FocusV3I37

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 37 | September 11 - September 17 | 2019

YOUR

FREE

ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY

LIVE

Floodtoberfest

REVIEWS Jason McMillan, The Grey Zone

sports

Pipeline or Broken Water Main

HEALTH

Background Checks

TABLE OF CONTENTS

YOUr

2019 bEr 4 - SEptEMbEr 10 | VOLUME 3 ISSUE 36 | SEptEMpErSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY

FREE

HEALtH, ArtS, ENtErtAINMENt,

4 OUTDOORS

LIVE

Zone Jason McMillan, The Grey

10

5

BENSON

6

FAMILY

8

EVENTS

Bee Hotels

1200 Club Season

REVIEWS

THE ARTS

FOCUS ON THIS WEEK!

HEALTH

Background Checks

ON TEN

This week’s top ten events you don’t want to miss! By Focus Omaha

12

THIS WEEKS FEATURE

15

LIVE

16

REAL ESTATE

18

HEALTH

19

COUNCIL BLUFFS

20

LINCOLN

Realtors(R) Applaud White House Efforts to Advance Fannie, Freddie Reform Discussions Share By Eric Cano

Federally Mandated State Law Now Requires More Comprehensive Background Checks for Child Care Workers

22

SPORTS The Pipeline Looks More Like a Broken Water Main By Focus Omaha Nebraska tries to overcome underwhelming offensive performance By Dr. K

24

FINANCE

Upside Down: What Does the Yield Curve Suggest About Growth? By Michael Herek Sponsored By Blue Capitol Wealth

26

OUTDOORS

It’s

Time to Fertilize By John Fech- Horticulture Extension Educator At Nebraska Extension

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REVIEWS

Jason McMillan, The Grey Zone By Tatiana Ballinger

29

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

munities together to achieve positive social change.

MOONDANCE Schedule 7 pm: Patron cocktail hour 8 pm: General admission 8:30 pm: Remarks 9 pm: Dance party and an evening of JOY

THURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 6p-8p ArteLatinX Opening Reception El Museo Latino, 4701 S 25th St, Omaha Be one of the first to see all of the art pieces, meet the local artists whose works are featured, and enjoy some delicious light refreshments.

The Opening Reception will kick off a month long of activities at El Museo Latino and at different art centers around the Omaha Metro area and throughout Nebraska, which include: Artist Talks, Workshops (RSVP required), a Discussion Panel, guided school tours, and open gallery to view the exhibition. If you have any questions please contact Yuri Doku at ydoku@unomaha.edu or unoartelatinx@unomaha.edu, 402.554.3835 -------------------------------------------------------FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 8a CreativeMornings - Muse Holland Performing Arts Center 1200 Douglas St., Omaha Join us for CreativeMornings - Muse, featuring Bart Vargas!

Registration opens Sept. 9 > https://creativemornings.com/talks/bart-vargas When asked which Artists inspired his work in Art School, Bart Vargas frustrated his professors by not having an answer. Instead he said he couldn’t single any out, because he drew inspiration from the entire World, not just the Art World.

Vargas’ prolific practice includes sculpture, painting, ceramics, printmaking and photography. He draws inspiration from the people, objects, images and events around him, stating that ultimately the early 21st century is his Muse. He will share with us how that Muse, through Art and Education, has transformed his life, and taken him across the country, and ultimately around the World!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 6p Feverdream presents: Delighted Project Project 1818 Vinton St, Omaha Project Project is pleased to announce the opening reception of Feverdream Presents: Delighted. This gnarly group of artists will be presenting our guests with an immersive (and potentially interactive) performance piece delving into and inspired by the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights”, arguably the most recognizable painting

by Dutch master Hieronymous Bosch. This will be the third official performance by the nebulous collective Feverdream and we promise, it is not one to miss. Please join us in celebrating these artists and their work.

This event is free and open to all.

-------------------------------------------------------Friday, September 13, 6:30p Prospect Hill Cemetery Tour Prospect Hill Cemetery. 3202 Parker St $25 History Walks LLC has partnered with MCC to bring this tour to life, featuring tales of murder, Omaha’s earliest breweries, tragic accidents, the Megeath Mausoleum, Omaha founder’s, one of the youngest boys to participate in the Civil War, and so much more!​ Upcoming dates Fri, Sep 13 @ 6:30 pm Sat, Sep 28 @ 10:00 am Sat, Oct 12 @ 10:00 am Fri, Oct 25 @ 6:30 pm historywalksnebraska.com/prospect-hill-cemetery.html

-------------------------------------------------------Friday, September 13, 7p Between Two Knees, a group exhibition curated by Sarah Rowe Brothers Lounge 3812 Farnam St., Omaha Art on cello bodies featuring works by artists Sarah Rowe, Kim Darling, Lallaya Lalley Bonnie Pratt O’Connell, Caitlin Little, Christina Pierce, Celeste Butler David Downing performs at 8pm Indian Bowl will be hosting a pop up from 7-10pm Sponsored by John Hargiss, Hargiss Stringed Instruments -------------------------------------------------------FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 8p Moondance The Union for Contemporary Art 2423 N 24th St, Omaha Join us for a celebration in support of The Union for Contemporary Art! On the evening of Friday, September 13, we’ll gather under the full harvest moon for a night of art, food, drinks, and dancing.

Bart Vargas is a multi-disciplinary Artist and Educator from Bellevue, Nebraska.

He earned his BFA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and his MFA at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He creates playful, and thought-provoking objects and images that strive to act as artifacts and evidence of the early 21st century. Vargas has exhibited nationally and internationally, and his work can be found in many collections throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. His works have also been featured in many publications including Sculpture magazine, New American Paintings, and HGTV Magazine.

We’ll be celebrating the many ways your -------------------------------------------------------- support allows us to bring artists and com-

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

Food: Lola’s Café (Corina Figueroa and Claire Watson) Music: Mesonjixx Dancefloor: DJ Crabrangucci For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Caitlin LaVelle-Gustafson at caitlin@u-ca.org or by calling 402-933-3161.

-------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 10a Benson Sketchwalk (402) Arts Collective (Benson Location) 2740 N. 60th AVE, Omaha Walk through different areas (indoors and outdoors) of our city armed with our sketch pads and pencils. We focus on capturing the beautiful and interesting things all around us while we practice our basic sketching technique. At the end of each walk about we come back together to debrief and encourage one another. Bring your own sketch pad, pencils and erasers (or paint set if you prefer) ALL FREE! -------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 3p-8p DU Bazaar The Down Under Lounge 3530 Leavenworth St, Omaha Join us for a nice day of Vendors, Food and games. You will be able to enjoy a beverage and shop some of our great vendors.

