Omaha Magazine - March/April 2019 - The CBD Issue

KATHMANDU MOMO STATION || OMAHA TRIBAL DISENROLLMENT || THE HOTTMAN SISTERS || BEST LAWYERS

MARCH/APRIL 2019

THE HAZY LEGALITY OF

CBD, HEMP,

CANNABIS W H AT ' S L E G A L? W H AT ' S N O T ?

U.S.

$4.95

TAB L E of CON T E N T S THE USUAL SUSPECTS 004 From the Editor 006 Between the Lines 008 Calendar of Events 042 History

Elmwood Park Paved for a Parking Lot

062 Adventure

Boarding with Kristen Macdissi

064 Adventure

Costa Rican Surf Retreat

105 Obviously Omaha

You Say “Tomato,” I Say “Bloody Mary”

129 Explore!

133 Instagram 134 Not Funny

Two Habits to Save the World

A R T S + C U LT U R E 018 Music

The Hottman Sisters

022 Art

Barber in Conversation

026 Theater

Catie Zaleski

030 Cinema

034

F E AT U R E S

034 044 // 2 //

Cover

THE CONFUSION OF CANNABIDIOL “CBD Madness” Sweeps Nebraska Essay

FIGHTING THE COLONIZER INSIDE

Traditional Kinship, Blood Quantum, and Disenrollment from the Omaha Tribe

MARCH/APRIL 2019

Georg Joutras’ Ocean of Grass

GIVING 082 Feature

A Legacy of Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes

085 Giving Calendar PE O P L E 066 Sports

Lukas Buchta, UNO Hockey

070 Faith

Urban Missionaries, Wes and Candy Zollicoffer

074 Ideas

Strawberry-Blue Olive, TEDx Omaha

THE 2018 GRE AT PL AINS J OUR N A LIS M AWA RDS

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR 60PLUS IN OMAHA

KATHMANDU MOMO STATION || OMAHA TRIBAL DISENROLLMENT || THE HOTTMAN SISTERS || BEST LAWYERS

089 60Plus Opener 090 Feature

MARCH/APRIL 2019

Phyllis Hicks and The Omaha Star

094 Nostalgia

DISCOVER VIDEOS AND ONLINE EXTRAS

for select content in this issue.

THE HAZY LEGALITY OF

Dick Turpin on Nebraskan Turkeys

CBD, HEMP,

CANNABIS

098 Active Living

W H AT ' S L E G A L? W H AT ' S N O T ?

Master Scuba Diver Shirley Ortman

102 Health

Opiate Addiction and Seniors U.S.

DINING 106 Review

Kathmandu Momo Station

110 Profile

Cake and Destroy’s Elise Fertwagner

114 Feature

Latino Legacy’s Family Restaurant

118 Dining Guide SPECIAL SECTIONS 048 The Best Lawyers in America

$4.95

A B O U T T HE COV E R Four states (Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, and Idaho) prohibit hemp-derived CBD following the recent legalization of hemp at the federal level. On Jan. 24, Idaho State Police busted a truck driver transporting 6,701 pounds of cannabis from Oregon to Colorado. The Idaho State Police say it’s marijuana. The Colorado-based company, Big Sky Scientific, says the shipment is industrial hemp for CBD. Meanwhile, the driver is stuck in limbo, facing a mandatory punishment of at least five years in prison and a minimum fine of $15,000. Marijuana and hemp are different varieties of the same plant, cannabis sativa. While marijuana is cultivated for high THC content, hemp has less than 0.3 percent THC. Photo by Bill Sitzmann.

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FROM THE EDITOR // LETTER BY DOUG MEIGS, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

LEGAL CBD, MEDICAL CANNABIS, AND IN BETWEEN CANCER, GLAUCOMA, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis

C, ulcerative colitis, PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, opioid addiction, severe and persistent muscle spasms, epilepsy, and seizures— these are some of the ailments that State Sen. Anna Wishart’s bill, LB110 (“Adopt the Medical Cannabis Act”), would potentially help treat through the creation of a Cannabis Enforcement Department tasked with reviewing and approving applications for medical cannabis use.

Intractable epilepsy, in particular, led to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s approval of Epidiolex—the only drug derived from cannabis that is approved at the federal level. Unlike the broad classification of medical cannabis—which also includes cannabis with high concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—Epidiolex has been refined to remove THC and its associated psychoactive properties. In other words, Epidiolex won’t get you high. Likewise goes the claims of other CBD products not yet approved by the FDA. Epidiolex is the subject of an ongoing University of Nebraska Medical Center research study in Omaha, and it’s available by prescription. Meanwhile, across Nebraska, non-prescription CBD health products have become increasingly available despite unclear legality.

With CBD products proliferating across the Omaha metro, writer Sean McCarthy set out to explore the story of CBD in Nebraska from varied perspectives. He spoke with the Omaha-based startup Populum.

He investigated diverging enforcement practices. He met with holistic health providers and farmers who believe cannabis production would benefit Nebraska’s agricultural economy.

McCarthy focused on the story of CBD from a legal perspective. But there is also a medical side to the story that is important. To touch on the medical story of CBD, Omaha Magazine spoke with Nikki Perry. In 2018,

her 9-year-old son, Max, began taking CBD to treat his severe seizures. She shares their experiences with epilepsy and Epidiolex: How have seizures affected your son’s life?

“Max was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 4. He’s had febrile seizures since he was 18 months old. He has focal epilepsy in his left temporal lobe. Max has had two brain surgeries to stop his seizures.

The first at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the second at New York University’s Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. Neither surgery has eliminated his seizures. Max has tried at least seven different seizure medications, and he has an implanted vagus nerve stimulation device.

“He has a very hard time tolerating the many types of medications. He’s had many different side effects ranging from changes in appetite to changes in behavior. They can cause aggression, depression, lack of impulse control, obsessive-compulsive disorder, hypersensitivity to light, lack of sweating, loss of social skills, rash, and the list goes on. He has to have blood work regularly and his body gets used to the meds, so they need to be increased often, yet higher doses cause more side effects.

“It’s taken years to find a combination that allows him to function. He is currently on three seizure medications and three behavior medications. He was also diagnosed with autism at age 5.

Epilepsy affects every part of his daily life. He can have seizures from heat, lack of sleep, stress, changes in medications, and illness. Needless to say, it’s been difficult.”

Were you apprehensive to introduce CBD in your son’s treatment regimen?

“Absolutely, we felt apprehension before starting. The stigma around CBD is very high. However, Max’s neurologist at NY U—Dr. Orrin Devinsky, who helped pioneer studies for Epidiolex

MARCH/APRIL

// 4 //

2019

approval—was very helpful in answering any questions we had. Also, seeing other children’s success and going through the heartache of watching your child continue to have seizures and not be able to do a damn thing, as a parent, you will try anything. Max was on so many other medications that it couldn’t hurt. In addition, you have to tell yourself, it won’t make him high, it doesn’t have THC.” How have you advocated for CBD as a treatment option?

“The f ight to get CBD approved has been long. I want the public to remember, CBD doesn’t have THC. It’s not having your child smoke a joint. It’s an FDA-approved medication that could have life-changing results. It’s a very responsible thing to do as a parent. A few years back, representing helpless parents like myself, I spoke to the Nebraska Legislature and told Max’s story. There were many other families with stories much like our own. There were children having more seizures and fewer seizures than Max. Witnessing this disease is heartbreaking.

Thirty percent of people with epilepsy are resistant to medications. Lack of seizure control is the biggest problem, and not being able to get access to a medication that very well could eliminate seizures because of a stigma just isn’t fair.” *A photo of Max and Nikki Perry is featured in the March/April issue’s cover story, “The Confusion of Cannabidiol.”

Additional Nebraskan perspectives on the medical use of cannabis (from which CBD is derived) can be found on Omaha Magazine’s website.

* Note: the hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover, and it does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition.

MARCH // APRIL 2019 VOLUME 37 // ISSUE 1

EDITORIAL Executive Editor

DOUG MEIGS

ELEGANCE

Managing Editor

DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN

REIMAGINED

Senior Editor

TARA SPENCER

SHOPPING HOURS

Editorial Interns

PUMULO KASAJI · ASHTON NANNINGA · KATE SMITH

Monday-Friday 10 am-8 pm Saturday 10 am-7 pm | Sunday 12 pm-5 pm

Contributing Writers

J.D. AVANT · LEO ADAM BIGA · TAMSEN BUTLER MARISA MIAKONDA CUMMINGS · GREG JERRETT · JARED KENNEDY JOSEFINA LOZA WELLS · LISA LUKECART · SEAN MCCARTHY WILL PATTERSON · NIZ PROSKOCIL · RYAN ROENFELD KARA SCHWEISS · SARAH WENGERT · JUSTINE YOUNG

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Pottery Barn Kids | Rhylan Lang Tilly | White House Black Market Williams-Sonoma

Graphic Designer II

MADY BESCH

Contributing Photographers

KEITH BINDER · COLIN CONCES · SCOTT DRICKEY WILLIAM HESS · SARAH LEMKE Contributing Videographers

DINING

SALES DEPARTMENT

Bonefish Grill Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Mode de Vie | Paradise Bakery & Café

CHRISTOPHER MARSHALL · JEREMY WADE RODMAN JOE PANKOWSKI Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing

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120 Regency Parkway, Omaha | RegencyCourtOmaha.com

Senior Branding Specialist

MARY HIATT

Senior Sales Executive & 60PLUS in Omaha Contributing Editor

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Publisher’s Assistant & OmahaHome Contributing Editor

SANDY MATSON

30 AMERICANS

Through May 5

Senior Sales Coordinator

ALICIA HOLLINS

Branding Specialists

DAWN DENNIS · GEORGE IDELMAN Local Stubs Ticketing Representative and Branding Specialist

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Digital Sales Manager

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OPERATIONS Distribution Manager

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Omaha Magazine Vol 37 Issue 1, publishes monthly except February, April, August, November, December, totaling 8 issues by Omaha Magazine, LTD, 5921 S. 118 Circle, Omaha, NE 68137. Periodical postage at Omaha, NE, and additional offices and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omaha Magazine, 5921 S. 118 Circle, Omaha, NE 68137

View 60 works by nationally and internationally recognized contemporary African American artists.

Calling attention to some of the most pressing social and political issues facing our country today, they address racial inequality; gender, sexual, and racial identity; and the underpinnings and effects of stereotyping. An exhibition from the Rubell Family Collection.

Presenting Sponsors:

30 Americans is a ticketed exhibition. Free First Weekends: March 2-3, April 6-7, May 4-5 — exhibition tickets are free for all.

IMAGE: Mickalene Thomas (b. 1971, Camden, NJ), Baby I Am Ready Now, 2007, acrylic, rhinestone, and enamel on wooden panel, 72 x 132 in., Courtesy of the Rubell Family Collection, Miami. Photo by Chi Lam.

Major Sponsor:

Contributing Sponsors: Annette & Paul Smith

Supporting Sponsors: Robert H. Storz Foundation

Additional support provided by Wiesman Development

2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE | (402) 342-3300 | www.joslyn.org MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 5 //

Between A LOOK AT FOUR OMAHA MAGAZINE TEAM MEMBERS KENDRA HILL —Accounting Associate New to the accounting department at Omaha Magazine, Kendra Hill brings with her 23 years of bookkeeping experience—all gained while working alongside her husband in their family-owned bicycle business. It was early in her entrepreneurial experience that she found a love for numbers and developed an appreciation for the impact of small business in the local community. Organization is one of her passions, which has been key in balancing the work she enjoys while homeschooling her three boys. Since her oldest recently graduated, she has a little more time to read, play board games with her boys, and dream of those “someday” travel destinations.

MARISA MIAKONDA CUMMINGS—Contributing Writer Marisa Miakonda Cummings has a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from the University of Iowa with a Certificate in American Indian/Native Studies. She is currently pursuing a master’s in tribal administration and governance at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She has worked in higher education for over 12 years and is dedicated to indigenous traditional models of governance, education, food systems, ceremonies, and sovereignty. In the September/October 2016 edition of Omaha Magazine, she contributed an essay on the importance of the Umoⁿhoⁿ language and traditional Omaha ways that she strives to teach to her children (the essay, “Speaking to the Future, Honoring the Past” was part of a multi-part story package that won multiple awards at the 2017 Great Plains Journalism Awards).

MIKE BREWER—Distribution Manager Mike Brewer joined Omaha Magazine in 2010. As distribution manager, he can often be spotted about town in the Omaha Magazine van, delivering to Omaha-area schools, businesses, and venues.

A graduate of Omaha Bryan High School, Brewer is a “proud South Omaha boy and crazy sports fan” who supports the Nebraska Huskers, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Chiefs. He also enjoys playing softball and bowling, volunteering with the men’s club at Holy Ghost, and coaching youth baseball. He is also a proud cheer dad. His family includes wife Stephanie and his children (Camden, Dylan, Christopher, and Anna).

SEAN MCCARTHY—Contributing Writer Sean McCarthy has worked as a freelance writer for Omaha Magazine for the past three years. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in news-editorial journalism in 2002, McCarthy has written for The Reader, Paste, and PopMatters. His articles have been referenced in Newsweek and the New York Times Magazine. However, since getting cited in publications rarely translates into practical things like mortgage payments and paying off student debt, he works as a user experience designer for a speech recognition company. In addition to loving all things oldschool journalism, McCarthy is an avid music geek who still uses an iPod. Pictured with the writer is Jade, his beloved (since departed) Weimaraner.

// 6 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

7

14

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C A L E N D A R 8

15

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9

30 AMERICANS

Through May 5 at Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St. Over 60 works by contemporary African-American artists focus on important issues of racial, gender, and sexual identity; ongoing narratives of racial inequality in the United States; poverty; racial stereotyping; and the power of protest. Admission: $10 adults, $5 college students, free for members and ages 17 or younger.

402-342-3300.

—joslyn.org

16

DINOSAUR UPROAR

Through May 12 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Th is exhibit will feature 20 life-sized dinosaur installations positioned throughout the garden, where massive creations by Guy Darrough will appear right at home nestled among jungle-like landscapes and plant fossils. Admission: $10 adults, $5 children 6-12, free for children under 6 and members. 402-346-4002.

—lauritzengardens.org

23

of

EVENTS

exhibitions JEREMY CANIGLIA: INTO PURER LIGHT

Through April 6 at Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, 505 S. 45th St. Th is exhibit showcases Mary Zicafoose’s woven tapestries and collographic monoprints, largely curated from two of her recent bodies of work: Fault Lines and Mountain for the Buddha.

Admission: free. 402-559-5600.

—maryzicafoose.com

JURIED UNO STUDIO ART MAJORS

NEBRASKA 8 INVITATIONAL

EFFECTS OF PTSD

Through March 30 at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Th is exhibit will feature works by artist Elizabeth Boutin that explore the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Admission: free. 402-595-2122.

—artscouncil.nebraska.gov

SUPER SPORTS: BUILDING STRENGTH, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND SMARTS

Through April 14 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. Children can test their skills by throwing footballs and baseballs; take aim on the mini soccer, hockey, and basketball courts; attempt a CrossFit course; or bump, set, and spike on multi-level volleyball nets.

Admission: $13 children and adults, $12 seniors (60+), free for children under 2 and members. 402-342-6164.

—ocm.org

Through May 2 at K ANEKO, 1111 Jones St. Th is exhibit provides audiences with sculpture and photography that explore physical and psychological experiences.

Admission: free. 402-341-3800.

—thekaneko.org

MARCH/APRIL 2019

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: A GREAT LEAP OF FAITH

Through April 7 at Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St. The Nebraska 8 Invitational features the work of eight contemporary artists associated with Nebraska: Wanda Ewing, Catherine Ferguson, Sheila Hicks, Gail Kendall, Jacqueline Kluver, Karen Kunc, Christina Narwicz, and Mary Zicafoose. Admission: free.

Mar. 402-305-1510.

—gallery1516.org

HUMAN CONDITION

// 8 //

March 1-April 24 at Modern Arts Midtown, 3615 Dodge St. Sculpture artist Chris Cassimatis is showcased in this exhibit, which also features painter and sculptor Larry Roots and mixed-media artist Kenny Adkins. Admission: free. 402-502-8737.

—modernartsmidtown.com

MARY ZICAFOOSE: ALCHEMY OF COLOR AND CLOTH

Through March 8 at Lied Art Gallery, 2500 California Plaza. Creighton Alumnus Caniglia will show his latest figurative works, which are an exploratory journey into the Greek concept of the afterlife. Admission: free. 402-280-2509.

—creighton.edu

Through March 29 at UNO Art Gallery, 6505 University Drive S. Visitors can view works by UNO students studying various forms of art. Admission: free.

402-554-2796.

—unomaha.edu

CHRIS CASSIMATIS FEATURING LARRY ROOTS AND KENNY ADKINS

8

March 2-June 23 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Inspired by the new permanent exhibition at the National Museum of American History, this exhibit explores America’s bold experiment in a government “of, by, and for the people.” It features engaging multimedia experiences, immersive design, and artifacts from the Smithsonian and state historical organizations.

Admission: $11 adults, $8 seniors (62+), $7 children 3-12, and free to children 2 and under and members.

402-444-5071.

—durhammuseum.org

INVISIBLE SYNONYMS

March 8-April 26 at Amplify Arts, 1804 Vinton St. Th is exhibit invites the viewer to slow down and scan the surface of the everyday. Artists David Knox, Josh Johnson, and Ella Weber choose the raw material of familiar language and found objects to locate the connective tissue between disparate or unseen elements. Admission: free. 402-996-1092.

—amplifyarts.org

ALISON O’DANIEL’S HEAVY AIR AND LUI SHTINI’S TEMPOS

April 4-June 15 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. O’Daniel creates cinema, performances, sound-dampening textiles, sculptures, mobiles, and large-scale installations that intend to visualize what it means to not have complete access to sound. Shtini is presenting his first solo institutional exhibition in the Unites States. His painting technique engages his surfaces through layers of underpainting and brushstrokes while his drawings extend how one might look at charcoal and graphite. Admission: free.

402-341-7130.

—bemiscenter.org

AIR PLAY

THE DOLL MAKER’S GIFT

March 16 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Air Play is a circus-style adventure of two siblings journeying through a surreal land of air, transforming the ordinary into objects of uncommon beauty. Fabrics dance in the wind, balloons have a mind of their own, confetti turns into the night sky, and an enormous canopy of hovering silk forever alters their future. 2 p.m. Tickets: $15-$30.

402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

Through March 10 at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. Th is performance showcases the journey of Nora, an imaginative Russian-Jewish girl who is left behind as her family flees to safety in America. While her family gathers funds to reunite them, Nora stays with a kind doll maker who shows her that all obstacles can be overcome with the help of good friends and community.

Times vary. Tickets: $20. 402-345-4849.

—rosetheater.org

OF MICE AND MEN

Through March 17 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Based on the critically acclaimed novel by John Steinbeck, this play follows George and Lennie as they dream of making enough money to buy their own land. When a crime is accidentally committed, the two men are faced with a moral predicament in one of the most powerful and devastating stories of the 20th century. Times vary.

Tickets: $40. 402-533-0800.

—omahaplayhouse.com

JESS HILARIOUS

Mar.

19

March 19 at Funnybone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St. Th is comedian is best known to television viewers for her appearances on season nine of MTV’s Wild ’N Out as well as various shows on VH1, and BET. She has also opened for Martin Lawrence. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $30-$40.

402-493-8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

CAPTURING THE IMPOSSIBLE WITH FILMMAKER BRYAN SMITH

March 19 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Smith loves an extreme challenge—especially if it involves frostbite, angry locals with machetes, or ice climbing Niagara Falls. In this performance, he shows audience members what it means to adventure with purpose. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $11-$27.

402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

BFA THESIS EXHIBITION

INDECENT

April 5-28 at Lied Art Gallery, 2500 California Plaza. Visual arts students will display their thesis work at this exhibition. Admission: free. 402-280-2290.

—creighton.edu

March 21-April 14 at Bluebarn Theatre, 1106 S. 10th St. Inspired by the true events surrounding the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance. Indecent charts the history of an incendiary drama and the path of the artists who risked their careers and lives to perform it. Times vary. Tickets: $35 adults, $30 seniors (65+). 402-345-1576.

—bluebarn.org

CAROLYN ALBRACHT & JENNIFER RADIL: DEPTH & ACCUMULATION

April 5-June 2 at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Painters Carolyn Albracht and Jennifer Radil sift through the ebb-and-flow nature of their medium, self, the stories people create, and the balance of depth and frivolity. Admission: free. 402-595-2122.

—artscouncil.nebraska.gov

Stage Performances THE CONNECTIONS SERIES: COLONEL’S CHICKEN

Through March 2 at Weber Fine Arts Building, 6505 University Drive S. Demi wanders into a Colonel’s Chicken restaurant looking for easy comfort after being dumped by her boyfriend. But when invited to step beyond the “Employees Only” door, she finds another thing entirely. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $16-$20, free for UNO students. 402-554-7529.

—etix.com

WINNIE-THE-POOH

THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY

March 1-24 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. The Bridges of Madison County is a sweeping love story about an emotional yet brief love affair. A National Geographic photographer seeks directions to an iconic covered bridge from local housewife. Their immediate connection takes them both by surprise, and ultimately changes them forever. Times vary. Tickets: $24-$42. 402-553-0800.

—omahaplayhouse.com

ROCK OF AGES 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Through March 3 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. The captivating story of Latina star Gloria Estefan’s rise to fame will be loaded with Estefan’s infectious pop classics. Times vary. Tickets: $35-$99. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

March 6 & 7 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. This hard-rock musical captures the iconic era known as the 1980s. Stacee Jaxx returns to the stage and rock ’n’ roll dreamers line up to turn their fantasies into reality.

The show features the music of Styx, Poison, Twisted Sister, and Whitesnake among other bands. 7:30 p.m. both nights. Tickets: $35-$75. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

THUMBELINA

PJ MASKS LIVE: SAVE THE DAY!

ON YOUR FEET!

Through March 3 at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. Thumbelina is a flower-sized girl determined to discover the true meaning of friendship. Her magical, thumb-sized adventure will fi nd any child swimming with fish and flying with sparrows with the use of inventive puppetry and innovative design. Times vary. Tickets: $12, $10 for members. 402-345-4849.

—rosetheater.org

March 22-April 7 at the Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. Pooh spends his days searching for honey, doing his exercises, and playing with his best friends. One day, the group learns that a new animal will be moving into the forest, one that Rabbit fears might be dangerous—a kangaroo! The group’s plan to avoid this bouncy animal changes when they actually meet Kanga and her child Roo and learn just how much fun new members of the community can be. Tickets: $20. 402-345-4849.

—rosetheater.org

STEVE-O

March 22-23 at Funnybone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St. Th is funny man, of Jackass fame, has also appeared in the spin-off Wildboyz, Dancing with the Stars, and Killer Karaoke for truTV. The veteran stand-up performer is sure to entertain audiences. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25-$50. 402-493-8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

March 18 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St. Catboy, Owlette, Gekko, and their new friend PJ Robot try to save the day from the sneaky villains Romeo, Night Ninja, and Luna Girl in this live-action performance.

