon to determine the incidence of HPV-associated cancers, and to estimate the annual number of cancers attributable to the HPV types in the currently available HPV vaccine. This report marks the first time these data are available at the state-level.
HPV is a common virus that can lead to certain types of cancers in men and women. It causes cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx (back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils). The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that most Key findings commonly cause these cancers. During 2012-2016, an estimated average of 34,800 HPV-attributable cancers were “A future without HPV cancers is within diagnosed each year. reach, but urgent action is needed to The most common cancers were cervical improve vaccine coverage rates,” said (9,700) and oropharyngeal cancer (12,600). ADM Brett P. Giroir, MD, HHS Assistant The number of cancers attributable to Secretary for Health. “Increasing HPV continued on page 19
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HPV types targeted by the vaccine ranged by state from 40 in Wyoming to 3,270 in California. Oropharyngeal cancer was the most common cancer attributable to the vaccine types in all states, except in Texas where cervical cancer was most common. In Alaska, the District of Columbia, New Mexico, and New York, the estimates of oropharyngeal and cervical cancers attributable to the types in the currently available HPV vaccine were the same. Not all teens vaccinated
data shows that physicians play a key role in educating parents and are the most trusted source of information for parents of pre-teens eligible for vaccination. CDC and state health departments continue to encourage health care professionals to talk to parents and provide them with information on the benefits of vaccination to prevent cancer and save lives.
“The HPV vaccine continues to be the best way to protect our young boys and girls from developing certain cancers, including cervical cancer, “said CDC Director Robert CDC recommends that all preteens get the R. Redfield, M.D. “This new data shows HPV vaccine when they are 11 or 12 years 1 in 4 parents who received a medical old to protect them before they are ever recommendation for the HPV vaccine chose exposed to the virus. However, additional not to have their child vaccinated. The HPV new data also released today in the MMWR vaccine is safe, and we encourage parents show little progress toward increasing HPV to get their pre-teens vaccinated and take vaccination rates among teens ages 13- to the next step to prevent their children from 17-years. These data, collected as part of developing HPV-related cancer later in life.” the 2018 National Immunization Survey Teen (NIS-Teen) show a 4 percentage point HPV vaccine an option for older people increase in HPV vaccination rates among The HPV vaccine is recommended for teen boys and less than a 1 percentage everyone through age 26 if they did not point increase among teen girls. Overall, get vaccinated when they were younger. just 51% of all teens had received all Vaccination is not recommended for recommended doses of the HPV vaccine, a people older than 26 years. However, some 2-percentage point increase from 2017. adults ages 27 through 45 years who are not vaccinated for HPV may decide to be HPV vaccination rates were higher in vaccinated after speaking with their doctor teens whose parents reported receiving about their risk for new HPV infections and a recommendation from their child’s the possible benefits of vaccination. HPV healthcare professional. Consistently, vaccination in this age range provides less
benefit, as more people have likely been exposed to HPV. In addition to HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening is recommended for women ages 21-65. “Every year in the United States, HPV causes cancer in men and women, but we have the power to change this,” explained Lisa C. Richardson, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the U.S. The HPV vaccine and cervical cancer screening have made it one of the most preventable cancers. HPV vaccination is cancer prevention. We can protect our loved ones with the HPV vaccine.”
with a Pap test every three years. In addition to the Pap test, a test called the HPV test looks for HPV infection. Among women ages 30 to 65 years there are three strategies: (1) Pap test alone every three years, (2) the HPV test used with the Pap test every five years, or (3) the HPV test alone every five years. The HPV test can provide additional information when Pap test results are unclear for women ages 21 and older. For more information, visit https://www. cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/index.htm.
Women ages 21-29 years can be screened
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28
Chalk the Yard, Railyard Lincoln, 3p Canoeing at Holmes Lake, 5p
Come visit all of your favorite animals and visit Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion one last time before it closes for the season.