Zach and Jays Teasures Henna & Tarroy by Alec and Jess Bliss Creations of Love by Shawn Smith Patchwork Hippie Art by Roshi Doodlegod Artwork by Matt Heron my spirit stones by charissa mccartney -------------------------------------------------------Thru September 14 Inner Ear Vision: Sound as Medium Bemis Center for Contemporary Art 724 S 12th St., Omaha Inner Ear Vision: Sound as Medium explores sound as an artistic medium beyond the aural and assembles works throughout Bemis Center’s three galleries by multidisciplinary artists providing a variation on the theme.

A reference to the multi-sensory nature of the ear—which affects not only our sense of sound, but also those of vision, space, and even cognition—the work in Inner Ear Vision challenges the limits by which both “music” and “sound art” have been defined. Inner Ear Vision proposes that the conversation around the notion of ephemeral versus tangible need not be a conversation at all.

-------------------------------------------------------THROUGH OCTOBER 1, 10-5p Art Show - Old Master Style Constance Stilwell Hot Shops Art Center 1301 Nicholas St., Omaha A private showing of the exceptional art renderings of nationally known Constance Stilwell 5 --------------------------------------------------------

WHAT’S YOUR FOCUS? WWW.FOCUSOMAHA.COM

BFF Youth Arts Scholarship

Purpose: To provide financial assistance to a student pursuing a trade, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree in the fine, performing, or musical arts.

Award: $500 to be applied towards books and supplies.

General Eligibility Requirements: Must be a high school senior, and must be a full-time degree/trade seeking student by the upcoming academic calendar year.

Must be pursuing a major/trade in the fine, performing, or musical arts.

Must reside in the greater Omaha area.

Have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 8p MaMAW’s House Mayflower Mobile Gallery 5603 nw radial highway, Omaha “Weekend at MaMAW’s” September 13th & 14th, 8pm-12am - Meet & Greet with MaMAW Selection Criteria: (Tony Buttells) Selection is based on a rating system - Community exhibition of MaMAW’s judged in four major categories: shelf of curios Quality of content submission - AH Embroidery added to MaMAW’s Academic performance Leadership/Community service experience closet - SECOND FRIDAY live music: Letters of recommendation Ben Eisenberger @ 9:30 Include with your application: And How @ 10:00 Proof of residency (ex: state ID, school ID, saturday, September 15, 2p & US mail letter verification) Sunday, september 16, 2p Transcript (official or unofficial) “MaMAW’s Estate Sale” 2 Letters of Recommendation Proof of post high school enrollment (upon September 15th, 2pm - 4pm selection) - Stop by and purchase all the crafts Completed applications are due by and artwork created and donated to September 15, 2019.

MaMAW’s House over the three-week For full requirements, details, and how to residency at Tiny House. submit, please visit www.bffomaha.org All unsold items will be donated.

YOUR FREE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY WHAT’S YOUR FOCUS? WWW.FOCUSOMAHA.COM www.focusomaha.com

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 5

Friday, September 13th, 8a Sarpy County Museum’s Fundraiser Garage Sale The Sarpy County Museum 2402 Clay St., Bellevue http://sarpycountymuseum.org/ The Sarpy County Museum’s Annual Garage Sale will be on Friday, September 13th and Saturday, September 14th from 8am-4pm. The sale will be set up at 2402 Clay Street, Bellevue, NE 68005.

Saturday, September 14, 10a-2p Aircraft Exploration Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum 28210 West Park Highway Ashland, NE Join us for a curator talk and airplane crawl through featuring the KC-97. Event begins at 10 am with a presentation on crashes and survivors. The KC-97 will be opened for public viewing immediately following the presentation and end at 2pm.

All summer, community members have ------------------------------------------------------generously donated lightly used items Saturday, September 14, 9a-1p to be sold at the sale. There is plenty of Benson Rain Garden Clean Up antique furniture, holiday decorations, Benson Rain Garden books, kitchen gadgets, and more. There We want to keep Benson Beautiful! will be a treasure with your name on it!

------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 10a Profits made from the garage sale help Benson Sketchwalk the museum to keep true to its mission (402) Arts Collective (Benson Location) of protecting, preserving and promoting 2740 N. 60th AVE, Omaha Sarpy County’s local history. Thanks to the help of the community, museum admission Walk through different areas (indoors and outdoors) of our city armed with our is always free of charge.

------------------------------------------------------- sketch pads and pencils. We focus on capturing the beautiful and interesting things Friday, September 13, 5p-9p all around us while we practice our basic 2019 Forest Festival Family Fun Night sketching technique. At the end of each Horning State Farm walk about we come back together to 2106 Horning Rd., Plattsmouth debrief and encourage one another. Bring Mark your fall calendar for fresh air and your own sketch pad, pencils and erasers fun. It’s the Forest Festival Family Fun (or paint set if you prefer) ALL FREE! Night!

------------------------------------------------------The Nebraska Forest Service wants you to #optoutside! Join us in celebrating the SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 10a -5p onset of fall with loads of nature and lots of activities for all ages. This is a free event CHALK ART FESTIVAL Midtown Crossing at Turner Park and no registration is required.

3110 Farnam St, Omaha Bring the entire family for: Free & open to the public • Campfire Building & S’mores Omaha’s second annual Chalk Art Festival • Barn Photo Booth returns to Farnam Street in Midtown • Face Painting & Kids Games Crossing, September 14 & 15. Over the • Insect Collecting & Display • course of one weekend, local artists Archery and professional madonnaris transform • Free Giveaways stretches of Farnam Street sidewalks into • Picnic Areas pastel chalk masterpieces.

• Moonlight Hike ------------------------------------------------------- In addition to watching chalk artists at Saturday, September 14, 9a work, enjoy live music, pick up lunch or Harvest Fest a treat at your favorite restaurants and Lanoha Nurseries browse neighborhood shops.

19111 West Center, Omaha Thanks to in-kind sponsor: Blick Art Fall is here and we’re ready for it! Join us Materials at our Harvest Fest event on Sept. 14 & 15.