6 p.m. Tickets: $35-$55, $110 VIP. 402-934-6291.

—ralstonarena.com

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 9 //

OMAHA MAGAZINE MAGAZINE || CALENDAR CALENDAR OMAHA

MY FAVORITE MURDER LIVE

March 24 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. An evening with the creators of this hit true crime comedy podcast will be one-of-a-kind. The podcast has broken download records and steadily landed on the iTunes Top 10 comedy chart. Karen Kilgariff is a stand-up comedian and TV writer; Georgia Hardstark is a writer and host on the Cooking Channel. 8 p.m. Limited tickets available.

Contact Omaha Performing Arts directly for prices.

402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

CHRISTOPHER TITUS

March 28 at Funnybone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St. Titus’ Fifth Annual “End of the World” tour is a hard, but funny, look at the world since Sept. 11, 2001. His daughter is learning colors from the terrorist alert rainbow. She thinks Winnie the Pooh is a medium threat. He will tell the audience why. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25-$35. 402-493-8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

JAY LENO

March 29 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Leno is a stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, lovable TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder, philanthropist, and Emmy Award winner.

He spent more than two decades as host of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Tickets: $59-$129. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES

AUBREE SWEENEY

April 27 at at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St. This nationally touring comedian and animal advocate returns to her home state. Note: This is event is the rescheduled date from the cancelled Sept. 27 show. 8 p.m. Tickets: $10.

402-934-6291.

—ralstonarena.com

April 3, 5, 7, 13, and 14 at Mastercraft Building, 1111 N. 13th St. Composer Philip Glass based this opera on the work of Jean Cocteau. Siblings Paul and Lise are cut off from the world and dangerously dependent on each other. The psychological game that intertwines their lives twists inevitably to tragedy. Times vary. Tickets: $60. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

COME FROM AWAY

RUMORS IN THE KITCHEN

LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL

THE WOLVES

March 27-31 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. This new musical tells the tale of 7,000 passengers stranded in Newfoundland on Sept. 11, 2001, when their airplanes were suspended due to terrorist activities. Tickets: $32$110. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

March 27-31 at Lied Education Center, 2500 California Plaza. This story is about Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend. Throughout the story, no one has faith in Elle, but she manages to surprise them all. 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $5 students, $15 senior citizens, $18 adults. 402-280-1448.

—creighton.edu

April 4-20 at Apollon, 1801 Vinton St. It is the Edwardian age, the Titanic has sunk, and rumors are flying. The kitchen staff hears all in this old English manor, but which rumors are true and which ones are rubbish? The audience will wade through all the rumors in the kitchen to seek out the truth. Tickets: $35. 402-884-0135.

—apollonomaha.com

April 10-13, 17-20 at UNO Theatre, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6001 Dodge Street. A group of nine female soccer players discuss everything from Harry Potter to menstruation during their weekly warm-ups. Tickets: $16 adults, free to students. $6 adults on April 10, 11, and 17. 402-554-7529.

—unomaha.edu

DREW LYNCH

April 11-13 at Funnybone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St. Drew Lynch has been on The Dr. Oz Show, and most notably, was runner-up on season 10 of America’s Got Talent (he lost to some puppets). Times vary. Tickets: $25-$50. 402-493-8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

FAUST

April 12 & 14 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. In despair the aging and regretful scholar Faust makes a deal with the devil for an ill-fated chance at youth, vitality, and love. 7:30 p.m. April 12, 2 p.m. April 14. Tickets: $19-$99. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

April 12-May 5 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Francis becomes employed by two men after being out of work, and he goes to great lengths to serve both employers without them finding out about each other. But cases of mistaken identity and the introduction of several unusual characters begin to thwart his plan.

7:30 p.m. evenings, 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. Tickets: $24-$42. 402-553-0800.

—omahaplayhouse.com

WHEN WOMEN RULED THE WORLD

April 16 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Egyptologist Dr. Kara Cooney explores the reigns of powerful ancient queens. Cleopatra used her sexuality and her money to build alliances with warlords of the Roman empire. Neferusobek was the first woman to definitively take the title of King. Nefertiti is known more for her beauty than for bringing a fractured Egypt together. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $11-$27. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

// 10 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

OMAHA MAGAZINE | CALENDAR

STEVE MARTIN AND MARTIN SHORT

April 18 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Two legends come together on one stage. Martin has earned an Academy Award, five Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, the Mark Twain Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors. Short started on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.

These actors have worked together on modern classic fi lms such as Three Amigos and Father of the Bride. 7 p.m. Tickets: $49.25-$225.25. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

DRAGONS LOVE TACOS

T.J. MILLER

April 18-20 at Funnybone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St. Th is comedian can be seen in Office Christmas Party opposite Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, and Deadpool 2. He has also voiced Tuff nut in the Oscar-nominated How To Train Your Dragon. Times vary. Tickets: $25-$50. 402-493-8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

PAUL TAYLOR DANCE CO.

April 20 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Th is widely known dance company experienced a major change last year when founder Paul Taylor died and longtime dancer Michael Novak became artistic director. The company will perform Taylor’s repertoire during this performance in their 65th year. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $20-$40. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

AWADAGIN PRATT

April 26-May 12 at the Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. In this adaptation of Adam Rubin’s book, audiences meet Boy—and his faithful fido, Leroy—as the pair wrestle with a particularly stubborn homework problem.

During a break, they discover a documentary about dragons and their favorite food (tacos), and they are soon interested in the dos and don’ts of serving tasty treats to big beasts. Tickets: $20. 402-345-4849.

—rosetheater.org

March 7 at Strauss Performing Arts UNO, 6001 Dodge St. Among his generation of concert artists, pianist Awadagin Pratt is acclaimed for his musical insight and intensely involving performances in recital and with symphony orchestras. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: general admission $15, students, seniors, and military members $8. 402-345-0606.

—unomaha.edu

Mar.

Concerts

9

BRAHMS’ FOURTH SYMPHONY

March 1 & 2 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. The summation of Brahms’ entire career, his Fourth Symphony is an intense and exciting tribute to the musical masters who came before him.

7:30 p.m. Tickets: $19-$72. 402-345-0202.

—ticketomaha.com

DIERKS BENTLEY: “BURNING MAN TOUR”

March 2 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Bentley will perform with special guests Jon Pardi, Tenille Townes, and Hot Country Knights. 7 p.m. Tickets: $34.75+. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

March 9 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Bridging the gap between rock ‘n’ roll, roadhouse Americana, and the music sound of the southwestern United States, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers have carved their own path over 15 years.

9 p.m. Tickets: $20. 402-884-5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

UNFORGETTABLE NAT & NATALIE

March 9 & 10 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Celebrated vocalists Denzal Sinclaire and Dee Daniels combine their talents with the Omaha Symphony to pay tribute to music legends Natalie and Nat King Cole. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets: $19-$89. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

HECTOR ANCHONDO BAND

March 10 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Anchondo’s 2017 album Roll the Dice immediately made major waves on blues charts and blues radio worldwide, hitting the top 25 on the Living Blues chart, and he has a new one on the way. 8 p.m. Tickets: $8 advanced, $10 day of show. 402-884-5707.

—reverblounge.com

SCHOOL OF ROCK

April 23-28 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Th is musical, based on the hit fi lm, follows a wannabe rock star who turns a class of straight-A students into grade-A rockers. Th is musical features new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber along with the original songs from the movie. Times vary. Tickets: $35+.

402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

CHELSEA CUTLER

March 14 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Fresh off the release of her latest project Sleeping With Roses II, Cutler is set to go back out on the road for her first world tour in spring 2019. 8 p.m. Tickets: $15 advanced, $18 day of show. 402-884-5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: CRYSTAL

April 24-28 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Crystal is Cirque du Soleil’s first ice show. The misfit Crystal dives into a world of her own imagination to become confident, curious, and creative. The show features acrobatics, juggling, and other signature Cirque events. Times vary. Tickets: $41-$145. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

ROGER CLYNE & THE PEACEMAKERS

VERONICA SWIFT SCOTT

March 14 at Scott Recital Hall, 1200 Douglas St. Singer Veronica Swift is quickly making her mark on the jazz world. Featuring the Benny Green Trio. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $40. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

DYLAN SCOTT

Mar. 6 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. An old soul with a young spirit, Scott is an up-and-coming country star known for his cover of the song “My Girl.” Texas-born Cash Campbell will open. 8 p.m. Tickets: $25 advance, $28 day of show. 402-345-7569.

Mar. —theslowdown.com

KISS: “END OF THE WORLD TOUR”

16

March 7 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. After an epic and storied 45-year career that launched an era of rock ’n’ roll legends, KISS will take their final tour ever in 2019. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $29.50-$1,000. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL

April 25-28 at Lied Education Center, 2500 California Plaza. Th is ballet presents the implied temptation of Eve when the Devil presented her with the forbidden fruit which is taken from the verse “you will not surely die, but be like God knowing good and evil.”

7:30 p.m., 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $5 students, $15 senior citizens, $18 adults. 402-280-1448.

—creighton.edu

NIGHT OF NOSTALGIA

March 16 at Marian Performing Arts Center, 7400 Military Ave. Nebraska Brass Band features a night of nostalgia, playing hits from the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. 6 p.m. Admission: free. 402-571-2618.

—nebraskabrassband.com

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

March 16 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Experience the unparalleled magic and imagination of E.T. complete with John Williams’ Academy Award-winning score performed live by a full symphony orchestra in sync with the fi lm projected on a huge HD screen. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $19-$89.

402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 11 //

OMAHA MAGAZINE MAGAZINE || CALENDAR CALENDAR OMAHA

MT. JOY

March 16 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Mt. Joy’s infectious folk-rock started off as a rekindling of shared musical ambitions between Philadelphia high school friends, Matt Quinn and Sam Cooper. 9 p.m. Tickets: $15. 402-884-5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

THE TEMPTATIONS AND THE FOUR TOPS

March 20 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Two Motown legends and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees entertain with an evening of their hit songs that helped define a generation. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $49.50. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

MITCH TOWNE

March 27 & 28 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave. Mitch Towne is a Grammy-nominated keyboardist and touring musician. Th is show will feature saxophonist Adam Larson. Times vary. Tickets: $15. 917-748-4337.

—jewellomaha.com

Mar.

SWITCHFOOT

March 28 at Sokol Auditorium, 2234 S. 13th St. California rock band Switchfoot is back on the road with Tyson Motsenbocker opening. The “Native Tongue Tour” is in support to the band’s eleventh full-length studio album.

7:15 p.m. Tickets: $35. 402-346-9802.

—sokolauditorium.com

TELEKINESIS

April 4 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The fifth full-length album from Telekinesis (Michael Benjamin Lerner) is perfect, unfussy power pop. Producer Joseph LeMay will also perform, sharing his personal trials, tribulations, and triumphs under the moniker SONTALK. 8 p.m. Tickets: $13 advanced, $15 day of show. 402-345-7569.

—theslowdown.com

28

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: “THE MAN OF THE WOODS TOUR”

March 23 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Th is is the sixth concert tour by the American singer-songwriter. Th is concert is rescheduled from Dec. 8, 2018. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $51.50 to $227.

402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenter.com

THE KINGS COMPANY

March 30 at Barley St. Tavern, 2735 N. 62nd St. The three-piece alternative rock band from Bellevue will play with About Face. 9 p.m. Tickets: $5.

402-408-0028.

—barleystreet.com

TREVOR HALL

March 31 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Hall’s music is an eclectic mix of acoustic rock, reggae, and Sanskrit chanting, conveying a refreshing universal message. 7:15 p.m. Tickets: $20 advanced, $25 day of show. 402-345-7569.

—theslowdown.com

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA

April 5 at IWCC Arts Center, 2700 College Road.

They’re the most sought-after big band in the world today for both concert and swing dance engagements.

The present Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed in 1956 and has been touring consistently since. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $30-$39, seniors, $27-$36. 712-388-7140.

—artscenter.iwcc.edu

TERRACE MARTIN AND FRIENDS

April 5 at Scott Recital Hall, 1200 Douglas St. Musician, producer, and rapper Terrace Martin puts a fresh spin on funk, jazz and classic music. The Los Angeles artist has lent his skills to artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg, 9th Wonder, Talib Kweli and many others. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $35.

402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

RACHMANINOFF’S SYMPHONIC DANCE

OH PEP!

April 5 & 6 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Rachmaninoff ’s Symphonic Dances headlines a program that includes Brahms’ majestic and masterful Piano Concerto No. 1, and a grand waltz from MGM’s 1949 Madame Bovary. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $19-$72. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

March 25 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Australian band Oh Pep! have always been as driven as they are creative. They will soon release their second full-length album, I Wasn’t Only Thinking About You. 8 p.m. Tickets: $12. 402-884-5707.

—reverblounge.com

JERRY PAPER

VELVET CARAVAN

March 26 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Jerry Paper is the creative persona of Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer Lucas Nathan. 8 p.m. Tickets: $10. 402-884-5707.

—reverblounge.com

HAND HABITS

April 1 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. What started as a private songwriting outlet soon evolved into a fullfledged band with Meg Duff y at the helm. 8 p.m. Tickets: $8 advanced, $10 day of show. 402-345-7569.

—theslowdown.com

April 6 at Scott Recital Hall, 1200 Douglas St. Th is group blends gypsy, honky-tonk, swing, and Latin-upbeat tunes from all over the world with thunderous virtuosity and a relentless sense of humor. 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $35. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

March 26 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. This tour features Cécile McLorin Salvant, Bria Skonberg, Melissa Aldana, Christian Sands, Yasushi Nakamura, and Jamison Ross. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $20$40. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

MANSIONAIR

DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS

MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ON TOUR

RIPE TOUR 2019

March 26 at the Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Siphoning the spirits of rock, funk, R&B, jazz, and pop through a kaleidoscope of unpredictable and virtuosic improvisation, the Boston-based seven-piece Ripe consistently bring people to their feet. 8 p.m.

Tickets: $14. 402-884-5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

// 12 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

April 1 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Sydney-based trio Mansionair made their debut with breakout hit “Hold Me Down,” which made radio waves from the clubs around the world. 8 p.m. Tickets: $13 advanced, $15 day of show. 402-884-5707.

—reverblounge.com

LAURA JANE GRACE & THE DEVOURING MOTHERS

April 2 at O’Leaver’s Pub, 1322 Saddle Creek Road. The Against Me! lead singer and her new trio are touring in support of their Bought to Rot debut album.

7:30 p.m. Tickets: $22.50. 402-556-1238.

—localstubs.com

April 7 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Th is young band of twenty-somethings conjure the dynamism of Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield, and The Impressions. 9 p.m. Tickets: $15. 402-884-5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

FASCINATING RHYTHM: AN EVENING WITH GEORGE GERSHWIN

April 7 at First Central Congregational Church, 421 S. 36th St. Gershwin is one of the most recognizable and prolific composers of all time. The MasterSingers will sing their way through his impressive catalogue of classics. 6 p.m. Tickets: $12. 402-345-1533.

—firstcentral.org

Join us on an adventure as we explore some of our favorite things that have been stored in Omaha Children's Museum's "attic"!

OPEN March 2 through Sept. 1, 2019

NOW through April 14, 2019

An American classic live on the OCP stage

Feb. 15 – March 17 On sale now!

A musical featuring a Tony Award-winning score

March 1 – 24 On sale now!

A side-splitting farce packed with physical comedy

April 12 – May 5 On sale now!

6915 Cass St. | (402) 553-0800 OmahaPlayhouse.com

St. Frances Cabrini The spiritual home of the Little Italy and Old Market neighborhoods since 1857.

stcabriniomaha.org 10th and Williams Street MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 13 //

OMAHA MAGAZINE | CALENDAR

OMAHA MAGAZINE | CALENDAR

BLAC RABBIT

April 10 at The Slowdown, 720 N. 14th St. Blac Rabbit is a psychedelic rock band created by Amiri and Rahiem Taylor. 8 p.m. Tickets: $10 advanced, $12 day of show. 402-345-7569.

—theslowdown.com

LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES Philip Glass

A DANCE OPERA

April 3, 5, 7, 13 & 14 The Mastercraft

ALAN JACKSON: “HONKY TONK HIGHWAY TOUR”

April 13 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Th is concert is rescheduled from September.

Country music hitmaker Randy Houser is the special guest. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $39.99-$129.99. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

FAUST

Charles Gounod

A VISIONARY EPIC OPERA

April 12 & 14 Orpheum Theater

TICKETS ON SALE NOW ONEFESTIVALOMAHA.ORG | 402.346.7372 WHISKEY MYERS

April 13 at The Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Fueled by larger-than-life performances honed tight from countless nights on the road, the band’s latest album Mud finds them scaling new heights of songwriting and musicianship. With Bones Owens opening. 8 p.m. Tickets: $27 advanced, $30 day of show. 402-345-7569.

—theslowdown.com

THE JOHN MELLENCAMP SHOW o m a h a m a g a z i n e . c o m

The most complete, real-time calendar of events in the Omaha area. // 14 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

April 15 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Grammy-winning rocker Mellencamp was recently inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and is one of the most successful live concert performers in the world. 8 p.m. Tickets: $39.50-$353.25. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

OMAHA MAGAZINE | CALENDAR

DAMIAN MCGINTY

April 16 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Irish singer-songwriter-actor McGinty is best known for his work with the Irish supergroup Celtic Thunder. His solo work is vibrant, joyful, pop-infused music. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $35-$100.

402-884-5707.

—reverbloung.com

FIRST FRIDAY OLD MARKET Mar.

SASAMI

April 18 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Los Angeles songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sasami Ashworth, aka SASAMI, writes songs that will put a little bounce in your step, sometimes despite the subject matter. 8 p.m. Tickets: $10 advanced, $12 day of show.

402-884-5707.

—reverblounge.com

BEN RECTOR MAGIC TOUR

April 20 at Sokol Auditorium, 2234 S. 13th St. Rector is a songwriter, singer, fellow internet user, and former Newy Lewis and the Hues frontman. 8 p.m.

Tickets: $34.50. 402-346-9802.

—sokolauditorium.com

BAND BUILD

April 21 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Th is is a live music showcase organized by Omaha Habitat Young Professionals. The eighth annual benefit concert will feature Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal and CJ Mills.

402-345-7569.

—theslowdown.com

LADY LAMB

April 22 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Aly Spaltro, better known by her stage name Lady Lamb, is a songwriter and musician who started writing music while working at her local video store in Maine. 8 p.m.

Tickets: $15 advanced, $17 day of show. 402-884-5707.

—reverblounge.com

THE MIDTOWN MEN

April 27 & 28 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. The original stars of Broadway’s runaway hit Jersey Boys are taking the country by storm with a whole new musical act that celebrates the music of the 1960s. 7:30 p.m. April 27, 2 p.m. April 28. Tickets: $19-$89. 402-345-0606.

—ticketomaha.com

CELEBRATE JAZZ!

April 26 at Omaha Conservatory of Music, 7023 Cass St. Part concert, part jam session, and all improvisation, this concert features the soothing and sizzling sounds of Omaha Conservatory of Music faculty artists and special guests. 7 p.m. Tickets: $10. 402-932-4978.

—omahacm.org

SHOWER ME BLUE

April 27 at Barley St. Tavern, 2735 N. 62nd St. Th is trio is a global gumbo of original, heavy blues rock music out of Boulder, Colorado. 9 p.m. Admission: $5.

402-408-0028.

—barleystreet.com

1

March 1 & April 5 in the Old Market. Walk the distinctive brick streets of the Old Market to live music, ride Ollie the Trolley for free between venues, and ignite your imagination with art at this free event. 6-9 p.m. Recurring the first Friday of each month.

—firstfridayoldmarket.com

OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL

March 5-10 at Aksarben Cinema, 2110 S. 67th St. Local, national, and international fi lms will be discussed, watched, and celebrated at this annual festival, which includes hundreds of flicks, along with an OFF Academy where fi lmmakers and potential fi lmmakers can learn the trade, and late-night parties, where attendees can talk shop. Times vary. Admission varies from $10 per single movie-ticket to $100 for multi-day passes. 402-203-8173.

—omahafi lmfestival.org

METRO OMAHA BUILDERS ASSOCIATION HOME SHOW

March 8-10 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Homeowners and future homeowners can find everything they want for their current and future home projects in home building, home improvement, landscaping, decorating, smart energy, and more. Times vary. Tickets: $9 adults, $7 seniors (65+), kids 7-12, and those with valid military ID. Free to children age 6 and under. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

108th & Center rockbrookvillage.com

Why Helix is Better Most machines work front-to-back.

Why Helix Is Better Why Helix Istradition Better The Helix turns on its side—

literally.

With lateral side-to-side) Most machines work(or front-toMost machines front-tomovement, youwork use more muscles, back. The Helix turns tradition on which back.

The Helix turns more tradition means you burn fat on than during its side— literally. With lateral its side— literally.

With lateral the same a traditional workout—in ( or side-to-side) movement, you ( or side-to-side) movement, you amount of time. use more muscles, which means use more muscles, which means you burn more fat than during a you burn more fat than during THANK YOU a traditional workout– in the same traditional workout– in the same OMAHA! amount of time. amount of time.

FISH FRIES

March 8-April 19 in various locations. Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on March 6, and while some people will abstain from eating meat on Fridays for religious reasons, others will eat fish simply because they enjoy it. Many churches and community centers around Omaha will provide a fish (or meatless) dinner on Fridays during this time frame. Here are a few popular choices that draw crowds: • Holy Name Catholic Church (2019 Best of Omaha Winner), 2901 Fontenelle Blvd. 402-451-6622. holynameomaha.org (Note: fish dinners at Holy Name start on March 1.)

• Mary Our Queen Catholic Church (2019 Best of Omaha Winner), 3405 S. 118th St. 402-3338662. maryourqueenchurch.com • St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Elkhorn (2019 Best of Omaha Winner), 20500 W. Maple Road, Elkhorn. 402-289-4289. stpatselkhorn.org • St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, 14330 Eagle Run Drive. 402-496-7988. svdpomaha.org • St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church 602 Park Ave. 402-345-7103. stjohnsgreekorthodox.org • Holy Ghost Catholic Church, 5219 S. 53rd St. 402731-3176. holyghostomaha.com

Full Service

Ha i r, Na i l s a nd S ki n Call today to schedule your appointment

11025 Elm St. / 402.397.7383 / reveomaha.com

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

March 9 in downtown Omaha. Th is annual parade, put on by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, will march through the downtown area starting at 15th and Harney streets and winding through the Old Market.

—aohomaha.org/parade

Family and More BENSON FIRST FRIDAY

March 1 & April 5 in Benson (Maple and 59th to 63rd streets). Art galleries, bars, music venues, and cultural institutions of Benson collaborate on a showcase of local arts and culture. 4 p.m. Recurring the first Friday of each month. Free.