2019 Telegraph District Summer Concert Series featuring AM/FM Band Telegraph District Patio, 6p
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29
Jon Wolfe, The Royal Grove, 8p
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 Society of Broken Souls Chez SoDo, 7p
Andrew Dismukes w/ feature act Greg Henderson, The Comedy Loft, 7:30p 30 Minute Hangover, Cappy’s Bar, 8p Sidetrack Band, Single Barrel , 9p Maximum Kappacity 2 The Royal Grove, 9p
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
Coyote Kid, The Bourbon Theatre, 8p Blazin’ Pianos Dueling Piano Show Brewsky’s Food & Spirits Haymarket, 9p 402 Band, Cappy’s Bar, 9p Husker Game Day Nighclub w/ DJ Yascoe Rule G Nightclub, 9p 90s Night with Flannel Channel The Royal Grove, 9p
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Red & White Party Edition 2 The Royal Grove, 9p
SEPTEMBER 18–22 LINCOLN CALLING FESTIVAL 2019 https://lincolncalling.com/ Lincoln Calling is an annual, non-profit music festival that transforms the streets of downtown Lincoln, Nebraska into a weeklong celebratory explosion of the arts, culture, and the collaborative spirit tantamount to our city’s ever-ramping vitality. In 2018, Lincoln Calling – which has thrived on featuring bands just before they break, while showcasing a diversity of genres, artists, and artistic disciplines since its inception in 2004 – drew more than 8,500 music lovers to downtown Lincoln, including patrons from 75 cites, 25 states, and 3 countries.
------------------------------------------- Over the past 5 years, Lincoln Calling has FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 11a-1p UBT FOOTBALL FRIDAY UNIN BANK & TRUST 4243 PIONEER WOODS DRIVE Take a break in the middle of Friday, August 30 to share your predictions for the first Nebraska football game of the season vs. South Alabama. The Wahoo Locker will be on-site grilling tasty burgers and hot dogs, and our team will be there to thank you for your business relationship with UBT. We look forward to seeing you and kicking off a great season!
------------------------------------------SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 , 10a-5p LABOR DAY WEEKEND LINCOLN CHILDREN’S ZOO 1222 S 27TH STREET, LINCOLN
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joined forces with long-running community events including Make Lincoln, YP Week and Startup Week bringing to the festival a 2-day Night Market/beer fest, The Lincoln Arts Festival, wellness activities, professional development workshops, and an acute focus on festival sustainability practices. In 2019 and beyond, this music festival that highlights some of the country’s and state’s most exciting emerging artists, is only growing bigger and better. With more non-musical programming joining the fold, and killer headliners already confirmed, Lincoln Calling is on the cusp of securing a spot in the national music festival conversation.
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Treasury and IRS Issue Improved Form W-4 for 2020 to Simplify Filing and Increase Transparency By Michael Herek
withholding system. Treasury does not anticipate further changes to the redesign beyond minor updates for inflation.
They to encourage all taxpayers to check their paycheck withholdings to ensure they “Our dedicated staff at the Treasury and have the correct amount withheld for their IRS worked tirelessly over the past year to produce a Form W-4 that is more accurate, personal tax profile. transparent and simplifies the tax withholding experience for hardworking Americans,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “We are proud that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered taxes for most Americans and are enthusiastic that the improved W-4 will help taxpayers better determine the correct withholding amount for their personal financial situation to more readily reap the benefits of historic tax reform.”
The re-designed Form W-4 uses a building block approach that replaces complicated The Treasury worksheets with straightforward questions Department and the IRS that make it easier for employees to introduced a redesigned determine a more accurate withholding. Form W-4 for tax year While it uses the same underlying 2020. Several changes information as the old design, the new form were made to the draft uses a more personalized, step-by-step form based on extensive approach to better accommodate individual feedback from taxpayer needs. stakeholders with the goal of developing a Employees who have submitted a Form W-4 form that provides in any year before 2020 are not required to taxpayers with a more submit a new form merely because of the flexible and redesign. Employers will continue to transparent compute withholding based on the information from the employee’s most recently submitted Form W-4. Treasury and the IRS are releasing this near-final improved Form W-4 now, to allow employers and payroll processors ample time to learn about the new form and update their systems for 2020. As usual, IRS will also release withholding tables
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with routine adjustments for inflation in November.