For parking information, please visit: Food & Drink: https://www.midtowncrossing.com/visit/.

Heavenly Waffles - SAT & SUN SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 , 10a Java Daddies coffeehouse and Coffee The 5th Annual Chevy Corvette Truck - SAT & SUN Show Vendors: Huber Chevrolet, 11102 W Dodge Rd. Forged Woodworks - SAT & SUN Come out with Huber Chevy and the Wild Birds Unlimited - SAT & SUN Cornhusker Corvette Club to see their It’s All About Bees - SAT & SUN collection of Corvettes.

------------------------------------------------------- All proceeds raised will go towards Moving Veterans Forward.

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

We hope to see around 40-50 various Corvettes, ranging in year and classification.

Judging based on Corvette classes.

Registration starts at 7:30am, Drivers Meeting at 8:45am and the show will begin at 10am and Judging will be completed no later than 4pm.

402 BBQ will be out for a second consecutive year cooking their favorites and lunch will be available for purchase!

------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1p-5p Heron Haven Wetland Festival Heron Haven Nature Center 11809 Old Maple Rd, Omaha 2p Wildlife Encounnnters 4p Live Raptors 5p Butterfly Release Get close to exotic animals and see live raptors. Have your face painted, break open geodes. Walk among live buttrflies.

Make soap bubbles. Go on a scavenger hunt t find bird nests, animal tracks and more! Win a prize, Free Admission & Free Refreshments!

------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1p-5p Moonshell Storytelling Festival Mahoney State Park 28500 West Park Highway, Ashland Nebraska StoryArts celebrates the Moonshell Storytelling Festival at Mahoney State Park. Four outstanding national and regional storytellers will take part in a daylong celebration to preserve the art of storytelling. The festival will offer storytelling concerts geared toward families with special events for adults and will conclude with ghost stories in the evening.

Park entry permit required. For more info please visit www.nebraskastoryarts.org ------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2p-10p African Cultural Festival Omaha 2019 (ACFO19) Stinson Park 2232 South 64th St., Omaha Afromaha is excited to bring you ACFO19!

The Festival will showcase live Music, Dance, Arts and Crafts, and authentic African cuisine as well as a variety of organizations, businesses, student groups, and other individuals from the community who are working every day to connect with others, create a vision for themselves and their community, and inspire others to join them in their efforts.

------------------------------------------------------Saturday, September 14, 2p-10p Continental Drift Music Festival 2019 w/ Third Frate, Ten O’Clock Scholars, Bazile Mills, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, Brothers Tandem, Will McGuire, Robo Dojo & Township & Range

Fremont Lakes SRA 4349 West State Lakes Rd, Fremont The Onken-Stein Records yearly music festival returns for an 8th year and is back at the Fremont Lakes for 2019! Music is scheduled from 2-10pm and features a mix of rock, powerpop, indie-rock, Americana and singer-songwriter. This year’s lineup includes bands from Omaha, Lincoln, and Fremont.

Oh, and did we mention it’s FREE? It’s FREE. All you need is a Nebraska state park parking pass...because it’s required.

(Daily parking passes available for $6-$8, depending on vehicle.) So pile as many people into the trunk as you want and split the parking pass cost, because it’s totally allowed!

This is a BYOBeverages event, but food and drinks are available for purchase from the Tow Line restaurant near the stage.

Camping is also available. Come out early and party all day.

------------------------------------------------------SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 10a-3p The Black Family Excellence Festival Benson Park Pavilion 7028 Military Ave, Omaha Join New Rising Star and Church on Purpose in Benson Park as we bring you Health screenings, community resources, food, face painting, animal balloons, carnival games, live Mixxedfit class, live DJ, raffle prizes, FREE CONCERT, AND MUCH MUCH MORE! ------------------------------------------------------Sunday, September 15, 11a-6p Mount Michael Fall Festival Mount Michael Benedictine 22520 Mount Michael Rd., Elkhorn, NE Join us on Sunday, September 15th for Mount Michael’s Fall Festival! Voted Omaha’s Choice in the Recreation & Entertainment category of the World-Herald’s 2019 Omaha’s Choice Awards for the third year in a row, you don’t want to miss it!

Enjoy Mount Michael’s 400 acre campus and all that the Festival as to offer. The Fall Festival will again partner with Special Olympics Nebraska to host the Flag Football Invitational. Delicious food provided by the Omaha Food Truck Association, horseback and hayrack rides, giant inflatables and midway games presented by Fun Services! Fun for the whole family and admission is free. *NEW THIS YEAR* The Fall Festival for the very first time will be featuring a Beer Garden!

Family events continued onto the bottom half of page 7.

Family events continued from page 6.

------------------------------------------------------SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 11a-7p Tangier Shrine Spaghetti Feed Tangier Shrine 2823 S 84th St, Omaha Drive Thru or Dine in from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

2823 S. 84 Street (just south of 84th & Center)

Center Street, where we are Centered on Community.

Last year’s event had over 1,000 neighbors and Omahan’s the attended last year.

Renamed to CenterFest, this event will improve upon the community centered approach,expanding upon the Makers Market, Children’s Corner, a bigger and better Vis Major Brewing beer garden, and the introduction of live music and entertainment at our community mainstage.

Dinners include spaghetti, homemade meatballs, salad, bread and butter, coffee and water. A cash bar featuring beer, wine, Visit www.centerfest.org for more inpop, and mixed drinks is also available. formation and email centerfestomaha@ A limited quantity of hand-filled cannolis gmail.com with any questions or com(chocolate, vanilla, and lemon) will also be ments. available for purchase.

------------------------------------------------------Sunday, September 15, 5p Advance tickets are available for $8 each FREE Backyard Concert Series at at the Tangier Shrine Center from 8 a.m. the Jewish Community Center until 5 p.m. through Friday, Sept. 13 or 333 S. 132nd St., Omaha online through Sept. 9 here: Grab your lawn chairs and picnic blanket. https://www.tangiershrine.com/ Pack the cooler. Bring the family and event-3512222 invite your friends to the annual Backyard Concert Series at the Jewish Community Tickets at the door are $10 per person.

Center (333. South 132nd Street)! Enjoy The Spaghetti Feed is open to the public. the fresh air, funky tunes, and fun atmosphere. All concerts are FREE, open to the Proceeds are for the benefit of Tangipublic and begin at 5:00 p.m. Concerts er Shrine activities. Payments are not will be held in the JCC Pavilion, located on deductible as charitable contributions. the east side backyard of the Staenberg Questions? Call 402-392-0404.