—bensonfirstfriday.com

MAGA ZINE O F T H E YEAR

Great Plains Journalism Award OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIBE MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 15 //

OMAHA MAGAZINE MAGAZINE || CALENDAR CALENDAR OMAHA

BOCKFEST

March 9 at The German-American Society, 3717 S. 120th St. German food, polka music, and geniality abound at this spring festival, during which a hot poker is inserted into the freshly tapped bock beer in order to caramelize the sugars. 1-7 p.m. Admission: free, but cash must be used for beer and food. 402-333-6615.

—germanamericansociety.org

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS WORLDS OF ENCHANTMENT

March 14-17 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. From wheels to waves, icy wonderlands to infinity and beyond, favorite Disney moments from movies like Frozen, Cars, and The Little Mermaid come to life at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment.

Times vary. Tickets: $16.50-$77. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

64TH ANNUAL WORLD OF WHEELS

March 14-17 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Vehicles from classic Cadillacs to hot rods will be shown at this annual event, which allows local car owners to display their machines. Times vary. Tickets: $18 general admission, $6 children 6-12, free to children 5 and under. 402-341-1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

OMAHA ZINE FEST 2019

March 16 at The Union for Contemporary Art, 2423 N. 24th St. Omaha’s third annual zine festival features creators from across the country. Zines cover subjects like poetry, comics, art, or all of the above. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Free. 402-933-3161.

—omahazinefest.org

SPRING EQUINOX SOUND ALCHEMY

THE INTERNATIONAL OMAHA

HORSE COMPETITION March 20 at Omaha Power Yoga, 8721 Shamrock April 4-7 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. Road. Attendees can celebrate the equinox with Astara (Lily Marie Livingston) and Orion (Ryan 10th St. Th is indoor horse jumping and dressage Apr. Lee Muff ) as they provide a multi-instrument competition combines speed, execution, and the sound immersion. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets: $40 competitive spirit of both rider and horse. Free advanced, $44 at door. 402-884-8850. expo events will feature interactive displays and —omahapoweryoga.com activities for all ages—including opportunities to meet eight different breeds of horses, a treasure hunt, and hands-on exhibits. Times vary. Tickets: $50-$100 14TH ANNUAL BOCKFEST for ticket packages, $12-$30 for individual tickets.

402-930-3079.

March 23 at Huber-Haus and the Crescent Moon, —internationalomaha.com 3578 Farnam St. People of all ages can come to HuberHaus for this spring celebration, which includes the blessing and tapping of the bock keg, live music, and NEBRASKA SCIENCE FESTIVAL a fire pit to stave off the March winds. Noon-10 p.m.

FEATURING GRANT IMAHARA Admission: free. 402-345-1708.

April 5 at Joslyn Art Museum Witherspoon Con—beercornerusa.com cert Hall, 2200 Dodge St. One of the highlights of the Nebraska Science festival is the keynote speech, ORCHID SHOW AND SALE which will be delivered by Imahara, the electronics and robotics expert from Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters.

March 23 & 24 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 BanHe has also worked on some of the most famous robots croft St. Orchids from local and international growof all time, putting the lights in R2-D2 for the Star ers will be on display, and visitors can return home Wars prequels and giving the Energizer Bunny his beat. with a plant, as an array of orchids will be available for Tickets: free, but quantities are limited. 402-559-4319. purchase. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $10 adults, $5 —nescifest.com children 6-12, free to children under 6 and members.

402-346-4002.

—lauritzengardens.org EARTH DAY OMAHA April 13 at Elmwood Park, 60th and Dodge streets.

Th is event combines science, education, music, food, CULINARY FIGHT CLUB: THE and fun with eco-friendly demonstrations about ways BLENDED BURGER BATTLE to help the Earth, health and wellness, and activities for April 2 at Blatt Beer & Table, 610 N. 12th St. children. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission: free.

Fans of cooking shows will enjoy attending this event, —earthdayomaha.org in which area chefs will have a signature local ingredient to help them blend a better burger. Tickets include sampling of the burgers and complimentary drinks for OMAHA CZECH-SLOVAK FESTIVAL the first hour. 6-9 p.m. Tickets: $40. 1-800-611-7080.

April 14 at St. Nicholas Community Center, 5050 —culinaryfightclub.com Harrison St. Celebrate Czech-Slovak culture with this spring festival, which features Czech food, dancing, music, and more. The Omaha Czech queen will be crowned this day. Times TBA. Admission: free, but cash is needed for drinks and food. 402-740-6552.

—omahaczechclub.com

4-7

EASTER EGG HUNTS:

April 20 & 21 in various locations. Easter falls late this year, which hopefully means the weather will be warm enough for spring dresses and outdoor Easter Egg Hunts. Here are some popular events: • A candy dash will happen on April 20 at The Venue at Highlander, 2112 N. 30th St., Omaha, NE 68111 The event includes thousands of pieces of candy for kids to run after and grab, and is put on by Mission Church. 402-909-5675. thisismission.org.

• The City of La Vista will have an Easter Egg Hunt with 10,000 eggs available on April 20 at La Vista Sports Complex, 7346 S. 66th St. 402-331-3455. cityoflavista.org.

• Montclair Pool holds an underwater Easter Egg hunt on April 20 from 2-3 p.m. at Montclair Pool, 2304 S. 135th St. Pool admission rates apply. 402-444-4956. parks.cityofomaha.org.

• Bellevue Christian Center, 1400 Harvell Drive, will hold an Easter Scramble on April 20 for kids 10 and under in which they can vie for some of the 20,000 eggs available. The event also includes games, shows, food, and prizes. 402-291-0616. bellevuechristian.com.

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

OMAHA MAGAZINE | CALENDAR

JUNKSTOCK

April 26-28 at Sycamore Farm, 1150 River Road Drive. More than 150 vintage, antique, and junk vendors will display their wares at this southern-style flea market. The event also features over 20 food trucks and various bands onstage. Kids 12 and under are free. Adult tickets: $10 daily pass, $20 three-day pass.

402-765-8651.

—junkstock.com

TREMENDOUS ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION

April 27 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Visitors to the gardens can learn about Nebraska’s homegrown holiday during this tree-themed event, which features a variety of educational activities. The first 100 households to come will receive a free tree seedling to plant. Admission: $10 adults, $5 children 6-12, free for children under 6 and members. Children who dress like a tree will receive free admission. 402-346-4002.

—lauritzengardens.org

Four Old Market

Unique holiday décor, ornaments, collectibles and gifts for every season.

Chocolates and fudge made in our own kitchen, plus many other sweet temptations.

oTannenbaum.com • 402-345-9627

OldMarketCandy.com • 402-344-8846

Travel essentials plus downtown’s largest selection of souvenirs and Nebraska-made gifts.

Authentic Italian desserts, coffee, and FlavorBurst TM soft serve ice cream.

OldMarketSundries.com • 402-345-7646

DolciOldMarket.com • 402-345-8198

All located at 10th & Howard

MAIFEST

April 27 at German-American Society, 3717 S. 120th St. The public is invited to celebrate spring with German food, drinks, and a Maypole at this traditional celebration. Noon-11 p.m. Admission: free, but cash is needed for drinks and food. 402-333-6615.

—germanamericansociety.org

where everything old is ��� again...

OMAHA’S PREMIER

SARPY COUNTY EARTH DAY

April 28 at Lied Activity Center, 2700 Arboretum Drive. This indoor event will provide lots of family fun and education about saving the planet. Events include a trashion fashion show; 5K run/walk; recycling of electronics, sneakers, and markers; and more. Noon-4 p.m. Admission: free. 402-880-7580.

—greenbellevue.org Event times and details may change.

Check with venue or event organizer to confirm

BUSINESS to BUSINESS Omaha

Magazine

off I-80 exits 439 & 440 10666 Sapp Brothers Dr. brassarmadillo.com

Open Daily • 9 am – 9 pm

OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM /SUBSCRIBE MARCH/APRIL 2019

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RAPHY BY BILL ERSON // PHOTOG

ORY BY WILL PATT A+C MUSIC // ST

// 18 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

REK

N BY MATT WIECZO

SITZMANN // DESIG

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// 20 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

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barber

IN

// A+C ART // STORY BY GREG JERRETT PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

conversation

CHANGING SOCIETY THROUGH BELONGING AND ART // 23 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// A+C ART //

Neither we alth nor p o v e r t y a r e s i m p ly about the abundance or depri vat ion of possessions, food, shelter, and clothing.

Real poverty, according to author and activist Grace Lee Boggs, is “the belief that the purpose of life is acquiring wealth and owning things. Real wealth is not possession of property but the recognition that our deepest need, as human beings, is to keep developing our natural and acquired powers to relate to other human beings.”

If the true wealth of humanity lies in our ability to relate to others and see the world through their eyes until commonality becomes apparent, then the conversational midwife is art. Midwifing these connections is one of the missions of The Union for Contemporary Art, as well as a mission of the artist Barber, a 2018 Union Fellow who prefers to go by this singular name.

Barber is many things in and out of the studio.

He is a painter, an activist, a sculptor, a poet, a communicator, a videographer, a performer, and a proud art educator. He projects a fearless aura of positivity. “Peace” is how he says hello and goodbye in person and in writing.

Artistically, Barber uses “interdisciplinary practices to articulate various testimonies within and surrounding black America.”

“Art is a conversation,” Barber says. He believes that the choice of media an artist makes should depend on the audience influenced by what kind of conversation the artist wants to have. “My art isn’t just one thing. If I want to have a conversation about police brutality, I’ll use my body because it’s immediate. Painting is more contemplative, so I use that when I want people to think about a subject. I want people to find themselves in their own way, in the work, and to identify with it on their own terms.”

Barber’s Union studio is scattered with projects and new conversations in multimedia, paintings, and a pizza oven made of refractory cement. Each represents its own discussion, from social justice to gender and identity politics. Currently on Barber’s mind is toxic masculinity. This subject is personal for the artist.

“Anything that goes unexamined has the potential to become toxic,” Barber says. “My father died when I was young, and I felt like, growing up, that I didn’t really understand my masculinity all that well. My mother told me not to get a girl pregnant and don’t think with my penis. Had I grown up with my father, I wouldn’t have spent two, three years, or more just trying to figure out things about myself and my masculinity on my own. Even basic things like how to shave without all the trial and error.”

Hailing from Michigan, this Detroit-based artist attended the Atlanta College of Art (absorbed by Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006). Barber found his way to Omaha and The Union for Contemporary Art by way of a studio visit from Union Artistic Director Nicole J. Caruth, while studying intermedia in the University of Iowa MFA program where he graduated cum laude.

“Barber seemed a perfect candidate for our fellowship program,” Caruth says of the first time she met the artist in Iowa City. “At that time, Barber was working primarily in sculpture and exploring how to transfer his three-dimensional forms and the concepts they embodied into his painting practice, as well as [having a] deep interest in community engagement, which is central to our work at The Union. It’s been a pleasure to witness his process this year and I can’t wait to see what’s next in his life and career.”

// 24 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

Paige Reitz, deputy director of The Union, says that artists like Barber who are accepted into The Union’s Fellowship Program not only show promise as emerging artists in their disciplines, they also exemplify how artists can have the power to use their talents for the greater good. “Barber’s talent and dedication to his practice will undoubtedly continue to propel him into exciting new territories.

I believe his work has the power to make a significant impact on our community.”

Barber says he is always evolving as an artist. He’s turned his love of running into his latest exhibit by using his body as a sitespecific, temporary sculpture to engage with the community. In June 2018, he held a 5K called “Come Run with Barber” to highlight the idea that by simply running in his black body, he is perceived differently.

“I have run over 400 miles through the streets of North Omaha since January,” Barber says.

“With each step I’m conveying a message, portraying an object, and engaging with the community. The people decide whether I am a beautiful Kerry James Marshall painting or as intractable as Richard Serra’s ‘Arc.’ Regardless of how my practice is received, I’ve learned from my residence at The Union for Contemporary Art that community engagement is essential to my practice as an artist.”

Barber hopes to contribute to the Boggsian conversation to increase the real wealth of the Omaha community. In the coming years, he plans to make Omaha his new home.

In January, he began a fellowship at Neale Woods that continues through August. On May 4, the Baright Gallery at Fontenelle Forest will host a solo exhibition of Barber’s work.

Visit barberpaintspeople.com for more information.

“Regardless of how my practice is received, I’ve learned from my residence at The Union for Contemporary Art that community engagement is essential to my practice as an artist.”

-Barber

A+C THEATER // STORY BY SARAH WENGERT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

ACTRESS CATIE Z ALESKI THRIVES ON PASSION FOR ACTING

MARCH/APRIL

// 26 //

2019

“I LIKE CHAR ACTERS AND STORIES THAT PUSH PEOPLE’S IDE AS OF LIFE AND HUMANIT Y, AND THAT SHOW THE COMPLE XITIES AND NUANCES OF LIFE THAT WE OF TEN FORGE T ABOUT OR ARE NOT SHOWN.” -CATIE Z ALESKI

// A+C THEATER //

IN DECEMBER 2017, CATIE Z ALESKI RESOLVED TO STOP DEL AYING HER DRE AMS AND START ACTING. A LIT TLE MORE THAN A YE AR AND FOUR PL AYS L ATER, IT’S CLE AR SHE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. “When I’m acting I feel like my best self,” Zaleski says. “When you’re passionate about something, you could work on it all day and night, money or no money, and feel like you did something worthwhile. I love all the processes of acting, but some of my favorite moments the audience doesn’t get to see. Behind the scenes, actors work so hard to create and honor characters.”

Next up was The Mountaintop at Omaha Community Playhouse, where Zaleski worked with Chapman at the helm again.

Zaleski, 24, didn’t do theater in high school or college, but she competed in interpretive speech at both educational levels, which she credits as pivotal to her development as an actor.

“That was an amazing experience. I got to push myself and expand my range as an actor. We were very vulnerable in that process. It’s politically charged and says things a lot of people might not want to hear,” she says. “I also got to see the leadership of the Playhouse—people like [artistic director] Kimberly [Faith Hickman] who are working to make it a more inclusive space…it was great to see change being made there.”

“I love acting and I’d always wanted to act,” says Zaleski, who has a degree in international studies with a minor in women’s and gender studies from UNO. “I think the speech world is where my acting skill base comes from.”

Next, Zaleski did some stage readings at the 2018 Great Plains Theater Conference, which further exposed her to Omaha’s thriving theater community, followed by a starring role as Agnes in the Playhouse’s She Kills Monsters.

Zaleski had done a short film, St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, and some local web series projects prior to securing her first theatrical role in Kim Louise’s Umurage, part of The Union for Contemporary Art’s February 2018 Centering the Margins series.

“The [roles] I’d gotten so far, I kind of thought, were for black actors and that might be the only things I’d get cast in,” Zaleski says. “A lot of times when people read scripts and there’s no race assigned, the default is white. And then when I got [the part] and my sister in the show was white—I liked [director] Beth Thompson from the jump. Again, the Playhouse is doing things that make people think, and pushing people’s ideas of family and how people interact in the real world is cool.

Working with Beth was amazing.”

“I feel very lucky that was my first experience with theater,” she says. “Being at The Union and working with [director] Denise [Chapman]…she considers the whole person within the process with the culture she creates, like keeping you safe as an actor when doing emotionally taxing work. Theater isn’t therapy; it can be cathartic but it’s not therapy. The whole experience was very affirming of who I am as a person and an actor, but also still challenged and pushed me. I got to be with all black actors, which is rare for black actors. I feel like I am the person I am today because of that experience.”

With the larger cast, Zaleski says she really felt the sense of community and also enjoyed getting to do stage combat and dig into the physicality of a role.

MARCH/APRIL

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2019

“I’m in the moment, but I’m also always thinking, ‘What can I take from this experience that will help me grow in the future?’” she says.

Late in 2018, Zaleski performed in Alyson Mead’s The Flora and Fauna, which the play wright offered royalty-free for a brief period with proceeds going to the #MeToo movement.

“It was awesome being surrounded by 20-some other women, and the script is so beautiful and hard and hopeful,” Zaleski says. “I found another community of women there. I’m constantly floored by the people in Omaha’s creative community.”

While Zaleski hopes to focus more on film work in the future, she’s incredibly grateful for her theater experiences. Regardless of the platform, Zaleski says she’s drawn to roles with complexity and projects that eliminate tired tropes attached to race, gender, class, and sexuality.

“I like characters and stories that push people’s ideas of life and humanity, and that show the complexities and nuances of life that we often forget about or are not shown,” she says.

Zaleski is thankful for the professional highs 2018 showed her, but also realizes she has been preparing for these moments.

“I’ve learned you have to be ready for moments, and you don’t always get to choose them…opportunities arise and you have to be ready to go,” she says. “I feel so lucky, thankful, and motivated to do more. My mindset is ‘keep going’ and whatever space you’re in, make sure you give it everything. I want to honor stories out there that need to be told—or maybe they have been told, but need to be told in a different way. I want to make sure that I’m constantly growing and being pushed outside of my comfort zone.”

Ocean of grass

Georg Joutras'

NEBRASKA DIREC TO R DOC UME N TS SAN DH I L LS RANC H L I F E

A+C CINEMA // STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

N

EBRASKA’S WIDE-OPEN SPACES

have received increasing cinematic attention in recent years. Alexander Payne’s Nebraska took moviegoers on a madcap, melancholy road trip in 2013. Then, in 2018, came the Coen Brothers’ Western anthology fable The Ballad of Buster Scruggs on Netflix.

Also last year, Nebraska director Georg Joutras debuted his documentary Ocean of Grass about a year in the life of a Sandhills ranch family.

Where Payne and the Coens use Nebraska landscapes and skyscapes as metaphorical backdrops for archetypal—but fictional— portraits of Great Plains life, Joutras takes a deeply immersive, reality-based look at rural rhythms. Joutras celebrates the people who work the soil, tend the animals, and endure the weather.

As Hollywood dream machine products by renowned filmmakers, Nebraska and Buster Scruggs enjoyed multi-million dollar budgets and national releases. Ocean of Grass, meanwhile, is a self-financed work by an obscure, first-time filmmaker whose small and visually stunning documentary is finding audiences one theater at a time.

For his indie passion project, Joutras spent countless hours at the McGinn ranch north of Broken Bow. Aside from an original music score by composer Tom Larson (a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Glenn Korff School of Music), Joutras served as a one-man band—handling everything from producing and directing to cinematography and editing. He’s releasing the feature-length documentary via his own Reconciliation Hallucination Studio. In classic roadshow fashion, he delivers the film to each theater that books it and often does Q&As.

// 30 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

A decade earlier Joutras self-published a photo illustration book, A Way of Life, about the same ranch—one of several photo books he has produced. The 56-year-old is a lifelong photographer who feels “attuned to nature.” From 2001 through 2008, he operated his own gallery in Lincoln, where he currently resides. A chance encounter there with Laron McGinn, who makes art when not running the four-generation family ranch, led to Joutras visiting that expanse and becoming enamored with life in the Sandhills.

Joutras’ family moved to Ogallala in 1973 when he was 11. He lived there until college, and he moved back from 1993 through 1999 (as a partner in the radio automation company Prophet Systems). Although he was positioned on the southern periphery of Nebraska’s Sandhills for many years, Joutras says he had never stayed on a ranch or stopped in the Sandhills until beginning his photography book. It was a region he drove past or through; that all changed once he spent time there.

Joutras is not the first to create a film profile of a Nebraska ranch family. A few years before his childhood move to Ogallala, a caravan of Hollywood rebels arrived. In 1968, Francis Ford Coppola— along with a crew that included George Lucas and a cast headed by Robert Duvall, James Caan, and Shirley Knight—shot the final few weeks of Coppola’s dramatic feature The Rain People there. That experience introduced Duvall to an area ranch and rodeo family, the Petersons, who became the subjects of his 1977 documentary We’re Not the Jet Set, which filmed in and around Ogallala.

The McGinns’ ranching ways might never have been shot by Joutras if not for his meeting McGinn. By that point in Joutras’ life, he had already left behind a successful tech career having developed a point-of-sale system for Pearle Vision and an automated radio system (Prophet Systems) acquired by Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia). Having achieved financial security, he refocused his energy on photography.

Joutras only got into doing the film after his family gifted him a video camera, and he began documenting things on the ranch.

After investing in higher-end equipment, he decided to ditch the year’s worth of filming he’d shot with his old gear to begin anew.

“The picture quality was so much better than what I had shot the prior year that I was going to have to shoot it all again,” Joutras says. “So, I put another year into shooting everything that goes on out there.

I basically worked alongside the folks at the ranch. When something happened I thought I should capture, then I’d go into cinematographer mode.”

Ocean of Grass premiered April 15, 2018, at the Kansas City FilmFest with its Nebraska debut that June in Broken Bow. That’s when he really discovered the film’s resonance with viewers.

On June 10, his first screening at Broken Bow’s Tiffany Theater played to a sell-out crowd, while the theater offered spill-over seating on its second screen. The next day, on Sunday, the theater showed the documentary on all three of its screens to sold-out seating.

The documentary continued playing the Tiffany Theater for five weeks.

s

// A+C CINEMA //

Sold-out screenings have followed at cinemas across Nebraska—including three sold-out shows at the Hastings Museum’s Imax in late 2018 (which spurred additional showtimes scheduled for March 21-28).

“People are getting something out of this film,” he says. “They say it reflects the Nebraska ethos. I never did this film anticipating I’d make even one dollar on it.

I just had this story I really wanted to tell.

It’s certainly achieved much more than I thought it would. It’s done well enough that I’ve recouped pretty much what I put into it.”

Joutras believes his film connects with viewers because of how closely it captures a certain lifestyle. The rapport he developed and trust he earned over time with the McGinns paid dividends.

Joutras says he wanted to earn his keep, so they let him feed cows, run fence, and check water. “I got the footage I did by being around enough and being embedded with them and being part of the crew that works out there. You have to be around enough to where you’re nothing special—you just kind of blend into the background.”

His depiction of a people and place without adornment or agenda is a cinematic rarity.

“What I was really trying to capture was the feeling of this place—what it feels like to be out there among the people, the cows, the wind, the sun, the cold. Everything that makes it special. You’re seeing the real thing. Everything in the film is as it happened. Nothing was staged,” Joutras says. “These people are authentic. What they’re doing is authentic. Pretty much everyone you come in contact with in the ranching environment is their own boss.

People don’t have to fake who they are.

It’s really the American story of hard work trumps everything.”

The film makes clear these are no country bumpkins.

Beyond the McGinns and their hands, the film’s major character is the Sandhills.

“They are some of the smartest people I know,” he says. “They know how things work and are very articulate expressing their beliefs. By the end of the film, I think you understand and admire them,”

“From a visual standpoint, there’s nothing that gets me more excited than attempting to capture really interesting and varied scenic shots that speak to people,” Joutras says. “The Sandhills are beautiful beyond belief in all their details—from the grass to the slope of the hills to the clouds coming across the prairie to the sound of the wind.

It all works together.”