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Local Opportunities for Renewable Energy By Michael Shonka
Let’s take a step back from the global and inspect the local. The whole global scene on climate change is just too distant in most minds to be relevant to the here and now. What is here and now for Omaha and surrounding cities when considering renewable energy? This really gets down to wind or solar. The Midwest ranks in the top quartile for wind resources, but wind is really local – as in an unobstructed hilltop or valley. You cannot install wind in cities – the city governments will not permit a system on a tower high enough to catch sufficient wind streams. Wind machines require maintenance and that means someone who knows what they are doing has to come and fix it. The bottom line – you can install twice as much solar for the same amount of money you would place in a wind system. The best option for the vast majority is solar, but how do you determine what meets your needs? Start by looking at your electric bill. If it is over $100 per month, solar will make economic sense. Actually, solar systems produce energy in proportion to their size. You don’t need a specific size, you just need to have a sunny spot on the roof
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or ground for the modules. In our area, each kilowatt of equipment (1000 Watts of generation) will produce about 1400 kilowatt-hours per year of total electricity. Think of it this way, if your annual electric cost is over $100 per month, which would be 1000 kilowatt-hours per month or 12,000 kilowatt-hours per year. Dividing the annual usage (12,000 kwh) by the annual solar production (1400 kwh) means the system size for a total offset would be 8.5 kilowatts of equipment. Do you need 100% offset – probably not. You probably don’t have the room because 28 modules would be bigger than most sunny roofs. The optimal size balances the trade-offs between the amount of space available, cost, amount of tax credit available and the end goal of reducing your energy bill. The installed cost for a grid-tied solar system is about $3 per Watt. Even with the 30% federal tax credit, the solar payback will be greater than five years for most homes, but less than five years for most businesses (due to depreciation allowance). continued on page 27
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Most homes can readily use 2000 – 5000 Then step back, look at the bigger picture Watts, which will fit on the roof or in the and know that you have done your part to backyard. This will not offset your entire offset your energy use. bill, but a portion. The payback will all be the same regardless, so choose a size that fits your sunny area, your budget, your tax situation along with your personal goals.
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The Smashing Pumpkins, “Shiny And Oh So Bright, Volume 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.” By Tatiana Ballinger
America’s favorite weirdos have assembled themselves again for our sweet listening pleasure from a heavy metal record label outside of the states as of November 2018, “Shiny and Oh So Bright Volume 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun,” has been released to the rotations of collectors and mystics. However advanced one’s palate must be in order to sustain symphonies of piercing angry vocals, haunting hellish percussion, crunchy guitar, all-over somehow elegant; the following observation is completely avoidable: is there no honest debacle that says the Pumpkins have not created a space where anti-Morrissey fans might be able to agree on something? Cultist consumption followings of art are a productive way to obsess if we must.
Without judging the first part of this record by its apocalyptic cover, when opened you will be suspended in a sterile but familiar place after psychological attack. Mundane worldly destruction can weigh on a person after “exposure therapy,” also known as daily life. With all of the violence in the world, we must ask ourselves in the name of Billy, are we complicit by being alive? Fans of The Smashing Pumpkins will feel at home at the end of the record and even enjoy some really great tracks, in my opinion. Without giving too much away, the opening odes to beatnickery and existing resolutions, being content living in contempt of revolutionized preferences of present climates. Morality of humanity taint our sensitive types who will concur with the lyrics, “I’m nothing but a body in my mind.” Fellow blood bags unite. Vocal layers in radio-friendly gospel teleport you to a tilting moon while you are told things about life and given wonderful lessons on impressionism by an association of suburbanites in Fall. Psychedelia comes with a sermon for bootstrap migrants that will keep you “safe,” in the words of a critical fan. Eight tracks explore peaceful chaos of nihilistic self-fulfilling prophecies of the latchkey pique sounding somewhat familiar. The Smashing Pumpkins have the Midwestern origin of Chicago, Illinois and deserve the focused support of Omaha readers and connoisseurs of the aesthetic. The newest product from The Smashing Pumpkins is available to stream and purchase everywhere!