Kooper Fellman Campus.

------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, September 15th: Rex Granite SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 12p-6p Band featuring Sarah Benck CenterFest 2019 Sunday, September 22nd: Josh Hoyer and Center Street, 34th-36th Street, Omaha Soul Colossal Join Hanscom Park Neighborhood www.jewishomaha.org/jcc/arts-and-culture/view/lectures-and-events/ Association and Vis Major Brewing Co. for our second annual closing of 35th and

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 7

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 11

The Empath Workshop, Awakenings, 7pm

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 14

Bike Night, Dr Jack’s Drinkery, 7pm Never Forget - Support Our Veterans at Memorial Park, 5am-11pm Husker Harvest Days, Wood River, 8am-5pm 9/11 Volunteer Day, Omaha National Cemetery, 9am Victims of Abuse en Español, WCA Latina Resource Center, 9am-11am Bike Night, Therapy Bar and Grill, 5pm Fun Run/Ride & Yappy Hour, Kros Strain Brewing Company, La Vista, 5:30pm Flogging Molly and Social Distortion, Harrah’s Council Bluffs, 6pm

Small Business and Nonprofit Education, The B-Side 7:30pm REDACTED & Dr. Frick, The Royal Grove Lincoln, 8pm

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 13 Omaha Restaurant Week Honeycrisp Festival Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, 9am Vintage Market Days - Believe in Wishes, Chance Ridge Event Center, 10am

Room to Breathe Women’s Only AA, WCA 6:30pm

Village Pointe Farmer’s Market, Village Pointe, 8:30am-12:30pm

Omaha AA & Grupos Latinos, 6am-11pm Cruise Ship Job Fair, Old Market Marriot, 8:30am-1:30pm

Gifford Park Neighborhood Market, North 33rd Street, 5pm-8pm Fiestas Patrias, Plaza de la Raza & South 24th Street, 5pm Omaha Lit Fest Opening Night Party, Wilson & Washburn, 6pm-9pm

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Community Advisory Committee Meeting, UNO Engagement Center Moondance The Union for Contemporary Art, 7pm Rm 118, 9am Harvest Market, Prairie In Bloom, 10am OPL Booksale, Omaha Public Library Swanson Branch, 10am Council Bluff’s Farmer’s Market, Bayliss Park, 4:30pm-7:30pm Vegan Ice Cream Cookie Class, Hardy Coffee 30th Street, 5pm

Battle of the Bands The Royal Grove Lincoln, 7pm Friday the Thirteenth: The Final Chapter, La Vista Alamo Drafthouse, 8pm Anna Keiser X Scout Fashion Show, Scout: Dry Goods & Trade, 9pm Reggae on the River, River City Star, Freedom Park Road, 9pm-Midnight

Railroads in Native America, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, Council Bluffs, 5pm ArteLatinX Exhibition Opening Reception, El Museo Latino, 6pm-8pm

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

African Cultural Festival Stinson Park, 2pm

DU Bazaar Honeycrisp Festival, Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, The Down Under Lounge, 3pm 9am Marvel Trivia Bar Crawl, Dubliner Pub, 4p Harvestfest, Lanoha Nurseries, 9am-5pm Oktoberfest 2019 Railroads in Native America, Union Pacific Keystone Event Center, 6pm Railroad Museum, Council Bluffs, 9am-6pm Reggae night | The B. Bar, 9pm Omaha Lit Fest Main Event, The Venue at 24 Hour Cardlock, The Electroliners and Highlander, 10am-5pm Korey Anderson The Down Under Lounge, 9pm Oktoberfest, Benson Brewery, 11am Fall Festival, Cottonwood Park, 11am-1pm Purozacarecassax & Invierno Norteno The Royal Grove Lincoln, 9pm Fiestas Patrias, Plaza de la Raza & South Andrew Bailie, Dubliner Pub, 9:30pm 24th Street, NOON

Genealogy Workshop, Milton R. Abrahams OPL Branch, 10am Wetland Festival Omaha AA & Grupos Hispanos, Omaha Area Heron Haven Park, 1pm-5pm Railroads in Native America, Union Central Office, 6:45pm Pacific Railroad Museum, Council Bluffs, Rare Breed: Cartoonists and Commentators, 11:30am-7:30pm The B-Side, 7pm Harptacular, Omaha Conservatory of Music, Time Upon Registration Image Candle Magic with Papa Newt, Next Millennium, 7pm Friday the Thirteenth Tattoo Seance, Black Squirrel Tattoo, 2pm-10pm You Are Here: A Come From Away Story , Marcus Majestic Cinema of Omaha, 7pm Reiki Oracle Card Readings, Next Millennium, 3pm Hamilton, Orpheum Theatre, 7:30pm

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12

Chalk Art Festival, Turner Park, 2pm

DJ Lucas Krance Parliament Pub West, 10pm

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 15 Omaha Marathon, TD Ameritrade Park Omaha Farmer’s Market, Aksarben Village, 9am-1pm Railroads in Native America, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, 9am-1pm Monthly Collector’s Show Hilton Council Bluffs, 9am-6pm The Black Family Excellence Festival, Benson Park, 10am-3pm Florence Mill Farmer’s Market, North 30th Street, 10am-3pm Fiestas Patrias, Plaza de la Raza & South 24th Street, NOON CenterFest, Center Street 34th - 36th Street, NOON-6pm Sound Exploration Bancroft Street Market, 1p

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16 Honeycrisp Festival Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, 9am Scare Away Cancer 2019 Oak Hills Country Club, 10:30am Bill Murray Movie Monday The Down Under Lounge, 3pm Social Media Marketing Workshop Do Space, 4pm-7pm Teen Support Group, WCA, 5pm-6pm Must Love Dogs Singles Mizer Turner Park, 5:30pm-7:30pm Domestic Violence Support Group, WCA, 6pm Learn to Belly Dance Benson Community Center, 6pm Ceramic Jewelry Making, MCC, 6pm