He believes viewers fall under the same Sandhills spell that continues to captivate him, which he says he tried conveying in the film.

“The quality of life I think is exceptional.

The pace of life slows down. You get to see real Americans doing real hands-on, get-inthe-mud work,” Joutras says. “Out there I feel more in touch with nature and what’s important in life. I feel more grounded. I feel I can breathe better. It’s really just a feeling of peace.”

The film’s rough-hewn spirit and soul are perhaps best embodied by family patriarch Mike McGinn.

“Mike’s a great guy. He’s sneaky funny.

There’s nothing I enjoy more than being in a pickup with him going out to feed cows, which can take half the day or more. He was always reluctant to talk on camera,” the director says, adding that McGinn was the last interview of his filming.

“We got him to watch the film and, at the end, he turned to me and said, ‘That’s my entire life right there,’” Joutras says. “That was a great moment for me.”

He acquired evocative overhead shots by mounting cameras to drones. The aerial images give the film an epic scope.

Ocean of Grass’ visuals have turned him into a cinematographer for hire. He’s contributing to three films, including a documentary about the women of Route 66.

Future Nebraska-based film projects he may pursue range from rodeo to winemaking.

Meanwhile, he’s pitching Omaha theaters to screen Ocean of Grass.

“We’ll get it into Omaha one way or another,” he says. More screenings throughout Nebraska, as well as out-ofstate, are in the works.

Joutras is just glad his “little film that can” is getting seen, winning fans, and giving the Sandhills their due.

Visit oceanofgrassfilm.com for more information.

Rather than hire a narrator to frame the story, the only voices heard are those of the ranchers, “because they said it better than anyone,” he says.

For expanded content, scan this QR code with your smart device.

// 32 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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// 33 //

Populum is an Omaha-based CBD startup.

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t c u od juana r p y i B r s a i b M a n nd n a a p C m A e H th o B n i d n u PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

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2019

Bill Hawkins is a Nebraska farmer advocating for legalization of the cannabis industry.

F

ACT OF LIFE in Nebraska: If a

police officer catches you buying, possessing, or smoking pot, you’re looking at anything from a ticket to a jail sentence.

Second fact of life in Nebraska: If you want to buy hemp seed oil for anything from a skin moisturizer to a pesto ingredient, you’re more than free to walk into any natural health market, and pick up a bottle without fear of legal action.

Somewhere between these two uses for the same plant lies the dilemma of CBD, or cannabidiol oil. The National Institutes of Health currently has dozens of studies on how CBD could be used to treat ailments and diseases like chronic pain, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. Though medical studies of CBD date back decades, as a business model, CBD is a relatively new venture.

And this past winter, CBD businesses in Nebraska have encountered everything from curious patrons to arrests by law enforcement officials.

On Dec. 14, 2018, police in Scottsbluff arrested Heather Kaufman Beguin and her son Dreyson Beguin for selling CBD a day after they opened their store KB Natural Alternatives. The arrest came almost a month after Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson reissued a memorandum reminding that CBD “remains illegal to possess, manufacture, distribute, dispense, or possess with the intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense” with two exceptions.

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According to the CBD enforcement memo from the attorney general, the two exceptions for legal cannabidiol in Nebraska include: 1. The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s four-year study of CBD’s potential for treating epileptic seizures. The limited UNMC study was approved by the state’s legislature in 2015. Currently ongoing, the study will conclude by Oct. 1, 2019.

2. Cannabidiol products that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, of which there is only one available on the market (Epidiolex). In June 2018, the FDA approved Epidiolex for two severe and rare forms of epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome). Patients in the UNMC study are receiving Epidiolex.

Closer to Omaha, the CBD American Shaman store in Bellevue was served a cease-and-desist order by Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov in December. CBD American Shaman also has locations in Omaha, Lincoln, and Council Bluffs. The stores sell oils as well as CBD-infused lip balm, skin cream, and various pet products (such as dog biscuits). The Council Bluffs shop enjoys the legal support of Iowa’s Medical Cannabidiol Act, which passed the Iowa Legislature and was signed into law by then-Gov. Terry Branstad in 2017.

About the same time as Polikov served the cease-and-desist order to the Bellevue CBD American Shaman store, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine stated that law enforcement officers would not target businesses that sell CBD products in Douglas County. Kleine said local narcotics officers were more focused on combating the opioid and prescription drug epidemic, even though he acknowledged CBD was, by law, an illegal substance in Nebraska.

In January, other Nebraska counties’ law enforcement agencies started to follow Kleine’s lead. On Jan. 14, exactly a month after the Beguins’ arrest in Scottsbluff, the mother and son learned that Scotts Bluff County Attorney David Eubanks had filed

paperwork to dismiss charges against them.

Eubanks stated the Nebraska Legislature needed to better clarify the law regarding sale of CBD. Also in January, the cease-anddesist order for Bellevue’s CBD American Shaman passed without incident when the Sarpy County Attorney agreed to extend the grace period for the store.

Omaha business’ reactions have ranged from compliant to defiant of the state attorney general’s stance against CBD. In December, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, with three locations across Omaha, decided to pull all CBD products from its shelves (although they still sold hemp seed oil).

By January, it was back on the shelves in Omaha. In an email, Jonathan Lawrence, the director of vitamins and body care at Fresh Thyme, says the Omaha stores resumed selling CBD products because of the passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill and Don Kleine’s public statements about CBD enforcement.

Responding to a phone call in early February, an employee at Fresh Thyme’s location in Lincoln said CBD products were available for sale on store shelves.

CBD American Shaman stores remained open in Lincoln and Omaha. At the 96th and L streets location, a response to Doug Peterson’s reissued memorandum is proudly displayed in a frame next to the door. The response, from Sean Pickett, a lawyer for CBD American Shaman, states that they are in their legal rights to sell their products in Nebraska.

The National Institutes of Health currently has dozens of studies on how CBD could be used to treat ailments and diseases like chronic pain, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

Though medical studies of CBD date back decades, as a business model, CBD is a relatively new venture.

Garrett Carbonell, owner of the CBD American Shaman location at 96th and L streets, says his business has been visited by Omaha police, but not for law enforcement purposes. Carbonell says officers have purchased some of their products for their spouses.

“Their stance was, ‘We could mess with you.

We don’t want to. We don’t care. You’re basically selling Advil,’” Carbonell says.

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Gunhee Park is one of the founders of the Omaha-based CBD startup Populum.

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In an email, Lt. Darci Tierney of the Omaha Police Department, stated OPD did not have a definitive policy when it came to addressing how to handle stores that sell CBD. Tierney says they are still working with the Attorney General’s office, the county attorney, and the City Prosecutor’s Office.

“Once we have that hashed out…we plan to announce to the media and local CBD businesses. We will coordinate efforts with all before any enforcement action is taken,” Tierney writes.

To add to the confusion about the legality of CBD in Nebraska, the federal government effectively legalized industrial hemp (and hemp-based CBD) with the passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill on Dec. 20. Its passage removed hemp-derived products from their former Schedule I status under the Controlled Substance Act. The bill was endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who tweeted on Dec. 11, 2018, “At a time when farm income is down and growers are struggling, industrial hemp is a bright spot of agriculture’s future.”

While hemp and cannabis advocates hailed the farm bill, its passage didn’t quite resolve the dilemma about how to treat CBD from a law enforcement perspective. That is because CBD can be derived from both industrial hemp (a variety of cannabis sativa with little-to-no tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive chemical compound known as THC) and the flowers from either cannabis sativa or cannabis indica that have been cultivated for high THC content (often referred to as “marijuana”). Federal and state laws have ruled that hemp-derived CBD must only contain .03 percent THC. The farm bill essentially gives each state the right to decide how it wants to handle the sale of CBD. For brick-and-mortar stores like CBD American Shaman, that means doing business in a state where CBD is still considered illegal. The only other two states where CBD is illegal are Idaho and South Dakota. For non-brick-and-mortar stores operating in Nebraska, that leaves some wiggle room.

Gunhee Park, one of the founders of Populum, operates his web-based CBD business in downtown Omaha at 19th and Harney streets. It is in that location where Park handles marketing and customer service. The CBD itself is extracted from a farm in Colorado. It is then sent to Texas, where it is formulated. Finally, it is sent to Arizona, where it is packaged and shipped.

“I continue to maintain that if there is medical evidence to support the use of cannabis for treatment purposes, then the appropriate method is to seek FDA approval.

Any efforts to advance medical marijuana must be led by medical science and not the industry or politicians.”

-Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson Populum’s website shows pictures of their delivery boxes—which resemble those upscale shaving kits that are delivered weekly to customers in shave clubs.

On their website, customers can look up lab results, which display the purity of the CBD, the amount of THC, and the metallic compounds of the hemp extract.

“We don’t touch the product here at all,” Park says.

When Populum first started, Park encountered the same financial difficulties that cannabis-based businesses face even in states where it is both medically and recreationally legal. The biggest hurdle was with payment processors like PayPal.

Park was born in South Korea, and grew up in Bundang, a district in the city of Seongnam.

He moved to Omaha, where he attended Mount Michael Benedictine High School as a freshman. After graduating from Mount Michael, he went to Arizona State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management and computer information systems. Before starting Populum, he worked as an operating analyst intern at Goldman Sachs and as a senior analyst at Dell.

While Park was working in Austin at Dell, he became disillusioned with corporate life. At the time, Park was taking five to seven health supplements a day, including vitamins and magnesium pills. Park began taking CBD to treat his anxiety, and found it worked for him.

Park moved back to Omaha, where his wife, Sara, was studying to be a nurse anesthetist at Clarkson College. For business, Park says Omaha is advantageous because of the young talent in the city as well as the more affordable operating costs compared to cities like Austin or Denver. Because the CBD-focused market is relatively young, many businesses do not have the professional look of an established boutique store, Park says.

“The [other CBD stores’] websites were crappy. There’s no customer services. There was no return policy,” Park says.

“They don’t want to touch hemp, because there’s this lack of awareness, and there’s this tendency to group hemp and psychoactive marijuana in the same bucket,” Park says.

To sidestep the financial barriers in the United States, Park says he found a financial institution in the United Kingdom willing to process payments. The only problem with that was Populum’s customers received alerts about an international transaction that showed up on their bank account.

“We would essentially have to call every customer and explain what our situation was,” Park says.

Park says Populum has since found a domestic payment processing company, and banks are becoming more receptive toward cannabis-based businesses. While his company fields fewer calls about financial transactions, he says people will routinely call with concerns about buying their product. Is it legal in their state? Can they get arrested?

“We formally state our stance that our products are 100 percent manufactured and formulated with compliance of the Agricultural Act of 2014,” Park says.

That was where Park wanted to take Populum, which was founded in late 2016.

Park says Populum offers customers a “no questions asked” 30-day return policy.

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Even so, Park acknowledges that his company cannot know every state and local law. Park says it’s the customer’s responsibility to be aware of any possible local legal risks to owning their product.

When Omaha Magazine reached out to the Nebraska Attorney General’s office, Suzanne Gage, director of communications, recirculated Doug Peterson’s position on CBD: “I continue to maintain that if there is medical evidence to support the use of cannabis for treatment purposes, then the appropriate method is to seek FDA approval. Any efforts to advance medical marijuana must be led by medical science and not the industry or politicians.”

Courtney Allen-Gentry, who goes by Nurse Courtney, believes there is enough scientific evidence to support the positive health benefits of CBD. A registered nurse with a Master of Science in nursing, AllenGentry is also a public health nurse, a board-certified advanced holistic nurse, and a board-certified health and wellness nurse coach.

“We have 40 years of research done on CBD,” Allen-Gentry says. “We’ve had more research on cannabis than on any other plant.” Contrary to her claim, however, lack of clinical research is often cited as justification for the illegal status of cannabis in Nebraska and at the federal level.

Some of the ailments and diseases AllenGentry has used CBD to treat include neuropathic pain, neurological ailments, and alcohol detox. For people who are first discovering CBD, she urges them to pay close attention to the cost per milligram of CBD. For example, she points to a small bottle that costs $66.50 for 1 fluid ounce of CBD at a strength of 250 milligrams.

That comes out to 27 cents per milligram.

“If you need 800 mg in a day to treat your condition [like schizophrenia], how are you going to do it at 27 cents? That’s $216 a day. How are you going to do it?” AllenGentry asks.

Allen-Gentry says one of the most effective (and less costly) alternatives to the popular CBD oils is to buy a 99 percent pure CBD isolate (a powdered form of CBD) online, and combine it with a full-spectrum hemp oil that can be purchased in most grocery stores. The full-spectrum hemp oil is still legal under Nebraska law.

W hile A llen-Gentr y is a staunch supporter of CBD’s healing properties, she urges customers to remain skeptical of the labeling on some CBD products.

She cites a 2017 study in the Journal of // 40 //

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American Medical Association that tested 84 CBD products. Of those tested, 26 percent contained less CBD than was advertised on their labels. In addition, the study cautioned that some products underreported the amount of THC in their product, which could lead to a drug test that comes up positive for THC. As of now, even some of the most vocal advocates of cannabis acknowledge that CBD is illegal in Nebraska (excluding Epidiolex), according to state law. The only way to change this is through the legislature or the ballot box in 2020.

State Sens. Anna Wishart and Adam Morfeld have organized a campaign committee (Nebraskans for Sensible Marijuana Laws) for an amendment to the state’s constitution that would give Nebraskans the right to use cannabis for medical purposes. In addition, Wishart has proposed a separate initiative, LB110.

Titled the “Adopt the Medical Cannabis Act,” the bill would legalize cannabis for medical use in Nebraska.

The proposed legislation, LB110, would implement a regulatory system to provide access to cannabis for medical purposes, whereas the ballot initiative would simply establish a constitutional right to access the plant (and the legislature would have to put in place regulations that don’t inhibit that constitutional right, if passed).

For Bill Hawkins, an herbalist and a farmer, neither LB110 nor the ballot initiative go far enough. Hawkins, known to many as Farmer Bill, represents the nonprofit organization Nebraska Hemp Company. They have circulated their own petition seeking to amend the Nebraska Constitution to allow anyone in Nebraska over the age of 21 the right to use cannabis, either medicinally or recreationally. Hawkins stressed nothing in the petition allows a person to “engage in a conduct that endangers others.” In addition, the proposed amendment would make any existing law that conf licts with the amendment “null and void,” thus effectively decriminalizing cannabis.

So far, no state senator has signed onto the petition, which is known as The Nebraska Cannabis Initiative. Hawkins says the petition is drafted by attorneys both in and out of Nebraska, as well as other cannabis activists. He estimates it would cost about a million dollars to get the petition on the ballot. He based this cost on the amount that was spent to get the petition to reinstate the death penalty on the 2016 ballot. Hawkins says it will cost about $300,000 to collect the signatures needed to put the initiative to voters. The other $700,000 would be used on voter outreach like direct mail and television ads.

Hawkins cites how more seniors are turning to cannabis as an alternative to the opioid epidemic as a reason why he believes the petition could pass in Nebraska. In addition, he says Nebraska is in a unique agricultural position to have his petition pass, pointing out that 90 percent of the state’s land mass is tillable.

“My petition—the people’s petition—it allows for any Nebraska business person to take part in this cannabis economy,” Hawkins says, adding that his bill would end the prohibition of cannabis in Nebraska.

Additional legislative efforts in 2019 are focused on legalization of commercial hemp in Nebraska (and could legalize CBD derived from hemp in the state). The bills include LB457 (the “Define and Redefine Terms Relating to Industrial Hemp under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act,” introduced Jan. 18 by Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha) and LB657 (the “Adopt the Nebraska Hemp Act,” introduced Jan. 23 by Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha).

“It’s a fast-evolving and important topic. There are a lot of moving parts,” Hawkins says. “It’s history for Nebraska.”

Visit nebraskalegislature.gov for more information about LB110, LB457, and LB657. On Facebook, search for @nebraskamj for Sens.

Wishart and Morfeld’s ballot initiative, and search for @nci2020 for the Nebraska Hemp Company’s “Nebraska Cannabis Initiative.”

“My petition—the people’s petition—it allows for any Nebraska business person to take part in this cannabis economy.”

-Farmer Bill Hawkins

Nikki Perry’s 9-year-old son, Max, lives with severe epilepsy.

Recently, he began taking CBD in addition to other medicines that combat his seizures.

For expanded content, scan this QR code with your smart device.

In May 1969, children protested plans to pave Elmwood Park. The photo by Robert Paskach belongs to the Omaha World-Herald’s Paskach Collection at the Durham Museum Photo Archive.

Elmwood Park Paved for a Parking Lot

Paradise Saved by Supreme Court Decision ELMWOOD PARK IS an oasis of green in the heart of Omaha. It is a place for pick-up

baseball and ultimate frisbee, picnics, barbecues, and 18 holes of golf. There’s a grotto and historic pavilion available to rent near a public swimming pool, playground, and more. The park is a favorite for family reunions, was the longtime home of a Swedish folk festival, and has hosted annual productions of Shakespeare on the Green since 1987.

Elmwood Park was named the “Best City Park” in Omaha by public voting in the 2019 Best of Omaha contest. Looking back in history, the park could have easily met a different fate—paved for a parking lot—as in the famous 1970s environmental anthem by Joni Mitchell, “Big Yellow Taxi.”

The “delightful shady retreat” was officially christened Elmwood in June 1890 as the name for the “new park on West Leavenworth,” reported the Omaha Daily Bee on June 25, 1890. According to the book Omaha and Omaha Men by John T. Bell, the park began with 55 acres of donated land. Bell, Henry M. Hurlbut, and Henry B. Wiley gave 20 acres, while Lyman Richardson, Leopold Doll, and William Snyder combined in offering “35 acres as I remember it,” Bell wrote.

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HISTORY // STORY BY RYAN ROENFELD // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

Elmwood Park was named the “Best City Park” in Omaha by public voting in the 2019 Best of Omaha contest. Looking back in history, the park could have easily met a different fate—paved for a parking lot.

Within three years of opening, Elmwood grew to 215 acres. It was Omaha’s largest park, planned as “the principal park of the system.” The Elmwood Park pavilion was built in 1909 and is now 110 years old. In 1895, the Nebraska State Fair grounds opened under the auspices of the Knights of Ak-SarBen just south of the park. The illustrious and backward (in spelling) Nebraskans only added to Elmwood’s prominence.

The tremendous growth of automobile traffic flowing across the country during the 1920s brought about a “tourist camp” located at Sunset Point in Elmwood Park.

The new facilities were designed by the Omaha Automobile Club with plans for “telephones, laundry service, benches, gas, and electric lights and attendants.”

For three years, between 1933 and 1936, Elmwood was home to several rhesus macaques enclosed on “monkey island.” Escaped primates and lackluster maintenance made the short-lived monkey island a source of ridicule for city officials.

Elmwood got a new neighbor in 1936 after the University of Omaha purchased 20 acres from John Potter Webster to relocate its campus. By 1952, a brief notation in the university’s Tomahawk annual referenced the notorious lack of parking and how cars from campus “overflow into Elmwood

Park.” That situation only worsened with the university’s growing enrollment as a parking permit came to be seen as more of a hunting license (rather than a guarantee of a parking spot).

The future of Elmwood Park came into question during the effort to integrate Omaha’s municipal university into the larger Nebraska system in the late 1960s.

Nebraska Gov. Frank Morrison suggested Elmwood as a possible place to expand in 1967, but he quickly backpedaled by claiming it was his own idea and had never been brought up by the university or the University Merger Committee. In November 1967, the Friends of the Parks committee agreed to support the merger as committee co-chairman Rachel Gallagher claimed the park’s preservation for public use was “assured” by a 1951 ruling of the Nebraska Supreme Court.

The University of Omaha would be no more, having become the University of Nebraska-Omaha—but the parking problem and prospect of campus expansion remained. Omaha City Councilman Lynn Carey proposed in May 1969 that the city should buy Ak-Sar-Ben “for park use as part of a chain reaction to replace Elmwood.”

Another effort to deal with the university’s growth was presented in September 1969

by Omaha City Planning Director Alden Aust. This plan was formulated by three architectural students who had interned at the planning department and called for the “construction of four, four-level parking buildings in the Elmwood Park ravine” with space for 1,120 vehicles at a cost estimated at $2.24 million. There were approximately 12,000-12,500 students that year, and the first day of classes found police issuing “more than 250 tickets for illegal parking” in just three hours, mostly for parking in the grass at Elmwood Park. A parking pass cost $12 a semester but “many students complained” they still couldn’t find a place to park on campus.

The simmering parking controversy corresponded with protests against the Vietnam War. On Oct. 15, 1969, UNO students and Omaha citizens gathered at Elmwood Park and marched north to Memorial Park for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam (a nationwide event involving protests at college campuses). The rally at Elmwood was originally canceled due to weather, but the Omaha-World Herald estimated the turnout at Memorial to be 300-400.

Then came the protests after Omaha instituted a curfew in Memorial Park just across Dodge Street. Drug use and complaints by neighbors led to the curfew, protests, and a few arrests in August 1970.

The next year, in July 1971, those protests grew violent and spread onto the university campus and into Elmwood Park. That summer there was taunting, truncheons, and tear gas after fireworks were thrown onto Dodge Street. Two policemen and a photographer were injured while one police car was pushed down the ravine adjacent to campus. More than 100 were arrested or treated at hospitals due to confrontations between Tuesday, July 6, and Friday, July 9. Free rock concerts were organized in Elmwood as an attempt to calm youths angry about the Memorial curfew.

In February 1971, park advocate Rachel Gallagher filed suit against the city and the Nebraska Board of Regents over their plans for parking at Elmwood Park. That lawsuit reached all the way to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which ruled in February 1973 that the joint-use agreement between the university and the city failed to meet the standards to change the park’s specific use. Instead of finding parking, university students that fall would find in Elmwood a six-hour rock concert featuring Luigi Waites, Eclipse, and Froggy Beaver. Instead of Elmwood Park, the university would turn to the stately neighborhood west of campus to find additional parking.

Then, in more recent years, the university’s south campus developed parking, student housing, and buildings over the site of Ak-Sar-Ben Race Track and Coliseum on the former state fairgrounds. Even into the 21st century, university-linked parking problems linger in Elmwood Park.

In November 2017, the city announced it would make efforts to enforce parking regulations at Elmwood, mostly aimed at university students.

Visit bestofomaha.com for the full list of winners in the 2019 Best of Omaha contest, including “Best City Park.”

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// FEATURE //

f i gh t i ng t h e

colonizer

Inside

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my u m o n h o n nam e i s m i a k o n da.

of retaliation and exclusion against those who fight against political injustice and advocate for fiscal responsibility within the tribe. It is retribution against me.

My English name is Marisa Cummings. I am Buffalo Tail Clan of the Sky People. I am Omaha. I am the eldest granddaughter of the eldest Buffalo Tail Clan Woman, Eunice Walker Mohn. My great-grandfather, Charles Amos Walker, was the first chairman of the Omaha Tribe and served on tribal council for over 25 years. He was an honorable man and received $7 a week for serving on the council for his people.