www.FocusOmaha.com
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BARRETT’S BARLEYCORN 4322 Leavenworth St. M-F 4P-6P $2.25 Domestic Bottles $3.00 Well Drinks BROKEDOWN PALACE 8805 Maple St. Happy Hour 12P-6P $4 28 oz Domestic Frozen Mugs $5 28 oz Nebraska Brewing Cardinal Pale Ale Frozen Mug CADDYSHACK 2076 N 117th Ave & 7007 S 181st St M-F 2P-6P $1 Off Beer, Wine & Wells TUES- HAPPY HOUR All Day COHEN & KELLY’S LOUNGE 13075 W Center Rd M-F 4:30P - 6:30P Drink Specials DUBLINER PUB 1205 Harney St. Nightly Drink Specials & Happy Hour 1P - 7P Everyday !! $1.00 off Pints and Bottles GETAWAY LOUNGE 4745 S 96th St M-F 2P - 6P $2 Busch Lite Bottles $2.25 Busch Lite Tall Boys $3 Fireballs $3 Apple Pie Shots JERRY’S BAR 6301 Military Ave Happy Hour Prices ALL Day EVERYDAY! JULIO’S 123rd & Center M-F 3P – 6P & FRI & SAT AFTER 9M $1 off all Tap Beer, $3 House Margaritas, $8 Pitchers of Bud Light & Miller Light, $2 Tacos & $8 Nachos KOZEE LOUNGE 5813 N 60th St. Daily Drink Specials! LEAVENWORTH BAR 4556 Leavenworth St. M-F 12P-7P LOOKOUT LOUNGE 320 S 72nd St. EVERY DAY 4-7, MIDNIGHT - 2 AM $2 PBR, $2.50 Domestic Bottles , $3 Wells, $3 Fireball MALONEY’S IRISH PUB 1830 N 72nd St.
M-F 3P-7P $1.00 off any beer NOSH WINE LOUNGE 1006 Dodge St. Everyday 4P- 6P Reverse HH 10P -12A $3 domestic beers and wells, $2 off Glasses of Wine, $4 House Wine PADDY’S McGOWN’S PUB & GRILL 4503 Center St. Happy Hour Specials from 3-6pm PARLIAMENT PUB DOWNTOWN 1212 Harney Street T-SUN 3P-7P Drink Specials PARLIAMENT PUB WEST 16939 Wright Plaza M-F 3-7PM ALL DAY SUNDAY! $2 Domestic Pints, $5 Vodka Red Bulls, $5 Shots & Bombs, 1/2 price Martini’s & Wines PITCH PIZZERIA 5021 Underwood Ave. 17808 Burke M-F 3P-6P $5 off any appetizer $5 off any pizza OMAHA TAP HOUSE 1401 Farnam St. & 579 N 155th Plz M-F 3P - 6P & ALL DAY SUNDAY $1 Off All TapBeers $4 Svedka, $4 Windsor, $4 Sauza Silver, $4 Cruzan Rum RAILCAR MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN 1814 N 144th St. M-F 3:30-6:30P $4 Well Drinks $3 Off Signature Cocktails RATHSKELLER BIER GARDEN 4524 Farnam St. Monday to Saturday – 3P to 6P | 10P-Close Sunday – All Day BOSO – Buy one second one for $.25 SCRIPTOWN 3922 Farnam M-F 4P - 6P $1 Off Beers & $1 Off Well Drinks SMITTY’S GARAGE 7610 Dodge St. Everyday 3P - 6P & 9P - CLOSE $2.50 Domestics THURSDAYS $1 OFF Local Beer Draws THE CASUAL PINT 8718 Countryside Plaza M, W, TH 4P-6P
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TUES All Day $1 Off All Draft Beers. Friday – 1/2 Price Growler Refills Sunday – Ladies Day. $1 Off All Pints for THE DOWN UNDER 3530 Leavenworth St. MON-SAT 3P-7P SUNDAY-All Day THERAPY BAR & GRILL 5059 S 108th St Monday-Friday 3-6pm $.50 cents off Bottles, Drafts, & Wells THE SOCIABLE INN 4917 S 136TH ST M-F 2P-7P $2.50 Pints, $2.50 Domestic Bottles TIGER TOM’S 7103 Military Ave M-F 4P-6P $12 Domestic Buckets TIMBER WOOD FIRE BISTRO 8702 Pacific St – Countryside Village M-F Patio Only 11A-7P M-SAT 2P- 6:30P & SUN 2P-10P $2 Off Local and Craft Drafts, $2.50 Tier 1 Import and Domestics, $3 Tier 2 Import and Domestics, $3 Off Signature Cocktails, $4 Well Drinks, $2 Off Glass of Wine, $1 Off Tap Wine. & Select Gourmet Food
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