Joslyn Castle Public Tour, Joslyn Castle, 1pm-4pm

Making Space: Designing with Purpose, OutrSpaces, 7pm-8:30pm

Bill Sammon - Acoustic, Dam Bar, 3p

John Hughes Movie Trivia Stoli’s Lounge, 7pm-9pm

Down Under: FloodToberFest The Down Under Lounge, 4pm Not U Two Lombardo’s Bistro & Bar, 4:30pm MEGA FEST 2019 The Needle Bar Tattoo Parlor, 4:30pm Backyard Concert Series: Rex Granite Band feat. Sarah Benck JCC Omaha, 5pm

40th Anniversary Tour UB40

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 The Royal Grove Lincoln, 8pm Tuesday, September 17, 2019 Honeycrisp Festival, Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, 9am

Fishheads Live at Surfside, 5pm

Intuitive Numerology Readings, NExt Millennium, 3pm-7pm

Open Jam Session at The Jewell, 6pm

Drawing From Life Drop-Ins Hot Shops Art Center, 6pm

Sunday Jazz Club at The Omaha Lounge, 6p  Speed Dating, Empire Room, 6pm Singles Night, Empire Room, 7pm Weaving 101, MCC, 6pm Interpol, Holland Center, 7:30pm Crystals 101, Awakenings, 7pm Commonweather//Flight Club// Noodle Boy//Knee Breaker Acoustic Open Mic,The New Frontier Bar, 7p Dr Jack’s Drinkery, 8pm Survivors of Suicide Support Group Sunday-Night Karaoke at The DU! First Christian Church, 7:30pm The Down Under Lounge, 10pm Open Mic Stand-up Comedy The Backline Comedy Theatre, 9pm Science Cafe, Slowdown, 7pm

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 11

Truly, if you haven’t heard about Hamilton, you must have been living under a rock.

Or riding an asteroid somewhere in outer space.

The historically based hip-hop musical with the multi-racial cast makes its Omaha debut this week and easily is one of the mostly hotly anticipated shows to hit the city in years.

Created by the immensely talented LinManuel Miranda, Hamilton, has become a cultural touchstone. How well received is it?

Well, “Hamilton” picked up 11 Tony Awards, a Grammy Award for best musical theater album and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, the immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right -hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary.

As some have said, it is the story of America then, as told by America now. The score features a mix of hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway. Miranda based his story on Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton.

The show led to a museum exhibition in Chicago that further highlights the life of Hamilton, but it’s the stage show that has captured the nation’s imagination.

Chris Jones wrote in The Chicago Tribune – “It was inspired by Ron Chernow’s

masterwork of a biography, but Hamilton is many things. A reinvention of the musical.

An overdue diversification of a stolid form.

A loving tribute to the empty chairs and empty tables of the shows that have gone before. A reminder that America was built by young risk-takers, not serious old white men who stare out at us from currency about to become obsolete. But it is most of all a meditation on that most American of debates — the rewards and limits of ambition and an exploration of what gives us all our best shot at happiness.”

The soundtrack or Miranda’s mixtape that led to the show are must-haves, but there is so much more that makes Hamilton, a theatrical milestone.

continued on page 13

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

Earlier this summer, Mary Carole McCauley wrote in The Baltimore Sun: “In the very best musicals, the show itself is the star.

Individual performers — regardless of how talented they may be— can be replaced without any obvious loss of quality. Hamilton, is one of those musicals.”

McCauley elaborated that as Miranda read Chernow’s biography, “He was struck by the similarities between the founding fathers and rap pioneers, from their literary virtuosity and relentless work ethic to their self-destructive tendencies and sex scandals.

“To emphasize that point, all of the major characters, from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette who in real life were white are portrayed by performers of color who

alternate between performing rap songs and R&B ballads”. Hamilton, is a phenomenon and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. You will want to be able to tell your friends you saw it.

Omaha Performing Arts has done it again.

Tickets are available at www.TicketOmaha. com or at the Ticket Omaha Box Office in the Holland Center.

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 13

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Cash donations Silent Auction during Event All proceeds from Brats which were donated by Hy-Vee will go towards restoration Wellies will be available for donations.

No Cover, but $5 suggested

It all started when George Prescott, who plays in several local bands including Daniel and the Deliverance and Bed Rock, made a Facebook post asking local bands why they weren’t putting on more flood relief shows.

Local musician Daniel Butler and Prescott have already put on several benefits including one to help Falconwood and River West Parks which raised over $2,000 with the help of local bar owner John Nosal from The Downunder located on 35th and Leavenworth.

Nosal has had his own personal experience in dealing with floods in Minot, North Dakota where he was helping to turn around a restaurant concept in 2011.

Nosal talked to Focus about having to deal with FEMA and the Federal Government as a flood victim adding, “It was a horrible experience.”

Nosal concluded, “Hopefully people never have to experience being a flood victim, but for those that have we want to be there for them.”

For this benefit, they wanted to focus on something arts related and pick one specific cause. Nosal has a friend in Hamburg, Ia. and asked how they could help in their area. She immediately brought up the Colonial Theater.

According to the Hamburg Reporter, the flood waters completely inundated the building, which was opened prior to 1926, on March 18. The board had an initial goal of raising $100,000 to repair and replace damages from the flooding which wasn’t aided by a glitch in Facebook donations resulting in them having to be returned to the donors due to regulations.

The theater is currently re-opened but at last check they still don’t have all of the seating installed.

Floodtoberfest September 15 5pm Downunder 3530 Leavenworth St, Omaha, Nebraska 68105 Getcha Sum Daniel and the Deliverance Bedrock Dr. Webb The Shineys

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Realtors(R) Applaud White House Efforts to Advance Fannie, Freddie Reform Discussions Share

By Eric Cano

National Association of Realtors® President John Smaby issued the following statement commending the Trump administration for its efforts to reform America’s housing finance system. The White House this afternoon released a proposal to reform operations of the Government Sponsored Enterprises and the Department of Housing and Urban Development that it had been working towards since the President made the issue a top priority earlier this year.

“The National Association of Realtors® thanks President Trump and his administration for initiating thoughtful, genuine effort toward housing finance reform. We look forward to reviewing the proposal in more detail and are optimistic that, at a minimum, the White House’s efforts will shed light on the remaining mile markers on the path to reform, along with the critical role the GSEs and Federal Housing Administration play in America’s housing market,” said Smaby, a

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second-generation Realtor® and broker at Edina Realty in Edina, Minnesota.