The date March 7, 2018, was a pivotal moment for my tribal status and identity.

That’s when I requested a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) for my children.

Although my children are not enrolled, they would still qualify for a CDIB. That’s when I learned from Laura McCauley, the tribe’s enrollment officer, that she was doing an audit on my family and a few other families.

This is my heritage, Umoⁿhoⁿ.

She also informed me that my greatgrandfather, Charles Walker, was missing the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ documentation from 1961 that showed his blood quantum to be 4/4 Omaha. She had him listed as 31/32 Omaha blood. I informed her that I have a copy of the archival document, and I then emailed it to her. Concerned, I then drove from Sioux City to the Enrollment Office in Macy, Nebraska, to meet with her and provide a physical copy of the missing documentation.

Umoⁿhoⁿ is the way indigenous Omaha people call themselves, and my Umoⁿhoⁿ identity is inseparable from my family history. I have been enrolled in the tribe, meet the official criteria for enrollment, and possess the official government documents to prove it.

Even so, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska’s tribal council and enrollment officer have stated that I have been removed as a tribal member (though I have yet to receive official documentation of my expulsion, a removal known as “disenrollment”).

They claim that the basis for my disenrollment is due to “blood quantum,” a measure of tribal affiliation based on ancestral bloodlines. Blood quantum was an idea introduced to North America by Europeans, and many federally recognized tribes today use some combination of lineal descent and blood quantum to determine membership.

My great-grandfather, Charles Walker, was certified 4/4 (“full-blooded”) Omaha according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1961. At some point in time—according to the tribe’s bookkeeping—someone changed his blood quantum to 31/32. His siblings have the same mother and father, yet they have 4/4 blood quantum. Why the difference? I suspect that the Omaha Tribe is using blood quantum as a weapon

I was told that a CDIB and enrollment were the same thing—which is not true— and she could not provide me with a CDIB for my children. She instead wrote me a letter showing their 1/8 blood quantum.

A CDIB, however, is a completely separate document from tribal enrollment.

On Sept. 14, 2018, I was informed by tribal employees that the tribal council was meeting to disenroll my family. Since the enrollment officer had previously mentioned “reviewing” my family, I took it seriously.

My sister, Andrea Cummings, traveled to

the enrollment office and requested more information. She was provided with a copy of Tribal Council Resolution No. 18-91, which declared the rescinding of Resolution No. 15-199. We were not provided the resolution that was rescinded, and the tribal meeting minutes are not public.

The document that we received made no mention of any individual disenrollments.

In fact, no names were named in the document. Then, the enrollment officer told my sister we were disenrolled, but she refused to provide any letter or documentation of disenrollment.

Feeling desperate, I posted on Facebook about the vague Resolution No. 18-91 and my unexpected disenrollment. I received an outpouring of support from Omaha people online. I received countless messages and emails from others telling their own stories of incorrect blood quantum and fears of retaliation.

On Sept. 21, 2018, the tribal council issued a statement that they had discarded the 1985 supplemental base roll and are only considering the 1964 base roll, a listing of tribal members characterized to be “true and accurate” by Resolution No. 18-91. While the base roll referenced by the Constitution of the Omaha Tribe (as of Aug. 17, 2015) is the 1961 membership rolls, the omission of the 1985 supplemental roll has serious implications for hundreds of enrolled tribal members; it is mass disenrollment without notification.

On Dec. 4, 2018, my sister again visited the enrollment officer who first told us we were disenrolled. On this occasion, she said we were not disenrolled because the tribe’s

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N // FEATURE //

constitution has no disenrollment policy.

We were, instead, “declined membership.”

It remains unclear how one can be declined membership after being enrolled with a tribal identification number. But that is my current status.

I believe that my rejection from the tribe is retaliation for my working with the FBI when I served as Chief Tribal Officer of the Omaha Tribe (I held the position from March 2015 to September 2016). I believe that current council members are angry and retaliating for their family members pleading guilty to embezzlement of Contract Support Cost Funds from Indian Health Service (the division of the federal Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing medical and health services to members of federally recognized Native American tribes and Alaska Native people).

I did present financial documents to the FBI after I received a subpoena. I complied with the federal legal process.

On Sept. 22, 2016, the U.S. Attorney General’s office announced that a federal grand jury had indicted former Omaha Tribal Council Chairman Amen Sheridan, former council members Forrest Aldrich, Tillie Aldrich, Jeff Miller, Doran Morris Jr., Rodney Morris, and Mitchell Parker, along with former Omaha Tribe employees Jessica Webster and Barbara Freemont. The indictment alleged that the defendants “converted and misapplied $388,792.44 by causing the issuance of bonuses or incentives to themselves and several other tribal employees on account of the claim filings.” Over the course of September and October 2018, they were all found guilty.

These crimes do not reflect Omaha values.

Likewise, my experience being disenrolled, or “declined membership,” exhibits a twisted value system that is not the traditional way of our people. Omaha traditional ways of being are rooted in family and kinship relationships.

Before we were a people def ined by blood quantum, we had a system of clanship.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, treaties, W or the reservation system, the Omaha tribe’s pre-colonial society was organized according to 10 clans (five belonging to the Earth and five belonging to the Sky). As stated in my introduction, I belong to the Buffalo Tail Clan of the Sky People. Kinship relations through these clans continue to exist today, providing another extension of family and belonging for Umoⁿhoⁿ people.

Omaha people were traditionally inclusive; large families and extended relatives were intentional and healthy. It was common for the Omaha to intermarry or perform adoption ceremonies to form political alliances and confederacies. Omaha people did not racialize our membership until the idea was forced upon us by the overwhelming colonial-settler society. New laws and policies of the United States were based in race and intended to defraud the original people of this land. The goal was to rid the landscape of the “Indian Problem” and the federal government’s treaty obligations to the original (sovereign) people of this land.

The idea of race and blood quantum was useful to U.S. colonialism because inevitable intermarriage over generations would “breed out” the original people of this land. Blood quantum caused social, political, cultural, biological, and legal implications for all Native people in the U.S. Now, our own people have not only adapted to the settler-colonial mentality, they have used it as a weapon to seek

E

The traditional Huthuga (camp circle) of the Omaha Tribe

S vengeance and hurt our own people. There is no use of blood quantum other than for the destruction of our people.

Sovereignty in relationship to the U.S. federal government allows tribes or nations certain powers, one of them being to determine their own membership. Each tribal nation has the ability to do so with their own cultural way of being. The Omaha Tribe’s enrollment is defined by “membership” in Article II of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. While I meet the criteria for membership according to the constitution, my official documents have been altered, reducing my family’s blood quantum.

There is currently a climate of fear-based leadership among our people. In order to remedy many of the issues the Omaha tribe faces, we must take a good look at who we are and who we want to be. Constitutional reform would give the power to the Omaha people to decide the values and laws of their nation, while holding their governmental body accountable, requiring a strategic plan, and demanding fiscal transparency for a positive future. It is time to start thinking and acting like a nation— and that includes looking at legitimate citizenship versus club membership.

For more information about the sovereignty of Nebraska’s federally recognized tribes, visit the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs (indianaffairs.state.ne.us).

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OMAHA’S BEST LAWYERS From The Best Lawyers in America 2019

OMAHA MAGAZINE is proud to publish the Omaha results of The Best Lawyers in America, widely regarded as the preeminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States.

What makes this list the “go-to” guide? Two reasons: one, lawyers are not required to pay a fee for a basic listing in the guide; two, inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America is based entirely on confidential peer review.

CREDIT The Best Lawyers in America© is published by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. and can be ordered directly from the publisher. For information call 803-648-0300; write 237 Park Ave., SW, Suite 101, Aiken, S.C. 29801; email info@bestlawyers.com; or visit bestlawyers.com.

An online subscription to Best Lawyers® is available at bestlawyers.com.

DISCLAIMER AND COPYRIGHT BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All listed attorneys have been verified as being members in good standing with their respective state bar associations as of July 1, 2018, where that information is publicly available. Consumers should contact their state bar association for verification and additional information prior to securing legal services of any attorney.

Copyright 2019 by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. All rights reserved.

This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of this list may be made without permission of BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of this list without permission.

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“The Best Lawyers in America” and “Best Lawyers” are registered trademarks of BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC.

METHODOLOGY FOR BEST LAWYERS® This list is excerpted from the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, the pre-eminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States.

Published since 1983, Best Lawyers lists attorneys in 145 specialties, representing all 50 states, who have been chosen through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the nation’s top lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The 2019 edition of Best Lawyers is based on more than 7.8 million evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

The method used to compile Best Lawyers remains unchanged since the first edition was compiled more than 30 years ago. Lawyers are chosen for inclusion based solely on the vote of their peers. Listings cannot be bought, and no purchase is required to be included.

In this regard, Best Lawyers remains the gold standard of reliability and integrity in lawyer ratings.

The nomination pool for the 2019 edition consisted of all lawyers whose names appeared in the previous edition of Best Lawyers, lawyers who were nominated since the previous survey, and new nominees solicited from listed attorneys. In general, lawyers were asked to vote only on nominees in their own specialty in their own jurisdiction. Lawyers in closely related specialties were asked to vote across specialties, as were lawyers in smaller jurisdictions. Where specialties are national or international in nature, lawyers were asked to vote nationally as well as locally. Voting lawyers were also given an opportunity to offer more detailed comments on nominees. Each year, half of the voting pool receives fax or email ballots; the other half is polled by phone.

Voting lawyers were provided this general guideline for determining if a nominee should be listed among “the best”: “If you had a close friend or relative who needed a real estate lawyer (for example), and you could not handle the case yourself, to whom would you refer them?” All votes and comments were solicited with a guarantee of confidentiality — a critical factor in the viability and validity of Best Lawyers’ surveys. To ensure the rigor of the selection process, lawyers were urged to use only their highest standards when voting, and to evaluate each nominee based only on his or her individual merits. The additional comments were used to make more accurate comparisons between voting patterns and weight votes accordingly. Best Lawyers uses various methodological tools to identify and correct for anomalies in both the nomination and voting process.

Ultimately, of course, a lawyer’s inclusion is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow attorneys.

While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, the breadth of the survey, the candor of the respondents, and the sophistication of the polling methodology largely correct for any biases.

For all these reasons, Best Lawyers lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate and useful guide to the best lawyers in the United States available anywhere.

Slowiaczek Albers P.C., L.L.O. is pleased to announce the firm has received a ranking in the 2019 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for the Metropolitan Omaha area, Family Law, Tier 1.

John S. Slowiaczek has been recognized in Best Lawyers® since 1995 and Virginia has been recognized since 2011. In the area of Family Law, John was named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in 2009 and 2016. Virginia received the “Lawyer of the Year” for Family Law by Best Lawyers in 2011, 2014 and 2018.

John is currently the President of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. He recently served as President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Both have received the highest rating (“AV”) by the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory.

Slowiaczek Albers devote their practice to family law services including divorce, premarital agreements, business valuations, child custody, child support and mediation. With decades of experience, they pride themselves on professionalism and client satisfaction.

Our team of lawyers include Hannah C. Sommers and Dennis G. Whelan. T. Geoffrey Lieben is Of Counsel advising the firm on tax, estate and employee benefit matters.

A Divorce & Family Law Firm 100 Scoular Building | 2027 Dodge Street | Omaha, NE 68102 | 402-930-1000 | saalawyers.com

CROKER, HUCK, KASHER, DEWITT, ANDERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. ANTITRUST LAW David H. Roe McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Roger W. Wells McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

James D. Wegner Max J. Burbach T. Randall Wright ATTORNEYS AT LAW McGrath North Mullin & Kratz Koley Jessen Baird Holm 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Congratulations to ourOmaha, attorneys Omaha, NE 68102 NE 68124selected for inclusion Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-341-3070 402-390-9500 in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America: 402-344-0500 Robert E. O’Connor O’Connor Law Office P.O. Box 451116 Omaha, NE 68145 402-330-5906

Marlon M. Lofgren Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Joyce A. Dixon Kutak Rock Thomas O. Ashby APPELLATE PRACTICE The Omaha Building BairdHuck Holm Robert Richard Anderson Martin Pelster 1650 FarnamRobert St. Gonderinger Martin P. Pelster Patrick S. Cooper Land 1700 Use &Farnam Zoning,St., Suite 1500 Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance Bankruptcy & Kasher, CreditorDeWitt, Omaha, NE 68102-2103 Croker, Huck, Fraser Stryker Omaha, NE 68102-2068 Real Estate Real Estate – Litigation Debtor Rights /Gonderinger Insolvency 402-346-6000 Anderson & 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 & Reorganization 402-344-0500 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1200 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 H. Dale Dixon Omaha, NE 68124 402-341-6000 Lawrence E. Kritenbrink Kutak Rock 402-391-6777 Baird Holm We are pleased to announce the Firm The was Omaha selectedBuilding for the 2016 Best Law Firms publication ARBITRATION Banking Finance, Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, RealDonald Estate Law, 1700for Farnam St.,& Suite 1500 Land Use & 1650 Farnam St. L. Swanson Bankruptcy, Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Omaha, NE 68102-2068Creditor DebtorOmaha, NE 68102-2103 Koley Jessen D. Nick Caporale 402-344-0500 402-346-6000 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Baird Holm Omaha, NE 68124 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 • Omaha, NE 68124 Steven C. Turner Bryan G. Handlos 402-390-9500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 Phone: (402) 391-6777 • Fax: (402) 390-9221 • www.crokerlaw.com Baird Holm Kutak Rock 402-344-0500 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 The Omaha Building Jeffrey T. Wegner Omaha, NE 68102-2068 1650 Farnam St. Kutak Rock Michael F. Kinney 402-344-0500 Omaha, NE 68102-2103 The Omaha Building Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch 402-346-6000 1650 Farnam St. & Douglas John S. Zeilinger ATTORNEYS AT LAW Omaha, NE 68102-2103 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Baird Holm Robert J. Bothe 402-346-6000 Omaha, NE 68144 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-390-0300 Congratulations to our attorneys selected for inclusion Omaha, NE 68102-2068 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Richard D. Myers NE 68102 in402-344-0500 the 2016 Best Lawyers inOmaha, America: McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & James M. Bausch 402-341-3070 Lepp Cline Williams Wright Johnson 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 & Oldfather Douglas E. Quinn Omaha, NE 68154-2584 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-492-9200 Omaha, NE 68144 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 402-397-1700 Omaha, NE 68102 Robert J. Bothe 402-341-3070 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz John C. Brownrigg 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 John C. Brownrigg Mediation & David H. Roe Omaha, NE 68102 Arbitration Services McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-341-3070 673 N. 59th St. Robert Huck Richard Anderson Robert Gonderinger Martin Pelster Richard L. Anderson 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68132-2013 Land Use & Zoning, Banking & Finance, & Finance Bankruptcy & Creditor Croker, Huck, Kasher, DeWitt, Banking402-341-3070 James J. Niemeier 402-614-0467 Real Estate Real Estate&–Gonderinger Litigation Debtor Rights / Insolvency Anderson Omaha, NE 68102 & Reorganization McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1200 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Michael G. Mullin Omaha, NE 68124 Frank J. Mihulka Omaha, NE 68102 Kutak Rock 402-391-6777 Woods & Aitken 402-341-3070 The Omaha Building We are pleased to announce the Firm was selected for the 2016 Best Law Firms publication 10250 Circle, Suite 525 1650 Farnam St. for Banking & Finance, Land Use & Zoning, Litigation – Real Regency Estate, Real Estate Law, 402-898-7400 Douglas E. Quinn Omaha, NE 68102-2103 Bankruptcy, Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Omaha, NE 68114-3754 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-346-6000 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 • Omaha, NE 68124AND CREDITOR Matthew G. Miller BANKRUPTCY www.crokerlaw.com 402-341-3070 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100Phone: (402) 391-6777 • Fax: (402) 390-9221 •DEBTOR RIGHTS / INSOLVENCY Omaha, NE 68114 AND REORGANIZATION LAW 402-558-4900 BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATION Charles L. Smith William G. Dittrick Telpner Peterson Law Firm David M. Woodke Baird Holm Robert M. Gonderinger 25 Main Place, Suite 200 Woodke & Gibbons 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Croker, Huck, Kasher, DeWitt, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 Historic Inns of Court Omaha, NE 68102-2068 Anderson & Gonderinger 712-325-9000 619 N. 90th St. 402-344-0500 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1200 Omaha, NE 68114 Omaha, NE 68124 Brandon R. Tomjack 402-391-6000 John R. Douglas 402-391-6777 Baird Holm Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 AVIATION LAW & Douglas Thomas F. Ackley Omaha, NE 68102-2068 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Terrence D. O’Hare Koley Jessen 402-344-0500 Omaha, NE 68144 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 402-390-0300 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68124 Steven C. Turner Omaha, NE 68102 402-390-9500 Baird Holm Charles F. Gotch 402-341-3070 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch Omaha, NE 68102-2068 & Douglas 402-344-0500 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

BANKING AND FINANCE LAW

CROKER, HUCK, KASHER, DEWITT, ANDERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C.

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Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 James M. Bausch Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700 Thomas J. Culhane Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 Joseph K. Meusey Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Thomas E. Johnson Johnson Tabor & Johnson Law 11932 Arbor St., Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68144 402-506-4444 John P. Passarelli Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 William M. Lamson Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 James P. Fitzgerald McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS (INCLUDING LLCS AND PARTNERSHIPS) Frank W. Pechacek Willson & Pechacek 421 W. Broadway, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-6000 David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Nicholas K. Niemann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Vacanti Shattuck, Attorneys congratulates Christopher A. Vacanti for being included in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in AmericaŠ for the practice area of Family Law. The Best Lawyers in AmericaŠ is the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed publication in the legal profession.

Christopher A. Vacanti and the lawyers at Vacanti Shattuck have significant experience guiding their clients through difficult transitions in their divorce, child custody, and other family law matters. Vacanti Shattuck prides itself on providing steady counsel, responsive service, and powerful advocacy.

Vacanti Shattuck, Attorneys | Lawyers Dedicated to Helping Families in Transition.

vsfamilylaw.com | 2051 Harney Street | Omaha, NE | 402.345.7600

Daniel C. Pape McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Daniel C. Pape McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Roger W. Wells McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Jeffrey J. Pirruccello McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Thomas M. Worthington McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

James D. Wegner McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

CLOSELY HELD COMPANIES AND FAMILY BUSINESSES LAW

COMMERCIAL FINANCE LAW

David M. Hohman Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

Robert J. Bothe McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Brandon D. Hamm Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Jill Robb Ackerman Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Michael M. Hupp Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Steven D. Davidson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Eric B. Oxley Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

William G. Dittrick Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Kurt F. Tjaden Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Gerald P. Laughlin Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Gary M. Gotsdiner McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

John R. Douglas Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

Jonathan L. Grob McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Charles F. Gotch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Nicholas K. Niemann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

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Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 James M. Bausch Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

Trenten P. Bausch Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

Victoria H. Buter Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Richard P. Jeffries Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

Thomas H. Dahlk Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

David A. Domina Domina Law Group 2425 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144-3267 402-858-9212

Michael S. Degan Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Thomas J. Culhane Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 Gerald L. Friedrichsen Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Michael F. Coyle Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Joseph E. Jones Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Wayne J. Mark Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Joseph K. Meusey Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 David S. Houghton Houghton Bradford Whitted 6457 Frances St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68106-2278 402-344-4000 Robert W. Mullin Houghton Bradford Whitted 6457 Frances St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68106-2278 402-344-4000 Thomas E. Johnson Johnson Tabor & Johnson Law 11932 Arbor St., Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68144 402-506-4444

Patrick B. Griffin Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Bartholomew L. McLeay Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Robert M. Slovek Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Robert J. Bothe McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Patrick E. Brookhouser McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Mark F. Enenbach McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 James P. Fitzgerald McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 James J. Frost McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Leo A. Knowles McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Brian J. Brislen Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

Thomas C. McGowan McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

William M. Lamson Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

Brian T. McKernan McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Mark E. Novotny Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Cathy Trent-Vilim Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

James J. Niemeier McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Patrick G. Vipond Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

J. Scott Paul McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Robert L. Lepp McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

Patrick D. Pepper McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

James G. Powers McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Russell A. Westerhold Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

R. Craig Fry Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250

David D. Ernst Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500

Jeremy T. Fitzpatrick Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

John W. Herdzina Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250

Edward D. Hotz Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500 Bruce A. Smith Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400 Todd W. Weidemann Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400

COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS / UCC LAW

Ronald L. Comes McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Lee H. Hamann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Todd W. Weidemann Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400

COPYRIGHT LAW

Frank W. Pechacek Willson & Pechacek 421 W. Broadway, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-6000

Jill Robb Ackerman Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Ronald L. Eggers Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500

James E. O’Connor Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Robert J. Bothe McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Bruce D. Vosburg Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

Douglas E. Quinn McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Denise C. Mazour McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

CONSTRUCTION LAW

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE LAW

P. Scott Dye Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Dennis J. Fogland Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Lawrence E. Kritenbrink Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Guy Lawson McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Wayne J. Mark Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

CORPORATE LAW Frank W. Pechacek Willson & Pechacek 421 W. Broadway, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-6000

Howard J. Kaslow Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250 Thomas J. Malicki Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250 Dennis J. Fogland Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Richard E. Putnam Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Michael C. Schilken Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 John S. Zeilinger Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Rochelle A. Mullen Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700 Michael C. Pallesen Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

Donald L. Erftmier Erftmier Law 11808 W. Center Road, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68144-4434 402-504-1600

William T. Foley Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 Virgil K. Johnson Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 David M. Hohman Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Bruce D. Vosburg Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Mark L. Brasee Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Robert L. Freeman Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Travis S. Tyler Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 James P. Waldron Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500

Marlon M. Lofgren Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 M. Shaun McGaughey Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Eric B. Oxley Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Michael L. Curry Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Joyce A. Dixon Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Robert J. Murray Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Gary M. Gotsdiner McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200 Keith A. Green McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

David E. Gardels Husch Blackwell 13330 California St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68154 402-964-5000

R. Thomas Workman McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

Todd A. Richardson Husch Blackwell 13330 California St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68154 402-964-5000

David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Teresa A. Beaufait Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Thomas C. McGowan McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Michael M. Hupp Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Daniel C. Pape McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

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Jeffrey S. Penne McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Patrick E. Brookhouser McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Jeffrey J. Pirruccello McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

DUI/DWI DEFENSE

James D. Wegner McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Roger W. Wells McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Thomas M. Worthington McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Michael D. Matejka Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400 Frank J. Mihulka Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: GENERAL PRACTICE Stuart J. Dornan Dornan, Troia, Howard, Breitkreutz & Conway 1403 Farnam St., Suite 232 Omaha, NE 68102 402-884-7044 J. William Gallup The Douglas Building 209 S. 19th St., Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3400 James E. Schaefer Schaefer Shapiro 1001 Farnam St., Third Floor Omaha, NE 68102-1827 402-341-0700

James E. Schaefer Schaefer Shapiro 1001 Farnam St., Third Floor Omaha, NE 68102-1827 402-341-0700

EDUCATION LAW Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda EEKLegal 5405 Nicholas St. Omaha, NE 68132 402-670-6276 Robert T. Cannella Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

ELDER LAW Margaret A. Badura Badura & Wintz Law The Wear Building 7602 Pacific St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-3040 Daniel J. Wintz Badura & Wintz Law The Wear Building 7602 Pacific St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-3040 Robert L. Lepp McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (ERISA) LAW Daniel J. Wintz Badura & Wintz Law The Wear Building 7602 Pacific St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-3040

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE-COLLAR

Gary N. Clatterbuck Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

J. William Gallup The Douglas Building 209 S. 19th St., Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3400

Gary W. Radil Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Thomas J. Kenny Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Thomas G. McKeon Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

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John E. Schembari Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

John C. Hewitt Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

Joan M. Cannon McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Tara A. Stingley Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

Jonathan L. Grob McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Peter C. Langdon McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

EMPLOYMENT LAW INDIVIDUALS Thomas F. Hoarty Byam & Hoarty American National Building 8990 W Dodge Road, Suite 317 Omaha, NE 68114-3383 402-397-0303 Margaret C. Hershiser Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

EMPLOYMENT LAW MANAGEMENT Christopher R. Hedican Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 George E. Martin Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Mark E. McQueen Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Scott S. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Scott P. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 R. J. Stevenson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Roger J. Miller McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

ENERGY LAW Randall C. Hanson Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250

Robert T. Cannella Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Patrick J. Barrett Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Michael J. Linder Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Joseph S. Dreesen Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991

Nancy A. Roberts McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

Christopher E. Hoyme Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Timothy D. Loudon Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Chad P. Richter Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Margaret C. Hershiser Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Mary Hewitt McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200 A. Stevenson Bogue McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Aaron A. Clark McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Dean G. Kratz McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Stephen M. Bruckner Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

John A. Andreasen McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Steven P. Case McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Michael S. Mostek Mostek Law 1111 N. 13th St., Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68102 402-218-1711

ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY LAW J. Scott Paul McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

FAMILY LAW Benjamin M. Belmont Brodkey, Cuddigan, Peebles, Belmont & Line 10855 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-397-2000 Patrick A. Campagna Campagna Law Medlar Building 416 S. 14th St., Suite 201 Omaha, NE 68102 402-995-9170

Michael B. Lustgarten Lustgarten & Roberts Central Park Plaza-North Tower 222 S. 15th St., Suite 601 Omaha, NE 68102 402-346-1920 Donald A. Roberts Lustgarten & Roberts Central Park Plaza-North Tower 222 S. 15th St., Suite 601 Omaha, NE 68102 402-346-1920

Virginia A. Albers Slowiaczek Albers Scoular Building, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68102 402-930-1000

John S. Slowiaczek Slowiaczek Albers Scoular Building, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68102 402-930-1000

FRANCHISE LAW John W. Herdzina Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250 Michael L. Sullivan Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Charles V. Sederstrom Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200

Gary R. Batenhorst Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

James L. Quinlan Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Trenten P. Bausch Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700 John P. Passarelli Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Michael T. Eversden McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PRACTICE David J. Kramer Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

HEALTH CARE LAW Christopher A. Vacanti Vacanti Shattuck 2051 Harney St. Omaha, NE 68102 402-235-6070

FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATION LAW

Steven C. Turner Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Vacanti and the lawyers at Vacanti Shattuck significant experience guiding their clients through Omaha, NEhave68102-2068 ns in their divorce, child custody, and other family law matters. Vacanti Shattuck prides itself on providing steady counsel, responsive service, and powerful advocacy.

402-344-0500

k, Attorneys congratulates Christopher A. Vacanti for being included in the 2019 edition of The Best erica© for the practice area of Family Law. The Best Lawyers in America© is the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed publication in the legal profession.

canti Shattuck, Attorneys | Lawyers Dedicated to Helping Families in Transition.

ilylaw.com | 2051 Harney Street | Omaha, NE | 402.345.7600 John S. Zeilinger

Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

David H. Roe McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Amy L. Longo Ellick, Jones, Buelt, Blazek & Longo 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 303 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-0390

Vickie B. Ahlers Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Alex M. Clarke Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 John R. Holdenried Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Julie A. Knutson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Barbara E. Person Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Karen M. Shuler Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Robert L. Cohen Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Thomas R. Pansing Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500 Patricia A. Zieg Patricia A. Zieg Law Offices 1327 S. 35th Ave. Omaha 68105-1958 402-740-9904

IMMIGRATION LAW Amy L. Erlbacher-Anderson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Scott S. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Dustin J. Kessler Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Amy L. Peck Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 A. Stevenson Bogue McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW James E. O’Connor Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Michael K. Bydalek Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

INSURANCE LAW Robert M. Livingston Stuart Tinley Law Firm 310 W. Kanesville Blvd., Second Floor Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-4033 Frank W. Pechacek Willson & Pechacek 421 W. Broadway, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-6000 Steven D. Davidson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 David C. Mullin Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Terrence D. O’Hare McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 J. Scott Paul McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Edward D. Hotz Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500 Michael T. Gibbons Woodke & Gibbons Historic Inns of Court 619 N. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-6000

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FINANCE LAW David E. Gardels Husch Blackwell 13330 California St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68154 402-964-5000

LABOR LAW - MANAGEMENT

Rex A. Rezac Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Christopher R. Hedican Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Thomas A. Grennan Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500

Mark E. McQueen Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

John A. Svoboda Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500 Michael G. Mullin Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Patrick G. Vipond Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 James J. Frost McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Scott S. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Scott P. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 R. J. Stevenson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 John C. Hewitt Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700

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Robert T. Cannella Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Patrick J. Barrett Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Joseph S. Dreesen Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Christopher E. Hoyme Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Timothy D. Loudon Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 A. Stevenson Bogue McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Dean G. Kratz McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Roger J. Miller McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LAND USE AND ZONING LAW David C. Levy Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Robert G. Dailey McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Lee H. Hamann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Steven D. Johnson 1864 S. 155th Circle Omaha, NE 68144 402-315-1880

LEGAL MALPRACTICE LAW DEFENDANTS John R. Douglas Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Joseph K. Meusey Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 William R. Settles Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

LEGAL MALPRACTICE LAW PLAINTIFFS John R. Douglas Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

LITIGATION - ANTITRUST John P. Passarelli Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Mark F. Enenbach McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - BANKING AND FINANCE Jeffrey T. Wegner Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 James G. Powers McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - BANKRUPTCY Charles L. Smith Telpner Peterson Law Firm 25 Main Place, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-325-9000 T. Randall Wright Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

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Donald L. Swanson Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

John M. Lingelbach Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Jeffrey T. Wegner Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

John A. Andreasen McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Robert J. Bothe McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-341-3070 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 James G. Powers McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Douglas E. Quinn McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - CONSTRUCTION Charles F. Gotch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Thomas J. Culhane Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 Joseph E. Jones Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Wayne J. Mark Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 James G. Powers McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - ENVIRONMENTAL John P. Heil Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Stephen M. Bruckner Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Steven P. Case McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Mark F. Enenbach McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

John E. Schembari Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Aaron A. Clark McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - FIRST AMENDMENT Michael C. Cox Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

LITIGATION - INSURANCE

William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Mark J. Daly Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

Thomas C. McGowan McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Patrick S. Cooper Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Michael S. Mostek Mostek Law 1111 N. 13th St., Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68102 402-218-1711

Mark C. Laughlin Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

LITIGATION - ERISA

John M. Lingelbach Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Daniel J. Wintz Badura & Wintz Law The Wear Building 7602 Pacific St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-3040 Steven D. Davidson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Timothy J. Thalken Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 P. Brian Bartels Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Tory M. Bishop Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Daniel P. Chesire Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Anne Marie O’Brien Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 William J. Birkel McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 J. Scott Paul McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Patrick D. Pepper McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Michael T. Gibbons Woodke & Gibbons Historic Inns of Court 619 N. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-6000

LITIGATION - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Jill Robb Ackerman Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 James M. Bausch Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700 Bruce D. Vosburg Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 John P. Passarelli Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Alison D. Balus Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Heidi A. Guttau Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 George E. Martin Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Scott P. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Tara A. Stingley Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700 Robert T. Cannella Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Patrick J. Barrett Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Joseph S. Dreesen Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Christopher E. Hoyme Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Timothy D. Loudon Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Chad P. Richter Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 Kenneth M. Wentz Jackson Lewis 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-1991 A. Stevenson Bogue McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - LAND USE AND ZONING Scott P. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 James G. Powers McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Thomas H. Dahlk Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - PATENT John P. Passarelli Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Dennis L. Thomte Thomte Patent Law Office 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1111 Omaha, NE 68124 402-392-2280

LITIGATION - REAL ESTATE Steven D. Davidson Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Scott P. Moore Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Dennis P. Hogan Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500

James J. Frost McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Jerry M. Slusky Smith, Slusky, Pohren & Rogers 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-392-0101

William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Michael D. Matejka Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400

Patrick D. Pepper McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT (SEC, TELECOM, ENERGY)

LITIGATION - TRUSTS AND ESTATES

Thomas H. Dahlk Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 William M. Lamson Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Mark F. Enenbach McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

LITIGATION - SECURITIES James M. Bausch Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-397-1700 Thomas H. Dahlk Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

CROKER, HUCK, KASHER, DEWITT, Patrick B. Griffin ANDERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. Kutak Rock

Aaron A. Clark McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Sharon R. Kresha Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Adam J. Wintz Carlson & Burnett 17525 Arbor St. Omaha, NE 68130 402-810-8611 Susan J. Spahn Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Nick R. Taylor Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

LITIGATION AND CONTROVERSY - TAX Nicholas K. Niemann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Jeffrey J. Pirruccello McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

James M. Bausch The Omaha Building Cline Williams Wright JohnsonAT LAW ATTORNEYS 1650 Farnam St. & Oldfather Omaha, NE 68102-2103 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Dean G. Kratz 402-346-6000 Howard N. Kaplan Congratulations to our attorneys selected for inclusion Omaha, NE 68144 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz Smith, Slusky, Pohren & Rogers 402-397-1700 in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America: 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Patrick E. Brookhouser 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68102 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz Omaha, NE 68114 402-341-3070 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 402-392-0101 Omaha, NE 68102 Roger J. Miller 402-341-3070 MASS TORT LITIGATION / CLASS McGrath North Mullin & Kratz ACTIONS - DEFENDANTS 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 James P. Fitzgerald Omaha, NE 68102 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz Mark C. Laughlin 402-341-3070 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Fraser Stryker Omaha, NE 68102 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 402-341-3070 Robert Huck Richard Anderson Robert Gonderinger Martin Pelster Omaha, NE 68102-2663 Richard L. Anderson Land Use & Zoning, Banking & Finance, Bankruptcy & Creditor 402-341-6000 Croker, Huck, Kasher, DeWitt, Banking & Finance Real Estate Real Estate&–Gonderinger Litigation Debtor Rights / Insolvency Anderson & Reorganization 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-391-6777 We are pleased to announce the Firm was selected for the 2016 Best Law Firms publication for Banking & Finance, Land Use & Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law, Bankruptcy, Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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Patrick E. Brookhouser McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

MASS TORT LITIGATION / CLASS ACTIONS - PLAINTIFFS William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

MEDIATION D. Nick Caporale Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 John C. Brownrigg John C. Brownrigg Mediation & Arbitration Services 673 N. 59th St. Omaha 68132-2013 402-614-0467 Michael G. Mullin Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Matthew G. Miller Matthew G. Miller, P.C., LLO 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-558-4900 J. Terry Macnamara McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 David M. Woodke Woodke & Gibbons 619 N. 90th St. Historic Inns of Court Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-6000

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW DEFENDANTS John R. Douglas Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Charles F. Gotch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Brien M. Welch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 William M. Lamson Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Mark E. Novotny Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 William R. Settles Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Patrick G. Vipond Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 David D. Ernst Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW PLAINTIFFS John R. Douglas Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

Robert L. Freeman Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Thomas M. Worthington McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Paul J. Halbur Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

MUNICIPAL LAW

Todd A. Richardson Husch Blackwell 13330 California St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68154 402-964-5000 Teresa A. Beaufait Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Michael M. Hupp Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 M. Shaun McGaughey Koley Jessen 402-390-9500 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 Michael L. Curry Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Gary M. Gotsdiner McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

Timothy M. Kenny Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250 Thomas G. McKeon Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

NATIVE AMERICAN LAW Patricia A. Zieg Patricia A. Zieg Law Offices 1327 S. 35th Ave. Omaha, NE 68105-1958 402-740-9904

NONPROFIT / CHARITIES LAW Gary W. Radil Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Nick R. Taylor Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Karen M. Shuler Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Keith A. Green McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200

Howard Fredrick Hahn Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Dennis J. Fogland Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

John S. Zeilinger Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

Keith P. Larsen McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Jeffrey J. Pirruccello McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Bruce D. Vosburg Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

Guy Lawson McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

James D. Wegner McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS LAW

Roger W. Wells McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

PATENT LAW Dennis L. Thomte Thomte Patent Law Office 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1111 Omaha, NE 68124 402-392-2280

PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION DEFENDANTS Kristopher K. Madsen Stuart Tinley Law Firm 310 W. Kanesville Blvd., Second Floor Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-4033 Charles F. Gotch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Ronald F. Krause Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Brien M. Welch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300 Jerald L. Rauterkus Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 Mark J. Daly Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Michael F. Coyle Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 Joseph K. Meusey Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000 David C. Mullin Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Thomas A. Grennan Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500 John A. Svoboda Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500 Michael G. Mullin Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Daniel P. Chesire Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 William M. Lamson Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 David J. Schmitt Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Kyle Wallor Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Robert W. Mullin Houghton Bradford Whitted 6457 Frances St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68106-2278 402-344-4000

Daniel P. Chesire Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

Patrick G. Vipond Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

William F. Hargens McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

John F. Thomas McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

PRODUCT LIABILITY LITIGATION PLAINTIFFS

PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE LAW - PLAINTIFFS

Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

J. Scott Paul McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Robert E. O’Connor O’Connor Law Office P.O. Box 451116 Omaha 68145 402-330-5906 E. Terry Sibbernsen Sibbernsen, Strigenz, & Sibbernsen 444 Regency Parkway Drive , Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-913-3039

PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY LAW Ronald L. Eggers Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500

PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION PLAINTIFFS

Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

Thomas A. Grennan Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500

William R. Settles Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

PUBLIC FINANCE LAW Charles J. Addy Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

David J. Schmitt Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300

REAL ESTATE LAW Jon E. Blumenthal Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 P. Scott Dye Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Lawrence E. Kritenbrink Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Jacqueline A. Pueppke Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500

PRODUCT LIABILITY LITIGATION DEFENDANTS Charles F. Gotch Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

Michael F. Coyle Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Mark C. Laughlin Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

Mandy L. Strigenz Sibbernsen, Strigenz, & Sibbernsen 444 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-913-3039

RAILROAD LAW

Thomas J. Kelley McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Michael T. Gibbons Woodke & Gibbons Historic Inns of Court 619 N. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-6000

Michael F. Kinney Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE LAW - DEFENDANTS

Patricia Schuett Peterson Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Gerald L. Friedrichsen Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Rex A. Rezac Fraser Stryker 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-6000

The Firm would like to congratulate Donald L. Erftmier, Jr., for being listed in The Best Lawyers in America© for 2019 in the practice areas of Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates.

Business Counseling | Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures | Estate Planning Estate, Gift and Generation-Skipping Tax Planning | Charitable and Philanthropic Planning Business Succession Planning | Asset Protection Planning | Fiduciary Representation

11808 West Center Road, Ste 100 Omaha, Nebraska 68144-4434

(402) 504-1600 | erftmierlaw.com MARCH/APRIL 2019

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OKER, HUCK, KASHER, DEWITT, ERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. Heather K. Aeschleman

Rochelle A. Mullen Kutak Rock Cline Williams Wright JohnsonAT LAW ATTORNEYS The Omaha Building & Oldfather 1650 Farnam St. 12910 Pierce St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE ngratulations to68144 our attorneys selected for68102-2103 inclusion Omaha, NE in402-397-1700 the 2016 Best Lawyers in402-346-6000 America: Joyce A. Dixon Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

Michael D. Matejka Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400 Frank J. Mihulka Woods & Aitken 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-3754 402-898-7400

SECURITIES / CAPITAL MARKETS LAW

Ronald L. Comes David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite Martin 3700 Pelster McGrath North Mullin & Kratz Richard Anderson Robert Gonderinger Richard L. Anderson 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 ng, Banking & Finance, & Finance NE 68102Bankruptcy & Creditor Croker, Huck, Kasher, DeWitt, Banking Omaha, Omaha, NE 68102 Real Estate&–Gonderinger Litigation 402-341-3070 Debtor Rights / Insolvency Anderson & Reorganization 402-341-3070 2120 S. 72nd St., Suite 1200 Robert G. Dailey Omaha, NE 68124 Guy Lawson McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-391-6777 ased to announce the Firm was selected for the 2016 Law McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601Best Dodge St.,Firms Suitepublication 3700 nking & Finance, Land Use & Zoning, Litigation –Omaha, Real Estate, Real Estate Law, 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 NE 68102 John M. Prososki ankruptcy, Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Dvorak Law Group 402-341-3070 13625 California St., Suite 110 Lee H. Hamann Omaha, 68154 2120 SouthNE 72nd Street, Suite 1200 • Omaha, NE 68124 North Mullin & Kratz SECURITIES REGULATION 402-934-4770 Phone: (402) 391-6777 • Fax: (402) 390-9221 • McGrath www.crokerlaw.com 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Dennis J. Fogland Omaha, NE 68102 Mark L. Brasee Baird Holm 402-341-3070 Fraser Stryker 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 David R. Madden Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-344-0500 McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-341-6000 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Guy Lawson Omaha, NE 68102 Robert W. Rieke McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 402-341-3070 Fraser Stryker 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68102 John Q. Bachman Omaha, NE 68102-2663 402-341-3070 Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 402-341-6000 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 SPORTS LAW Omaha, NE 68114 John H. Fullenkamp 402-397-5500 Fullenkamp, Jobeun, Robert L. Freeman Johnson & Beller Fraser Stryker James D. Buser 11440 W. Center Road, Suite C 409 S. 17th St., Suite 500 Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman Omaha, NE 68144-4482 Omaha, NE 68102-2663 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 402-334-0700 402-341-6000 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500 Larry A. Jobeun TAX LAW Fullenkamp, Jobeun, Dennis P. Hogan Gary W. Radil Johnson & Beller Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman Baird Holm 11440 W. Center Road, Suite C 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68144-4482 Omaha, NE 68114 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-334-0700 402-397-5500 402-344-0500 James P. Waldron Jerry M. Slusky William J. Lindsay Gross & Welch Smith, Slusky, Pohren & Rogers Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 400 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68114 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-0101 Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500 402-392-1500 H. Daniel Smith Warren R. Whitted Smith, Slusky, Pohren & Rogers Brandon D. Hamm Houghton Bradford Whitted 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 400 Koley Jessen 6457 Frances St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68106-2278 402-392-0101 Omaha, NE 68124 402-344-4000 402-390-9500 Steven D. Johnson Thomas F. Ackley 1864 S. 155th Circle Kurt F. Tjaden Koley Jessen Omaha, NE 68144 Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 402-315-1880 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Michael F. Kivett 402-390-9500 Walentine O’Toole Max J. Burbach 11240 Davenport St. Koley Jessen Omaha, NE 68154-0125 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 402-330-6300 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

Howard Fredrick Hahn Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Robert J. Murray Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Jonathan L. Grob McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Thomas J. Kelley McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Nicholas K. Niemann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Daniel C. Pape McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Jeffrey J. Pirruccello McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 James D. Wegner McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Thomas R. Pansing Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500 Howard N. Kaplan Smith, Slusky, Pohren & Rogers 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 400 Omaha, NE 68114 402-392-0101

TECHNOLOGY LAW Roberta L. Christensen Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 Michael K. Bydalek Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000

TRADEMARK LAW James E. O’Connor Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Bruce D. Vosburg Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 Patrick C. Stephenson Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 James M. Sulentic Kutak Rock The Omaha Building 1650 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68102-2103 402-346-6000 Denise C. Mazour McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

TRANSPORTATION LAW Robert E. O’Connor O’Connor Law Office P.O. Box 451116 Omaha 68145 402-330-5906

TRUSTS AND ESTATES Frank W. Pechacek Willson & Pechacek 421 W. Broadway, Suite 200 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-322-6000 Howard J. Kaslow Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250 Thomas J. Malicki Abrahams Kaslow & Cassman 8712 W. Dodge Road, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114-3419 402-392-1250 Margaret A. Badura Badura & Wintz Law The Wear Building 7602 Pacific St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-3040 Daniel J. Wintz Badura & Wintz Law The Wear Building 7602 Pacific St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-3040

Ronald C. Jensen Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Sharon R. Kresha Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Gary W. Radil Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Michael C. Schilken Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Michael L. Sullivan Baird Holm 1700 Farnam St., Suite 1500 Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402-344-0500 Mary A. Donovan Martello Barkdoll & Von Ahsen P.O. Box 464 Elkhorn 68022 402-281-3101 David M. Dvorak Dvorak Law Group 13625 California St., Suite 110 Omaha, NE 68154 402-934-4770 Michael D. Jones Ellick, Jones, Buelt, Blazek & Longo 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 303 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-0390

Nick R. Taylor Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000 William J. Lindsay Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500 Brandon D. Hamm Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500 James A. Tews Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

David J. Nielsen Erickson Sederstrom 10330 Regency Parkway Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114-3761 402-397-2200 Susan J. Spahn Fitzgerald, Schorr, Barmettler & Brennan 10050 Regency Circle, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-342-1000

Steve Howard Law Steven H. Howard 4060 Vinton Street, Omaha, NE 68105 402-281-4680

James D. Wegner McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW - EMPLOYERS Dennis R. Riekenberg Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

Thomas R. Pansing Pansing Hogan Ernst & Bachman 10250 Regency Circle, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-5500

John W. Iliff Gross & Welch 1500 Omaha Tower 2120 S. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68124-2342 402-392-1500

Mary E. Vandenack Vandenack Weaver 17007 Marcy Street, Suite Three Omaha 68118-3122 402-504-1300

William J. Birkel McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW - CLAIMANTS

Kurt F. Tjaden Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Jacob J. Peters Peters Law Firm 233 Pearl St. Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-328-3157

Alexander J. Wolf Koley Jessen 1125 S. 103rd St., Suite 800 Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-9500

Dennis R. Riekenberg Cassem, Tierney, Adams, Gotch & Douglas 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68144 402-390-0300

Robert D. Mullin McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 John F. Thomas McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Daniel J. Waters Lamson Dugan and Murray 10306 Regency Parkway Drive Omaha, NE 68114-3743 402-397-7300 Mary Hewitt McGill, Gotsdiner, Workman & Lepp 11404 W. Dodge Road, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154-2584 402-492-9200 Jonathan L. Grob McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

Donald L. Erftmier Erftmier Law 11808 W. Center Road, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68144-4434 402-504-1600

McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070

CROKER, HUCK, KASHER, DEWITT, ANDERSON & GONDERINGER, L.L.C. ATTORNEYS AT LAW Congratulations to our attorneys selected for inclusion in the 2019 Best Lawyers in America©:

David L. Hefflinger McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Nicholas K. Niemann McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Daniel C. Pape McGrath North Mullin & Kratz 1601 Dodge St., Suite 3700 Omaha, NE 68102 402-341-3070 Jeffrey J. Pirruccello

Richard L. Anderson Banking & Finance Law Litigation - Real Estate Real Estate Law

Robert M. Gonderinger Martin P. Pelster 2019 “Lawyer Of The Year” Bankruptcy & Creditor for Banking & Finance Law Debtor Rights / Insolvency & Reorganization

We are pleased to announce the Firm was selected for the 2019 U.S. News - Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” publication as a Tier 1 firm for the Metropolitan Omaha area for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Real Estate, a Tier 2 firm for the Metropolitan Omaha area for Land Use & Zoning Law and Litigation – Real Estate, a Tier 3 firm for the Metropolitan Omaha area for Banking and Finance and a National Tier 3 for Land Use & Zoning Law. 2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 1200 • Omaha, NE 68124 Phone: (402) 391-6777 • Fax: (402) 390-9221 • www.crokerlaw.com

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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ADVENTURE // STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

KRISTEN MACDISSI KNOWS it isn’t easy

being a thalassophile (a lover of the sea) in a state that “doesn’t coast.” It’s not the least of her afflictions, though.