“NAR continues working with the White House and Congress as we move closer to securing palatable, pragmatic improvements to our housing finance system, and we maintain our belief that NAR’s blueprint for GSE reform represents the best path forward for this system and our economy. Our proposed utility model, as any successful reforms must, highlights competition, protects taxpayers and remedies the failures of the pre-crisis system while ensuring equal access for responsible, mortgage-ready Americans in every market, safeguarding the role the GSEs were intended to play in our housing market.”

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Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 17

Federally Mandated State Law Now Requires More Comprehensive Background Checks for Child Care Workers

By Focus Omaha

Lincoln – A new provision in Nebraska law went into effect this month requiring all child-care workers in the state undergo federal background checks, including FBI fingerprinting, to work for a state-licensed child-care provider. The law change comes after senators passed LB 460 during this year’s legislative session.

LB 460 updated existing state law to bring Nebraska into compliance with the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, which funds child-care licensing activities in the state.

“Nebraska receives over $30 million annually in federal payments for an array of activities supporting quality child-care,” said Karen Heng, Deputy Director for the Division of Children and Family Services, which administers Nebraska’s child-care subsidy program. “While updating the law allows the state to continue to utilize federal funds to provide child-care subsidies

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for some Nebraskans, it also further strengthens DHHS’ efforts to ensure safety for Nebraska’s children.”

Beginning October 1, 2019, all potential new employees at licensed child-care providers must complete the expanded background checks before beginning work. Existing providers and provider staff have two years, until October 1, 2021, to complete full federal background checks.

The new law also requires all child-care staff to undergo federal background checks no less than once every five years.

Employees or potential employees who refuse to consent to Federal background checks, or who knowingly make a false statement concerning a background check or who have been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude, violence or dishonesty are ineligible for employment with licensed child-care providers in Nebraska. Any child

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

care provider that employs an ineligible child care staff member will be ineligible for a license and unable to participate in the child care subsidy program.

Nebraska Biocontainment Unit is topic of Omaha Science Café on Sept. 17

“FBI background checks provide the highest Clinical coordinator Morgan Shradar is and most accurate account of individual featured speaker identities,” said Heng.

Morgan Shradar, BSN, a clinical coordinator More than 12,000 people work for 3,400 for the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit licensed child-care providers in Nebraska.

(NBU) at Nebraska Medicine, will discuss the unit at the Sept. 17 Omaha Science Café at 7 p.m. at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Shradar began her career with Nebraska Medicine as an operating room nurse in 2000 and quickly established herself as a leader in the surgery department. She stepped into a charge nurse role in 2007, was nurse manager from 2015-2019, heading up surgery, pre-op, post-anesthesia care unit, the cardiac catheterization lab, continued on page 19

interventional radiology and endoscopy.

One of her most notable experiences has been in serving in the state-of-the-art biocontainment unit, one of only a few nationwide where patients infected with the Ebola virus were treated in 2014.

Shradar joined the biocontainment team in 2009 and participated in care of the patients transferred from Western Africa in 2014, along with the quarantined individuals in 2015 and most recently in late 2018 and early 2019. She is an educator with the National Ebola Treatment and Education Center and coordinated the drills and training for the NBU staff at Nebraska Medicine.

topic of conversation. A scientist gives a brief presentation followed by a Q-and-A period.

Pizza will be provided for the first 50 people.

For more information about Science Cafes, go to www.unmc.edu/sciencecafe.

We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.

Shradar has had articles published in OR Manager, been interviewed for Nebraska Public Television’s coverage of Ebola and spoken at industry gatherings like the American Nurses Credentialing Center National Magnet Conference, the World Congress Healthcare Supply Chain Summit, and various webinars. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Saint Mary.

Science CafĂŠs involve a face-to-face conversation with a scientist about current science topics. They are open to everyone (21 and older) and take place in casual settings like pubs and coffeehouses. Each meeting is organized around an interesting

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 19

Friday, September 13, 7p The Battle of the Bands The Royal Grove 340 W Cornhusker Highway, Lincoln This is an All Ages event.

The Royal Grove is pleased to announce our 1st ever Battle of the Bands, a Nebraska music showcase which will take place on September 13th. Up to 10 Nebraska bands will compete for the most votes, with the top two bands receiving a cash prize & the opportunity to be direct local support for a nationally touring headliner.

TICKETS: $5.00 General Admission

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sunday, september 15. 1p A Toast to Imagination: Waverly Community Library Fundraiser Deer Springs Winery 16255 Adams St, Lincoln ATTENTION: BOOK, WINE AND LIVE MUSIC LOVERS!

Join us at Deer Springs Winery for an afternoon of wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music to support the Waverly Community Library.

TICKET COST: $30.00 per ticket for 1 glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres Limited quantity of tickets available the day of the event; so get yours now!

LOCATION: Deer Springs Winery is conveniently located 10 minutes from Waverly and Lincoln at 162nd and Adams Street, two miles east of 148th Street [16255 Adams St, Lincoln, NE 68527] LIVE MUSIC: Anne Bremer from Waverly from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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 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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thru oct 11 NWU Elder Gallery Exhibit: “Low Form Frequency” Rogers Center for Fine Arts, Elder Gallery 50th Street & Huntington Ave. Lincoln, NE NWU artists Josh Johnson and Allison Wade explore the possibilities of contemporary sculpture with a range of materials including wood, fibers, metal and clay.

The exhibit will be featured from August 27th through October 11.

Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Free admission

HORS D’OEUVRES: Parker’s Smokehouse, Ashland, NE

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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.

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The Pipeline Looks More Like a Broken Water Main

By Focus Omaha

Once again, the Huskers seem unable to close out a game. There are a few things we can take away from this one: 1. This isn’t the UCF Knights of the American Athletic Conference whose stiffest competition in the regular season was Memphis. The media honeymoon is over and Frost isn’t wielding Harry Potter’s magic wand to miraculously fix this team in one season.

week and it’s taking its toll on me in practice and during the week,” Horne said. “But I’m holding up pretty good, I think. I’m trying to put a few pounds on every chance I get.”

Nebraska tries to overcome underwhelming offensive performance

By Dr. K

While people in Nebraska want to talk about the defense’s letdown in the 4th quarter against Colorado, what was lost is that the offense played a reasonably good game which bodes well as they have a very favorable matchup against Northern Illinois this week

It’s hard to walk into a major college program straight from High School and get rocked. Martinez took a lot of hits last year, The Husker’s overall offensive average is it remains to be seen if this is the problem or 1.45 after 2 games (1.00 is average around the country) while Northern Illinois’ overall he’s just off to a slow start. defensive average is a rotten 0.27.