Macdissi’s love for mountains compelled her to move from her hometown in upstate New York to Colorado as a young adult.

“I was skiing before I walked,” she admits.

“I’m drawn to mountains and waves.”

“My family bred adventure into me,” she says, adding that they spent a great deal of time outdoors as a child, going camping, riding horses, playing outside, boating, and sailing. “Adventure and the outdoors go hand in hand. ‘Adventure’ is different from ‘thrilling.’ Adventure can just mean being outside in silence.”

While living in Colorado, she mulled over her options. Should she go to law school or pursue her master’s degree? As it turned out, Nebraska—with its complete absence of ocean and mountains—was calling out to her. The University of Nebraska Medical Center offered an administration position that also allowed her to pursue a master’s in political science at UNO.

Boarding with Kristen Macdissi Soon, Macdissi realized the Omaha area had a lot to offer—and that many residents don’t even realize it. “Omaha’s a good area with many opportunities,” she says.

“There’s good camping and good trails.”

While impossible to summon ocean and mountains in Omaha, she quickly found plenty of outdoor adventures available locally. It’s part of the reason why she and her husband started offering outfitter services at Lake Cunningham.

Neighborhood Off shore, Macdissi’s board shop and boutique, resulted from the evolution of the outfitter services. “We started as an entirely mobile service, an experienced-based outfitter specializing in stand-up paddleboard,” Macdissi says.

She then moved on to off ering retail items online, but it wasn’t quite enough for customers who were eager to pursue more outdoor adventures. A shop at Lake Cunningham soon followed, but it wasn’t long before Neighborhood Off shore needed a bigger space to fulfi ll her vision of a board shop off ering retail, meditation sessions, surfi ng classes, and more.

“We have to normalize being outside so we can

A GoPro Mountain Games competitor in 2017 and 2018 (racing down rapids in Colorado’s Gore Creek with the downriver stand-up paddleboard sprint), Macdissi leads by example with her kids so they can enjoy adventures together, much like when she was growing up. “It’s important for our kids to see this is normal,” she says.

“We have to normalize being outside so we can create future outdoor stewards. If we make the outdoors fun, they will be more likely to respect and protect nature in the future.” Her 8-year-old daughter recently tried whitewater stand-up paddleboarding, and her 4-year-old surfs. “Surfi ng takes time and patience. It takes waiting,” says the proud mother.

create future outdoor stewards. If we make the

Board sports also require problem-solving and persistence, Macdissi says. Perhaps that’s why she was able to persistently and patiently discover the adventures here in Omaha.

respect and protect nature in the future.”

Learn more about Neighborhood Off shore’s retreats with an Omaha Magazine travelogue from Costa Rica on pages 64-65.

outdoors fun, [kids] will be more likely to

-Kristen Macdissi

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She wanted a place locals and visitors alike could rely on for guidance about outdoor adventures in the Omaha and surrounding area. Neighborhood Off shore frequently receives calls from people visiting Omaha who want to fi nd an outdoor adventure but are at a loss as to where to turn. “I’m happy to field calls about what to do in Omaha,” she says. She’s fi gured out where adventure lies in the state, and she is eager to share.

MARCH/APRIL 2019

Macdissi with paddleboard

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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ADVENTURE // STORY AND PHOTO BY JILLIAN DUNN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY Jillian Dunn with surfboard

Pura vida! It translates to “pure life”

from Spanish. But this phrase is used by

Costa Ricans as both “hello” and “goodbye.” // 64 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

with Omaha’s Neighborhood Offshore EDITOR’S NOTE: Neighborhood Offshore—a boutique board shop based in Omaha—takes retreat groups to Costa Rica for surfing and yoga every year.

Shop owner Kristen Macdissi invited Jillian Dunn (digital sales manager at Omaha Magazine) to join a May 2018 trip to the Nicoya Peninsula in northwestern Costa Rica.

Dunn didn’t know how to surf. Luckily, Macdissi had her covered. It’s not unusual for Neighborhood Offshore customers to learn how to surf during the trips.

Costa Rica is a small Central American nation—located between Nicaragua and Panama—with lush rainforests and coasts along both Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Costa Rica’s Pacific beaches, in particular, are famous for surfing.

The base rate for Neighborhood Offshore’s surf/yoga retreats cost $825 (for six nights and seven days) in the spring or fall. That includes yoga, surfing, a surf lesson with a local pro, surf gear rental, a welcome reception with food and drink, and a shared room. Essential travel within Costa Rica is covered, but international flights must be purchased individually. Popular add-ons include a meal package, children’s surf camp, and private accommodations.

Closer to home, Neighborhood Offshore also provides travel concierge services for retreats for Colorado camping and paddle retreats (rafting and stand-up paddleboarding) with local guides. These Colorado trips are coordinated at-cost for the shop to develop more local enthusiasm for paddleboarding in Omaha.

Here is Dunn’s travelogue from her May 2018 retreat to Costa Rica with Neighborhood Offshore. Personal scheduling limitations prevented her from staying for the full duration of the trip, which focused on surfing without the yoga sessions that are typically part of a Neighborhood Offshore surf retreat.

Visit neighborhoodoffshore.com for more information. Learn more about owner Kristen Macdissi on pages 62-63.

Day 1 (Tuesday, May 1): My flight arrives in the northwestern Costa Rican city of Liberia around 1 p.m. After linking up with the Neighborhood Offshore crew, we take a two-and-a-half-hour van ride to a private house in Nosara, a tropical beachfront community in Guanacaste Province. En route, we stop to pick up fresh fruits, avocados, and local beers.

Our lodging looks like a giant tree fort. After checking in, we all pile into golf carts and drive to the beach for our first Costa Rican sunset. Next comes an authentic local dinner of fresh seafood with hosts Kristen and Adam Macdissi. A moonlit walk on the beach follows, and a noisy chorus of monkeys, frogs, and jungle creatures do their best to keep us up late into the night.

Day 2 (Wednesday, May 2): The crew wakes early to enjoy the Costa Rican coffee. We make the short walk to Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop & Surf School, where we each pick out a surfboard and meet our instructor (a friend of the Macdissis). Who better to have a private lesson from than a 25-year-old Costa Rican, Luigi Zuñiga, who grew up surfing?

After our one-hour lesson, we continue riding the waves until lunchtime. Back at the house, we take the golf carts into “downtown” Guiones—a sleepy main street near the beach—for lunch and fresh juice at Rosi’s Soda Tica. More surfing follows a lunch of chicken, beans, and rice, and the night brings another wonderful sunset with drinks and dinner near the surf shop.

Day 3 (Thursday, May 3): We are at the beach by 7 a.m. The early morning waves are perfect for our beginner level, but the ocean grows rough by 10 a.m. The waves are tossing me. I am struggling to maintain balance on my board. I was riding every wave the day before. Maybe it was beginner’s luck?

Sore and ready for a break, a group of us take a golf cart to visit a cave on the seashore. We admire the beautiful rock formations. I try joining a few of our surfing companions at the beach in the evening, but the waves are still too choppy for me to get up on my board.

Day 4 (Friday, May 4): With another early morning, some of the novice surfers in our crew upgrade to smaller (more advanced) boards. I decide to keep on my beginner board, as I only had one more day to surf. The rest of the group had three more days in Nosara.

Around lunchtime, we jump in golf carts and buzz around town looking for a place to eat. But everywhere seems to be experiencing a power outage. After the electricity comes back, we return to the house for a siesta. A local friend of our hosts, Paulina Diaz, joins us for another traditional Costa Rican dinner.

We invite our surf instructor friends to join, put on some beachy music, and Paulina teaches us how to make empanadas, baked fish, and homemade salsa.

Day 5 (Saturday, May 5): I’m getting used to the early morning routine.

After a day of surfing, fresh coconut water on the beach, and an afternoon nap, we’re ready for a night of dancing and drinking with the locals. We grab some sangria to go and zip off in a golf cart looking for a restaurant with good music and fresh ceviche. Our choice features live music, hula hoops, foosball, and good food. We chat and reflect on our time in Costa Rica before my departure.

Day 6 (Sunday, May 6): Time for me to catch my flight and head home. Make sure to plan for extra time getting to the airport. I wait about an hour for a hired van to pick me up. He is lost. Evidently, houses in Costa Rica don’t have addresses (I’m not sure how anyone finds their way, but that is the system). When the driver finally finds me, we spend another 30 minutes searching for another traveler—but we end up leaving without him—before rushing to the airport.

A cattle crossing stalls traffic en route, adding another delay to the 2.5-hour drive. Upon arriving at the airport, my flight is delayed four hours. So I sit back and relax before the four-hour flight to Dallas and onward home (6.5 hours of total airtime).

Pura vida! It translates to “pure life” from Spanish. But this phrase is used by Costa Ricans as both “hello” and “goodbye.” I hope to someday visit Nosara again. Pura vida y hasta luego!

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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SPORTS // STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

Hip Czech Not Too Cool for School Lukas Buchta’s Hockey Journey from Czech Republic on Point

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2019

“When I got to the rink, there were 5,000 fans already there...twoand-a-half hours before game time.

I will never forget that moment. It was pretty special.�

-Lukas Buchta

// SPORTS //

H

OCKEY HAS TAKEN Lukas Buchta

A long line of players from outside the U.S. have played in Omaha. While Canada is a perennial feeder for junior and college teams, Europe offers a rich pipeline as well.

Buchta, 24, takes seriously his studentathlete status. The University of NebraskaOmaha senior is studying business with a concentration in financing, banking, and portfolio management. The honors student works hard in the classroom and at the rink. He came to America because it afforded an opportunity his home country did not in terms of playing hockey and seeking higher education.

When Buchta got good enough in his homeland to consider a future in hockey, he was advised by the father of former UNO player Andrej Sustr (a fellow Czech Republic native). Living with a host American family while going to school and playing top-level junior hockey that might net a full-ride scholarship sounded appealing.

a long way from home. The Czech Republic native is wrapping up his final season as a Mavericks defenseman.

“In my country, you can’t play hockey and go to school at the same time,” he says. “You are either a pro athlete or you go to university.”

With his mother’s career in teaching, education was always a priority. But Buchta suspects he would have discontinued studies back home in order to develop in hockey.

Here, he pursued both passions.

“I would make some good money playing hockey, but I wouldn’t find what I’m doing now,” he says. “It’s really fun. I mean, obviously, it’s really tough studying in a second language—everything takes me more time to learn. But I like studying. I like the business program here. I’ve met many great students from all over the world and I have many great professors.”

Aware of how short an athlete’s career can be, he sees enormous value in the degree he will earn in May. “I know how education is so important nowadays, especially if you’re an athlete and you get injured,” he says. “You never know what can happen. But if you have a degree, it opens so many opportunities. The hockey sector is just so tiny compared to the business sector.”

When not studying, he is busy with hockey. That is a learning experience as well. He enjoys being on a team with players from the U.S., Canada, Finland, Sweden, and Slovakia. “It’s great learning about different cultures. Everyone sees the world differently,” Buchta says.

After a 2012-2013 stint with the Omaha Lancers, Buchta played for the Sioux Falls Stampede in 2014-2015.

“I feel like it made me stronger because I was living on my own,” he says. “I was forced to communicate in English on a daily basis.

The biggest adjustment was the weather. It was totally different in South Dakota than what I was used to.”

The Stampede enjoyed a special season that got him noticed. “From a hockey perspective, it was awesome,” says Buchta, who helped the team to the Clark Cup championship of the United States Hockey League.

“We had such a good team. A couple of the guys have already made the NHL. It was a good experience,” he says.

UNO came calling during the season.

“I was talking to many schools because I was actually doing really well. I didn’t know UNO was watching me,” he says. “I remember after a game my coach told me, ‘UNO was here and they liked you,’ and within a week they offered.”

As a freshman, he was part of the team that ushered in UNO’s Baxter Arena. Buchta fondly recalls the home-opener against Air Force. “It was so much fun,” he says.

“When I got to the rink, there were 5,000 fans already there…two-and-a-half hours before game time. I will never forget that moment. It was pretty special.”

strong,” he says. “My freshman year, it was such a highly competitive environment from a D-man’s perspective.”

Buchta played his first two seasons at UNO under then-head coach Dean Blais.

Mavericks defensive coach Mike Gabinet stepped into the leadership role after Blais retired. Buchta says it was a smooth transition, and he credits Gabinet for helping him become a better player. In turn, Gabinet praises Buchta’s mature work ethic as an example to other players.

“I feel I’m way stronger than when I got here,” Buchta says. “I feel like my skating got a lot better. I’m a person that likes to be pushed. It doesn’t matter if it’s hockey or school—I want to just somehow get better in order to separate myself from my video game-playing generation. I try to do everything at 100 percent. When I’m 40 or 50 years old and I look back, I’m not going to be disappointed because I’ll know I did everything I could to be successful.”

He has no regrets coming to America and describes his years abroad as “probably the best decision of my life.” But Buchta is also very close to his parents.

They have traveled to see him play in the U.S. Devoted Maverick fans may have noticed the player’s father with a Czech flag wrapped around his shoulders during games at Baxter Arena.

Buchta went home to see his family over the holidays. Whatever professional hockey or business prospects arise for him in the U.S., he expects to return to the Czech Republic at some point.

“I’m three hours from one of the nicest places in the world, the Swiss Alps,” he says of his family’s home. “The nature is unbelievable, the people are friendly, the economy’s extremely strong. As a business major, I just see so many opportunities over there.”

Visit omavs.com for more information.

“When you don’t play the sport for money but only for a spot, the competition is so

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 69 //

FAITH // STORY BY J.D. AVANT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION BY MATT WIECZOREK

Wes and Candy Z ollicof , fer s Ligh t hou se

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2019

“The Lighthouse Leadership Program allows us to live in homes throughout North Omaha rehabbed by partners like Habitat for Humanity. It’s so rewarding to see the change an Urban Missionary’s family can bring to an area, and my three young children are thriving in the environment.”

-Candy Zollicoffer

MARCH/APRIL

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2019

// FAITH //

ES AND CANDY Zollicoffer are

not your average neighbors.

Instead of plopping down in front of the television after a full day’s work, the Zollicoffers would rather pick up trash along the street or organize a neighborhood barbecue. They hold strong to small gestures like a friendly wave or an unexpected smile— things that can go a long way in maintaining a healthy community.

Longing for resources and a mission to guide those who share their outlook, the couple were happy to partner with Josh Dotzler, CEO of Abide. For more than 30 years, the nonprofit organization has strived to revitalize North Omaha. The enthusiastic couple joined Abide’s burgeoning Lighthouse Leadership Program, and the Zollicoffers found themselves surrounded by like-minded people eager to spread a positive message of kinship.

“My husband and I joined 34 other families acting as Lighthouse Leaders, or Urban Missionaries,” Candy explains. A University of Nebraska-Omaha alumna, she is native to Brewton, Alabama, and reminisces of the strong community ties of her childhood in the South.

“Everybody in my hometown knows everybody, and you can fall asleep with your back door unlocked,” Candy recalls.

“I moved from Alabama to Omaha in high school, and the neighborhoods around here are lacking that sense of fellowship. The Lighthouse Leadership Program allows us to live in homes throughout North Omaha rehabbed by partners like Habitat for Humanity. It’s so rewarding to see the change an Urban Missionary’s family can bring to an area, and my three young children are thriving in the environment.”

On any given day you can find the Zollicoffers outside and involved in activities to strengthen the community.

With their small children in tow, simple tasks—such as planting f lowers around the neighborhood or going door to door singing Christmas carols during the holidays—give them opportunities to interact with their neighbors. Their children also learn the importance of camaraderie, something Candy holds onto when they are shoveling neighborhood driveways after a big snowstorm.

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

“I definitely appreciate the outdoor activities more during nicer weather,” she admits.

“But if someone in my neighborhood needs help, then we are there!”

Abide’s CEO and his family have been transforming neighborhoods dating back to 1988, when Dotzler’s parents—Ron and Twany—moved their 14 children to North Omaha near 33rd and Fowler streets.

After four years, the Zollicoffers saw a significant change in their neighborhood.

They had advocated for families dealing with slumlords, and helped decrease gang activity in the area by engaging with their community. Wes and Candy decided to continue their mission and moved their growing family to their current Lighthouse in 2018.

“We want to keep bringing hope and effective change to the community we live in.”

-Wes Zollicoffer

When the warm weather was abundant, the Dotzlers extended the ultimate olivebranch to their new neighbors with the first of many neighborhood grill-outs. The turnout was huge. More importantly, it gave people a chance to get out of their homes and eat good food while bonding on a personal level.

Dotzler’s parents continued to feel the positive effects their gathering had on the community long after the party ended.

The Omaha Police Department eventually acknowledged the family, observing that violent crime in the area had dropped significantly since their arrival. That onetime grill-out expanded into an annual block-party that continues to this day, and Ron and Twany went on to establish the Abide Network in 1989.

Twenty years later, Abide’s Lighthouse Leadership Neighborhood Strategy took shape with the rehabilitation of the first Lighthouse starting in 2009. The Zollicoffers came along not long after, joining the program and moving their family to 33rd and Fowler streets as official Lighthouse Leaders around 2013.

“As Urban Missionaries, we focus on ‘The Three C’s’ to help make everyone proud to be part of our community,” Candy says. “‘Connection’ is important, so we make it a point to have neighborhood events so that everyone can commune and get to know each other. ‘Caring’ about our neighbors and issues within our community is essential to our wellbeing. Finally, we believe that everyone has a ‘calling,’ so we encourage each person to meet their potential.”

Wes works part-time at Wheatf ields downtown and as a personal trainer, and he recently interned at the Boiler Room as part of the No More Empty Pots’ Culinary Workforce Training Program.

Candy is employed with Abide in the Development Office.

“We want to keep bringing hope and effective change to the community we live in,” Wes says. “Before the Lighthouse Leadership Program, I’d never known anyone that had been shot. But I saw my family become a beacon of hope after such a tragedy affected our old neighborhood.

I ran with a bad crowd back in my days at Central High School, so I am proud to be a testament to our mission and live up to my own God-given potential.”

Abide partners with companies such as Thrasher, Pacific Life, Westin Foods, and many others to provide their Urban Missionaries with a steady stream of resources for nearby residents in need.

Combine that with the Better Together Campus established in 2016, and the Zollicoffers have the backing they need to revitalize the North Side, one neighborhood at a time.

“Sponsored programs like the Better Together Children’s Basketball, Second Saturday Serves, and the Bridge Church located on the Better Together Campus are great assets,” Candy says. “We even put our slogan on a T-shirt: ‘We are Better Together.’”

Visit abideomaha.org for more information.

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IDEAS // STORY BY SARAH WENGERT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

S T R A W B E R R Y - B L U E

O L I V E ’ S

E X C E L L E N T A D V E N T U R E W I T H

T E D x

MARCH/APRIL

O M A H A

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// IDEAS //

S

T R A W B E R R Y- B L U E OLIVE BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF “IDEAS WORTH SPREADING.” This heartfelt belief in the TED tagline—plus her love of innovation, creativity, and community— made her an apt fit to carry the mantle of TEDxOmaha when original license holder Brian Smith stepped away after 2017.

If you’ve never “met” TED, it’s a nonprofit aiming to spread knowledge and ideas, most notably in the form of TED talks (mini-lectures clocking in at 18 minutes or less) and conferences. TED began as a 1984 conference co-mingling topics of technology, entertainment, and design, but it has evolved into a sprawling network of projects and communities worldwide. The TED mission is ambitious yet simple: to build “a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers— and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.” TEDx events, which launched in 2009, are held locally in communities worldwide.

“Giving a TED speech is unlike anything else. It’s not a motivational talk, not a conference speech, not a keynote speech.

It’s something very different. It’s very prestigious and life-changing for people who deliver them,” says Olive, the executive producer and license-holder for TEDxOmaha. “[The aim] is to elevate what’s great within the community, because the [speakers] will inspire the audience to go and do great things themselves or to reach back to us and with their own idea worth spreading.”

Olive, who has a background in business, organizational leadership, and education, hails from the United Kingdom and spent 11 years working in Germany prior to moving to Omaha five years ago with her husband, Al Cagle, when his role in the U.S. Air Force transitioned to an Omaha-based job. The pair originally met at a HarleyDavidson rally in Norway.

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

Olive says because she’d attended TED events elsewhere, she immediately looked into TED’s Omaha presence as a way to tap into the community. She later joined the effort as a volunteer. When Smith announced his departure, she stepped in to ensure TEDxOmaha would continue.

“I said to the team, ‘We cannot let Brian’s legacy go. We owe it to the community to continue this,’” says Olive, whose first order of business after securing the license was reaching out to all past volunteers and partners to gauge their needs, glean their knowledge, and understand how/if they’d like to be engaged in the future. “That’s something that’s never scared me—taking things over and setting up from scratch. As I’ve moved countries and changed careers, each time I’ve been thrown into an area I’m unfamiliar with, I have had to hit the ground running at top speed. So, that’s never phased me.”

While there are thousands of TEDx events around the globe, Olive says the Omaha area is particularly rich with them.

“We have TEDxLincoln, TEDxOmaha, TEDxUNO, and TEDxCreighton,” she says. “A lot of communities don’t have the richness and diversity of ideas within their own community [to support multiple TEDx events]. We do.”