Look for the Huskers to redeem themselves Running the ball, the dominance is even 2. Take the Offensive Line, for example. this week against a less than stellar NIU There’s not one Senior starter and it shows. team. Just like last year, expect the Huskers greater with the Huskers at 1.40 and the Did anyone else notice lineman looking lost, to improve each week. Only time will tell if it NIU rush defense at an even worse .04. The not shifting properly, and looking for players will be enough by the time we reach the Big only place that it looks like a fair fight when Nebraska has the ball is in the passing game to block?

Ten schedule. which is basically even with Big Red at .95 and the Huskies at 1.05.

3. Adrian Martinez looks, for the moment, P.S: To the fan that threw his ball cap and like he’s lost his edge. My fear factor with screamed a chorus of foul language in the this is we’ve started players too early in the parking lot of Union Pizzeria after the past who took a pounding and were never game.....it’s not that serious!!! the same. Running Backs DeAngelo Evans and David Horne were good examples of this. Horne was quoted in The Grand Island Independent in 2002 as saying, “All the players are bigger, hit harder and Photo: Huskers.com everything is “10 times faster” than it was in Scott Bruhn/Nebraska Communications high school. I’m taking a big pounding every

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When Northern Illinois has the ball, its overall offense is 1.06 v. Huskers’ overall defense of .72. When rushing the ball, NIU may struggle a bit at .78 versus the Blackshirts’ .98. If there is a weakness in the Husker defense it is in giving up the big pass play and the Huskies passing attack is at .89 while the Huskers’ pass defense is at an abysmal 0.50.

But the huge advantages that the Huskers have on offense---especially running the ball---should allow Big Red to score at will and score about as much as they want in the game. This is not the same NIU defense that came into Lincoln 2 years ago and stole a victory with 2 Pick 6’s from Tanner Lee. NU rolls over NIU by 45-10

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 23

Upside Down: What Does the Yield Curve Suggest About Growth?

By Michael Herek On August 14, 2019, the Dow Jones Industrial Avenue plunged 800 points, losing 3% of its value in its biggest drop of the year.

The Nasdaq Composite also lost 3%, while the S&P 500 lost 2.9%.1

affected by the funds rate, while increasing global demand for longer-term Treasuries.

Even at lower rates, U.S. Treasuries offer relatively safe yields that cannot be obtained elsewhere.7

itive side, unemployment remains low and consumer spending continues to drive the economy, but it remains to be seen how long consumers can carry the economic weight.12

The Fed lowered the federal funds rate by 0.25% in late July, the first drop in more than a decade. While this slightly reduced shortterm Treasury yields, it contributed to the Inversion as an indicator demand for long-term bonds as investors An inversion of the two-year and 10-year anticipated declining interest rates. When notes has occurred before each recession interest rates fall, prices on existing bonds over the past 50 years, with only one “false rise and yields decline. So the potential for positive” in that time. It does not indicate From short to long timing or severity but has reliably predicted further action by the Fed led investors to 8 Yield relates to the return on capital a recession within the next one to two years. lock in long-term yields at current prices. invested in a bond. When prices rise due to A recent Federal Reserve study suggested Economic headwinds increased demand, yields fall and vice versa. that an inversion of the three-month and 10- Even if these technical factors are distortThe yield curve is a graph with the daily year Treasuries — which occurred in March ing the yield curve, the high demand for yields of U.S. Treasury securities plotted by and May 2019 — is an even more reliable longer-term Treasuries represents a flight maturity. The slope of the curve represents indicator, predicting a recession in about 12 to safety — a shift of investment dollars the difference between yields on short-dat- months.5 into low-risk government securities — and ed bonds and long-dated bonds. Normally, it a pessimistic economic outlook. One day Is it different this time? curves upward as investors demand higher after the initial two-year/10-year inversion, Some analysts believe that the yield curve yields to compensate for the risk of lending may no longer be a reliable indicator due to the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond fell money over a longer period. This suggests below 2% for the first time. This suggests that investors expect stronger growth in the the Federal Reserve’s unprecedented balance sheet of Treasury securities — original- that investors see decades of low inflation future, with the prospect of rising inflation and tepid growth.9 ly built to increase the money supply as an and higher interest rates. antidote to the Great Recession. Although The flight to safety is being driven by many The curve flattens when the rates converge the Fed has trimmed the balance sheet, it factors, including the U.S.-China trade war because investors are willing to accept lower continues to buy bonds in large quantities to and a global economic slowdown. Five of rates to keep their money invested in Treareplace maturing securities. This reduces the the world’s largest economies — Germany, suries for longer terms. A flat yield curve supply of Treasuries and increases pressure Britain, Italy, Brazil, and Mexico — are at risk suggests that inflation and interest rates are on yields when demand rises, as it has in of a recession and others are struggling.10 expected to stay low for an extended period recent months.6 Although the United States remains strong of time, signaling economic weakness.

At the same time, the Fed has consistently by comparison, there are concerns about Parts of the curve started inverting in late raised its benchmark federal funds rate over weak business investment and a manufac2018, so the recent inversions were not the last three years in response to a stronger turing slowdown, both weighed down by the completely unexpected. However, investors U.S. economy, while other central banks uncertainty of the trade war and costs of the tend to focus on the spread between the have kept their policy rates near or below tariffs.11 Inflation has been persistently low broadly traded two-year and 10-year notes.4 zero in an effort to stimulate their sluggish since the last recession, generally staying economies. This has raised yields on shortbelow the 2% rate that the Fed considers term Treasuries, which are more directly optimal for economic growth. On the pos-

Regardless of further movement of the yield curve, there are likely to be market ups and downs for many other reasons in the coming months. Historically, the stock market has rallied in the period between an inversion and the beginning of a recession, so investors who overreacted lost out on potential gains.13 Of course, past performance does not guarantee future results. While economic indicators can be helpful, it’s important to make investment decisions based on your own risk tolerance, financial goals, and time horizon.

The slide started with bad economic news from Germany and China, which triggered a flight to the relative safety of U.S. Treasury securities. High demand briefly pushed the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note below the two-year note for the first time since 2007.2 This is referred to as a yield curve inversion, which has been a reliable predictor of past recessions. The shortlived inversion spooked the stock market, which recovered only to see the curve begin a series of inversions a week later.3

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Market bounceback

U.S. Treasury securities are guaranteed by the federal government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. The principal value of Treasury securities fluctuates with market conditions. If not held to maturity, they could be worth more or less than the original amount paid. The return and principal value of stocks fluctuate with changes in market conditions. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The performance of an unmanaged index is not indicative of the performance of any specific security. Individuals cannot invest directly in any index.

1-2, 13) The Wall Street Journal, August 14, 2019 3) CNBC.com, August 23, 2019 4-5) Reuters, August 13, 2019 6) Forbes.com, August 16, 2019 7-9) The Wall Street Journal, August 16, 2019 10, 12) CNN, August 14 and 18, 2019 11) Reuters, July 1, 2019

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 25

It’s Time to Fertilize

By John Fech- Horticulture Extension Educator At Nebraska Extension Is your lawn a bit lackluster? After a long summer of bugs and fungus, it could be. September is an ideal time to feed turf, because the cool nights and warm days favor its growth and development.

Because bluegrasses naturally send out more rhizomes in fall than in summer, lawn recovery is enhanced with fall fertilization. Tall fescue lawns will benefit as well.

Apply a slow-release nitrogen product to the turf now at the rate of 0.75 lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. To calculate the pounds of fertilizer product needed to deliver this rate, divide the pounds of nitrogen/1000 ft. desired by the first number in the fertilizer analysis expressed as a percentage. Next, simply multiply the fertilizer needed/1000 sq. ft. by the number of 1000 sq. ft. units in your lawn. For example, if 0.75 lb.

N/1000 sq. ft. if desired on a 5000 sq. ft. lawn and you are using 28-3-6 fertilizer, the first calculation is 0.75/0.28, which equals 2.67 lbs. of product per 1,000

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sq. ft. Next, multiply 2.67 lbs. times 5 to determine that 13.39 lbs. of fertilizer should be applied to the lawn. This final calculated amount can be rounded up or down slightly to help with weighing out of the product. A simple kitchen scale can be used to weigh out the correct amount.

Hm…what if I just set the dial on the recommended number on the lawn spreader and start walking over the lawn with the product? If the fertilizer product makes specific recommendations for the specific brand of spreader that you are using, it’s a fairly reasonable approach.

The spreader can be out of calibration, delivering too much or too little because of wear and tear, but overall, it’s a decent way to apply the fertilizer. However, if the fertilizer bag does not have a listing for the specific spreader being used, there is no way to know which setting should be used.

If the specific information is not on the bag, the light, medium and heavy

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37

approach should be used, with the 0.75 lb./1,000 sq. ft. recommended above in the medium-heavy range. Calibration of the product will begin with setting the dial to about 2/3rds of the way from light to heavy, and applying the amount for a thousand square feet to a pre-marked area of the lawn. If there is product left in the spreader hopper after the application,

the setting was too light. If you run out of product before covering the 1,000 sq. ft. area, it was too heavy. Make adjustments accordingly and re-calibrate and finish the application.

YOUR FREE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY WWW.FOCUSOMAHA.COM

Focus | September 11 - September 17 | Volume 3 Issue 37 27

Jason and I discussed some motives included in the book that drive the customs of near America. In 2072, the Basic Human Standard is enacted by the coastal cosmopolitan “white zones” of the globe which are committed to passive manipulation and stay loyal to corruption in order to reach total economic conformity. To quote Wade Barrineau, an imprisoned preacher from the book, “Misinformation is the most powerful information.”

Jason McMillan, The Grey Zone

By Tatiana Ballinger

Jason McMillian is a loyal byproduct of Omaha, Nebraska, born, raised, resides here, and is the author of a second edition science fiction thriller called The Grey Zone. It’s available for purchase as an audiobook read

by Cheryl May on Audible, or classic DIY print found on Amazon.com.

Hours of research on the fractals of technology, culture, and science led Jason to expand on a collection of short stories previously written during some college days as he explained during our interview. Constructive criticism, fan fiction, and discussion are welcome to accompany the futuristic America Jason has put together in tandem with the flowing current of social justice as it stands today.

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“The Grey Zone was directly inspired by the Oklahoma City bombings,” Jason said, along with other civil terrorist attacks that occur in our country regardless of motive.

McMillian personally defines terrorism as “violence to achieve a political act or result” and illustrates this factually in the book under futuristic “harsh structures” through “broken lenses of illumination.” Stemming from the author’s leftist political identity, the verisimilar socialist America portrayed in The Grey Zone is just a few close decades away from our nation’s denial of its privileged isolationism.

Readers will explore renegade intuitions of theory versus action and neo-liberal welfare versus military rule. See satire bare her elusive shape-shifting crown when you read a preacher’s personal Bible, meet fundamentalist individuals in jails, on highspeed rails, in bobbing taxi cabs and the original aerothallus. The narrator takes you to weirdly specific locations around the country decades into the future with the same types of people you presently know, but who are affiliated politically in order to survive eleven fleshy days after an anonymous attack.

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There is a creeping theme of archaic pagan irony of the Santa Claus pique outliving centuries of destruction yet still bodiless distant eyes calculate the mundane survivalism of the anthill of Earth. A lurking judgement day confuses interpersonal ethics among characters. Existential questioning light the gas lamps of rabbit holes to distort even the most prized philosophers of the white zone to forms of acceptable Imperialism.

Stockholm syndrome submerges pons on the white zone.

Images of “early morning moonlight,” and epic moods of “dormant emotion” lie in the pages of The Grey Zone. The keyword here is “fiction,” folks of Focus. The Grey Zone is written in the third person with no clear bias to any one character, maybe not until the sequel that is under construction since last winter. Will the omnipotent narrator be revealed in the sequel? Get to know the myriad of common folk turned martyrs for malleable truths before the series unfolds.

The Basic Human Standard emphasizes the positives of “good” socialism, sweeping negatives under the rug. Over filtered water, we agreed the white zones are not much different than American climates today. The Black Zones are comparable to late confederacies; pockets of anarchistic currencies.

The President of the United States is reduced to a charade. Drones are like perennial cicadas delivering packages and intruding on the privacy of unincorporated complicit territories of the Grey Zone.

“My book is a brilliant vehicle to inspire people about what is going on in the world,” Jason said, and the fly-on-the-wall narrator replies, “Only a fool would fight an opponent they do not understand.” Try and understand the world through reading The Grey Zone.

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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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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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