In addition to the main TEDx events, Olive says Omaha also has TEDxSalons and TEDxAdventures throughout the year to help “keep the momentum, ideas, and engagement going” year-round. Salons are held the third Monday monthly at K ANEKO and Adventures occur throughout the community—everywhere from Kugler Vision to Joslyn Castle.

One important challenge that Olive strives to address is achieving inclusivity. To her, that means creating community-wide awareness of TEDx events and ensuring a multitude of perspectives are at the table.

“Our vision is to promote positive interaction through the sharing of ideas,” Olive says. “Beyond providing events, our focus is to be of the community—to engage with others, participate, and collaborate within our community. So, if we are truly of the community, then we must work to be inclusive.”

Informed by her interest in education, and in an effort to include young people, TED-Ed is another program Olive would like to bring to Omaha in the coming years.

TED-Ed is TED’s youth and education initiative, which brings the TED model into schools.

But for now, Olive and her “fabulous” team of volunteer leaders are busy planning TEDxOmaha’s 10th anniversary in 2019, which ultimately means choosing a theme and format, auditioning and coaching speakers, marketing the event, coordinating with partners, tackling logistics, and more.

Olive says they want to create “something special” to honor the decade milestone.

Her other hope for TEDxOmaha’s future is to see the conversations sparked at the main event gain traction and create change within the community.

“We want to use the talks as a platform to start more conversations. I’m hoping we can build momentum around these conversations so they can take on a life of their own,” Olive says. “We have to explore where the synergy is in the community and how we can facilitate conversations to help the speakers elevate their ideas and bring in others to further discuss and move these ideas forward. And it doesn’t have to belong to [TEDxOmaha] all the way through, but if we can be the catalyst to start these conversations, that’s fantastic.”

Visit tedxomaha.com for more information.

“GIVING A TED SPEECH IS UNLIKE ANY THING ELSE. IT’S NOT A M O T I VAT I O N A L TA L K , NO T A CONFERENCE SPEECH, NOT A KEYNOTE SPEECH. IT’S SOMETHING V E R Y D I F F E R E N T. IT’S VERY PRESTIGIOUS AND LIFE-CHANGING FOR PEOPLE WHO DEL I V ER T HEM.” - S T R AW BER RY- BLUE OL I V E

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// 82 //

2019

GIVING FEATURE // STORY BY LISA LUKECART // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH LEMKE // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

A Legacy of

HOGAN’S JUNIOR GOLF HEROES STEVE HOGAN II could have pitched the golf

ball, but instead clutched his 6-iron for an attempt back on the fairway at the Riverside Golf Club. He glanced at the small narrow window through the dense trees. Impossible shot. Sweat rolled down the 9-year-old boy’s back from the blazing summer heat and mounting pressure on the Pepsi Junior Golf Tour’s stop in Grand Island, Nebraska. He relaxed his tense grip and swung. The ball smacked a tree, ricocheting right back at him.

Disgusted with himself, Steve threw his club.

As soon as the rage left his body, Steve met his father’s disappointed brown eyes. Steve Hogan Sr. shook his head and walked briskly down the green until his orange shirt and khaki pants faded in the distance.

Steve’s shoulders sank.

“Until you can handle dealing with adversity without freaking out, you can’t play in any more tournaments,” his father said on the car ride home.

the first and only African-American representing Nebraska (as a certified teaching pro) in the Professional Golfers’ Association of America in 1997.

Steve later wrote him a letter, apologizing because the last thing he wanted to do was to let down his hero, coach, and father. It taught Steve a lesson and not just about the game of golf. In life, when you hit a ball into the bunker, throwing a pity party just isn’t worth the effort.

In 1990, when three children kept sneaking on the course to steal balls and ride bikes across the rolling hills at Miller Park, Hogan Sr. didn’t call the cops.

Instead, the golf pro told them to come back and he would teach them how to play. He started a nonprofit foundation, fittingly named Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes, to expose the neighborhood kids to a game most knew nothing about. It grew to be the largest junior golf program in the country.

Steve would spend countless hours after that day perfecting his left-leaning drive until it coasted down the middle. His father was a mentor to not just his son, but to countless other children. Hogan Sr.—a semi-pro tennis player before discovering golf—worked for the City of Omaha cutting grass and mowing lawns.

When Miller Park needed a manager, Hogan Sr. took charge. He found himself playing on the course at all hours, falling hard for the game. He eventually became the head golf pro at Miller Park in 1989.

Hogan Sr. became

In 1997, Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes became part of The First Tee, an internat iona l yout h de velopment organization that teaches characterbuilding values through golf. Because of Hogan’s work ethic and passion, U.S. Kids Golf named him one of the top-50 golf teachers in America in 2004. In addition, he won the 2003 PGA National Junior Leader award.

Steve recalls how Hogan Sr. always said he wanted to create “not the best golfers, but the best citizens.”

Tony Driscoll is another benef iciar y of mentorship from Hogan Sr. A s a chubby 11-year-old, Driscoll used to hop over the fence by the second hole with his clubs to golf at Miller Park.

A f ter Steve told his father what was happening, Hogan Sr. coached Driscoll rather than turning him away. Driscoll played seven days a week at the ninehole par-3 course until college.

Attorney Steve Hogan II MARCH/APRIL

// 83 //

2019

// GIVING FEATURE //

Steve was involved in his father’s program all throughout high school and college, volunteering his time on the green to help inner-city kids even while working on other charities. He says it would be impossible to measure the many ways golf has helped him professionally, an opportunity Steve wants to pass to more of today’s youth.

“[Hogan Sr.] was the hammer and nail that made me realize what I am going to do with the rest of my life,” says Driscoll, who is now a PGA pro and director at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs.

Steve played golf alongside Driscoll throughout high school at Central, c ompet ing a g a inst ma ny fel low participants in Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes. Steve continued to golf at the collegiate Division I level, but politics and law fascinated him more.

His road to the bar, however, was not a straight shot down the fairway. Steve, a member of the Creighton College Democrats, jumped at the chance to work on the campaign of a first-term Illinois senator running for president of the United States.

Steve took a shot in the dark and moved to Minnesota to become a field organizer for Barack Obama. He knocked on doors, hosted events, and convinced people to vote.

“It was an honor and a privilege to meet them [Barack and Michelle Obama]…to work on a dream campaign with a dream candidate with someone who looked like me,” Steve says. “It changed my life.”

Six days after Steve returned to Nebraska— following Obama’s election to the White House—his father passed away at age 55 from colon cancer. Miller Park was renamed the Steve Hogan Golf Course in his honor in 2009. Hogan Sr. impressed upon his son the importance of being considerate and compassionate. Steve knew from his father’s legacy that one person could make a difference, and he sought to put these lessons into practice for the common good.

Steve left Omaha again to work on the 2010 gubernatorial campaign of Minneapolis’ mayor, R.T. Rybak, and the transition team of Gov. Mark Dayton who won the election. Soon, Steve realized if he didn’t finish law school, he’d never do it. So, he returned to Creighton before another unexpected detour. He had an opportunity to intern at the White House in 2014.

Creighton allowed him to enroll in the Government Organization and Leadership program so he could continue his studies with a dual major.

// 84 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

“Politics is such an awesome catalyst for change,” Steve says. At a young age, he hoped to be either a professional golfer or a senator. Steve put golf aside because he wanted to make an impact on a larger scale. Although Steve hasn’t made his dreams a reality, he looks every bit a future young congressman, dressed in a subtle gray and blue suit.

“Stevie always knows the score of the game in life,” Driscoll says. “He’s a gifted genius.

We used to joke he would be president someday or the mayor of Omaha.”

Part of him wanted to stay in D.C., but he felt compelled to finish his degree. He graduated cum laude from the Creighton University School of Law in 2016 and passed the bar. Steve, now 32, focuses on litigation at the Omaha law firm of Fraser Stryker.

At the same time, Steve didn’t want to leave his father’s golfing legacy behind.

Steve noticed many times his face was the only non-white one in the room. It was something Hogan Sr. knew all too well since he had to face the same issues on many all-white golf courses.

A young Steve Hogan II and his father

“It is about knowing your worth and no one is going to take that from you. It is about setting an example for race and culture,” Steve says. “I can do this and be better, and we as a people can do better. I want more black and brown kids to know they can do it.”

Steve was involved in his father’s program all throughout high school and college, volunteering his time on the green to help inner-city kids even while working on other charities. He says it would be impossible to measure the many ways golf has helped him professionally, an opportunity Steve wants to pass to more of today’s youth.

After Hogan Sr.’s death, hard times fell on Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes—The First Tee of Omaha.

“He was a very unique individual, someone who could go in a room with potential donors and convince them of his dream while also being a PGA pro that could run and maintain a golf course,” Steve says of his father. “It’s tough finding one person that can fit all three roles.”

Steve was determined to keep his father’s program running. Almost 70 percent of the participating children don’t pay for the foundation’s nine-week summer golf program. Clubs, balls, and bags are all provided for those who would never be able to afford time on the green.

After a rotation of board members and executive directors, the nonprofit found its footing again. Steve is now vice-president of the board. Meanwhile, the program is once again thriving with Jeff Porter as its director and PGA pro.

Golf remains an important part of Steve’s life. He says lessons from the sport are sometimes simple, yet essential. Shake the competitor’s hand after a tough loss and look them in the eye. Face failure and be honest enough to admit a penalty. Or maybe there is a lesson in a biffed shot, something Steve knows all too well. For him, golf isn’t just a game.

Visit thefirstteeomaha.org for more information.

GIVING

CALENDAR MARCH/APRIL 2 0 1 9

March 1 (7-10:30 p.m.)

March 7 (6-9 p.m.)

March 17 (11 a.m.-7 p.m.)

Benefiting: Diabetes-related causes Location: il Palazo

Benefiting: Set Me Free Project Location: A View on State

Benefiting: Tangier Shrine Location: Tangier Shrine Center

AN EVENING ON THE ITALIAN RIVIERA —cosmopolitan.org

March 1-2 (times vary)

RESTORE NEBRASKA CONFERENCE FEATURING DANIEL G. CAREY Benefiting: Restoration Exchange Location: Fort Omaha Campus at Metropolitan Community College —restorationexchange.org

March 2 (noon-4 p.m.)

OMAHA BARSTOOL OPEN

Benefiting: United Cerebral Palsy of Nebraska Location: the Old Market

COMEDY FOR CHANGE

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE FEED

—setmefreeproject.net

—tangiershrine.com

March 8 (5:30-8:30 p.m.)

March 21-23 (times vary)

Benefiting: Table Grace Location: St. Thomas Lutheran Church

Benefiting: Imana Kids Locations: various

VOICES OF DIGNITY

March 29 (noon)

TABLE ART 2019: PREPPING FOR SPRING WITH MACKENZIE CHILDS

Benefiting: Omaha Symphony Guild Location: Champions Run —omahasymphony.org

IMANA KIDS GALA & FUNDRAISER SERIES —imanakids.org

—tablegracecafe.com

March 23 (noon-2 p.m.)

March 9 (5:30-9:30 p.m.)

FROM PILLBOXES TO HEADBANDS, FASHION FROM THE 1960S

CELEBRITY CHEF 2019: AN EVENING WITH CHEF TYLER FLORENCE

Benefiting: Douglas County Historical Society Location: Institute of Culinary Arts

Benefiting: Food Bank of the Heartland Location: Embassy Suites-La Vista

—douglascohistory.org

—foodbankheartland.org

—ucpnebraska.org

March 2 (1-4 p.m.)

UNCORKED

Benefiting: Angels Among Us Location: Fleming’s —myangelsamongus.org

March 2 (5:30 p.m.-midnight)

CRUISE AWAY TO THE EMERALD ISLE Benefiting: Stephen Center Location: Champions Run

March 29, 2019 (5-10 p.m.)

March 3 (7 a.m.)

Benefiting: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands Location: The Grass Wagon

MARCH MADNESS

—stephencenter.org

HEAT THE STREETS RUN & WALK FOR WARMTH

—bgcomaha.org

Benefiting: Common Fund of the Heartland Location: Midtown Crossing

March 29 (6:30-9:30 p.m.)

SPRING BENEFIT: SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION

—heatthestreetsomaha.org

March 3 (10:30 a.m.)

15TH ANNUAL WALK AND ROLL FOR DISABILITIES Benefiting: Meyer Foundation for Disabilities Location: Oak View Mall —mfdisabilities.org

March 3 (noon-6 p.m.)

HOOLEY

Benefiting: Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Location: Firefighters Union Hall —laohomaha.org

March 5 (all day)

SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD Benefiting: Goodwill Industries Location: Goodwill Corporate Headquarters —goodwillomaha.org

March 7 (11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.)

March 9 (7-11 p.m.)

March 23 (7-10 p.m.)

Benefiting: Nebraska Children and Families Foundation Location: Scoular Ballroom

Benefiting: Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska Location: Mammel Hall at UNO

PERFECT POUR

15TH ANNUAL ARTVENTURE

March 13 (11:30-1 p.m.)

March 16 (5:30-11 p.m.)

HOLT INTERNATIONAL GALA

Benefiting: Holt International Location: Embassy Suites-La Vista —holtinternational.org

March 30 (4-9 p.m.)

March 24 (4 p.m.)

25TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF SPIRIT DINNER

—crccomaha.org

Mar.

24

Benefiting: Notre Dame Sisters Location: Mainelli Hall at St. Robert Bellarmine —notredamesisters.org

March 24 (5:30-9 p.m.)

HEROES IN THE HEARTLAND LUNCHEON

March 16 (5:30-11 p.m.)

ROCK THE NEST TRIVIA NIGHT

Benefiting: Catholic Charities Omaha Location: Marriott Capitol District

—chsfomaha.org

—redcross.org/neia

—ccomaha.org

Benefiting: American Red Cross Location: Hilton Omaha

IRISH FEST 2019

QUARTER MANIA

Benefiting: CHI Health Foundation Location: Mid-America Center —chihealth.com

Benefiting: Children’s Respite Care Center Location: Marriott Regency

March 30 (9 a.m.)

March 23 (6-10 p.m.)

HERITAGE AWARDS

SILVER RIBBON EVENT WITH DR. CHRISTOPHER WILLARD

—omahaplayhouse.com

Benefiting: Open Door Mission Location: Garland Thompson Men’s Center Chapel

—girlscoutsnebraska.org

—perfectpour.org

Benefiting: Omaha Community Playhouse Location: Omaha Community Playhouse

Benefiting: Central High School Location: Omaha Design Center

—opendoormission.org

RELEASE MINISTRIES ANNUAL BANQUET AND 25-YEAR CELEBRATION

Benefiting: Release Ministries Location: Scott Conference Center at UNO —releaseministries.org

March 30 (4-11 p.m.)

KNIGHTS ON THE FAIRWAY— GOING FOR THE GREEN Benefiting: Mount Michael Benedictine Location: SAC Museum —mountmichael.com

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 85 //

// GIVING CALENDAR // March 30 (4 p.m.-2 a.m.)

RELAY FOR LIFE OF CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Save the date for

Benfitting: American Cancer Society Location: Kiewit Fitness Center —cancer.org

March 30 (5-9 p.m.)

VINNEBRASKA PUBLIC WINE TASTING AND GRAND AUCTION

Benefiting: Omaha Public Schools Foundation Location: Ramada Plaza —vinnebraska.com

Our community’s 7th annual giving day

MAY 22

Get ready to give and rally support for your favorite local nonprofits!

March 30 (5:30-9 p.m.)

THE GATHERING

Benefiting: CUES Supported Schools Location: CHI Health Center Omaha —cuesschools.org

March 30 (6 p.m.)

2019 BARRISTER’S BALL: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WONKA Benefiting: Nebraska Lawyers Foundation programs Location: Embassy Suites-La Vista —nevlp.org

March 30 (6-9 p.m.)

Presented by

Powered by

OmahaGives.org

FOURTH ANNUAL GALA FUNDRAISER: VEGAS NIGHTS Benefiting: Bennington Schools Foundation Location: A View on State Street —benningtonschoolsfoundation.org

March 31 (noon)

2019 WALK & RALLY FOR HOPE

Benefiting: ALS in the Heartland Location: Baxter Arena —alsintheheartland.org

April 3 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

SPEAKING OF CHILDREN LUNCHEON WITH SASHA JOSEPH NEULINGER Benefiting: Project Harmony Location: CHI Health Center Omaha —projectharmony.com

April 4 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

SPRING LUNCHEON FEATURING LAURA DOWLING Benefiting: Lauritzen Gardens Guild Location: Lauritzen Gardens —lauritzengardens.org

April 5 (6-9 p.m.)

CIRCLE OF DREAMS

Savor the experience

Benefiting: St. Augustine Mission School Location: St. Robert Bellarmine’s Mainelli Center —staugustinemission.org

April 5 (6:30-10 p.m.)

WINE WOMEN AND SHOES

Benefiting: Carolyn Scott Rainbow House Location: Omaha Design Center —winewomenandshoes.com

April 6 (10 a.m.)

STRENGTHEN OUR SURVIVORS BRUNCH Benefiting: Heartland Family Service Location: Oak Hills Country Club —heartlandfamilyservice.org

April 6 (4 p.m.)

BIG BASKETBALL BASH

Benefiting: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands Location: Scott Conference Center at UNO —bbbsomaha.org

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

// GIVING CALENDAR // April 6 (5-9 p.m.)

April 12-13 (times vary)

April 17 (6-9 p.m.)

April 27 (9 a.m.)

Benefiting: DREAM Locations: various

Benefiting: Greater Omaha Chamber Location: Holland Performing Arts Center

Benefiting: March of Dimes Location: Lewis & Clark Landing

—joindream.org

—omahachamber.org/BHOF

April 6 (5:30-9:30 p.m.)

April 13 (all day)

April 18 (7-8:30 a.m.)

Benefiting: St. Cecilia Cathedral School Location: St. Cecilia Cathedral School

Benefiting: local food banks Location: donors’ homes

Benefiting: Bellevue Public Schools Foundation Location: Lied Activity Center

HEART OF CAMP GALA

Benefiting: Carol Joy Holling Camp Location: La Vista Conference Center —caroljoyholling.org

COMEDY AND CUISINE —stcecilia.net

BIG DREAM WEEKEND WITH BOWLING, TAILGATING, AND MORE

SCOUTING FOR FOOD

April 13 (9 a.m.-noon)

Benefiting: Susan G. Komen Foundation Location: Hilton Omaha

Benefiting: Autism Society of Nebraska Location: Ralston Arena

—komennebraska.org

April 7 (noon-2:30 p.m.)

HUMANITARIAN BRUNCH FEATURING VU LE Benefiting: Inclusive Communities Location: Scott Conference Center —inclusive-communities.org

April 10 (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.)

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF OMAHA LUNCHEON AND STYLE SHOW

Benefiting: Assistance League of Omaha Location: Champions Run —alomaha.org

April 10 (11:30-1:30 p.m.)

2019 AUTHOR LUNCHEON, FEATURING JESSICA LAHEY Benefiting: Completely Kids Location: Hilton Omaha —completelykids.org

April 11 (6-10 p.m.)

EVENING WITH FRIENDS

Benefiting: CHI Midlands Location: CHI Midlands Hospital —chihealth.com

April 12 (5-10 p.m.)

KICKS FOR A CURE ANNUAL DINNER

COMMUNITY BREAKFAST

—mac-bsa.org/scoutingforfood

April 6 (5:30-10 p.m.)

FIFTH ANNUAL PINK RIBBON AFFAIR

OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

—bellevuepublicschoolsfoundation.org

April 18 (8:30-11 a.m.)

FUNFEST

—autismnebraska.org

April 13 (times vary)

KICKS FOR A CURE SOCCER EXHIBITION

Benefiting: Kicks for a Cure Location: Caniglia Field at UNO and Morrison Stadium at Creighton University —kicksforacure.org

April 13 (5 p.m.)

FEATHER OUR NEST GOLDEN JUBILEE

April

18

CLAUSSEN-LEAHY MAVERICK RUN Benefiting: UNO Athletics Location: Baxter Arena

—omavs.com

April 18 (11:30-1 p.m.)

CAN DO LUNCHEON

Benefiting: Kids Can Location: Marriott Capitol District —kidscanomaha.org

April 19 (6-10 p.m.)

HOPE BREWS

Benefiting: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Location: Founders One-Nine —cff.org/nebraska

Benefiting: Fontenelle Forest Guild Location: Marriott Capitol District

April 19 (7-10 p.m.)

April 13 (5:30-9 p.m.)

Benefiting: Alheimer’s Association Location: Omaha Sports Complex

—fontenelleforest.org

FESTA DEL LEONE

Benefiting: Roncalli Catholic High School Location: Roncalli Catholic High School —roncallicatholic.org

April 13 (5:30-10 p.m.)

OMAHA SYMPHONY GALA FEATURING WAYNE BRADY

MARCH FOR BABIES —marchforbabies.org

April 27 (9 a.m.-noon)

NEBRASKA LYMPHOMA WALK

Benefiting: Lymphoma Research Foundation Location: Mahoney State Park —lymphoma.org

April 27 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.)

EIGHTH ANNUAL SPRING LUNCHEON Benefiting: Santa Monica House Location: DC Centre —santamonicahouse.org

April 27 (2-4 p.m.)

WALK FOR INFERTILITY AWARENESS Benefiting: Conceive Nebraska Location: Midtown Crossing —conceivenebraska.org

April 27 (5-8 p.m.)

BEACH BASH 2019: RIDING THE WAVES FOR 140 YEARS Benefiting: Creighton Prep Location: Heider Center at Creighton Prep —creightonprep.creighton.edu

RIVALZ—BLONDES VS. BRUNETTES

April 27 (5-11 p.m.)

—alz.nebraska.org

Benefiting: Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy Location: HETRA barn

April 24 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

FUSION 2019 FEATURING ELIN HILDERBRAND

Benefiting: Nebraska Medicine Guild Location: Omaha Design Center —nebraskamed.com/about-us/guild

Benefiting: Omaha Symphony Location: Holland Performing Arts Center

BLUE JEANS & DREAMS

—hetra.org

April 27 (6 p.m.)

BLUE JEANS BALL

Benefiting: Make-A-Wish of Nebraska Location: Hilton Omaha —nebraska.wish.org

April 27 (6-9 p.m.)

—omahasymphony.org

DINING WITH DOGS

Benefiting: Kicks for a Cure Location: Marriott Capitol District

Benefiting: Nebraska Humane Society Location: Baxter Subaru

—kicksforacure.org

—nehumanesociety.org

April 12 (5:30-8:30 p.m.)

April 28 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.)

14TH ANNUAL MEN OF HONOR FEATURING FREDERICK DOUGLAS HAYNES III

LADLE OF LOVE FESTIVAL

Benefiting: Open Door Mission Location: Garland Thompson Men’s Center

Benefiting: 100 Black Men of Omaha Location: Hilton Downtown

—opendoormission.org

—100blackmenofomaha.org

April 30 (5:30-9 p.m.)

BOYS TOWN BOOSTER BANQUET FEATURING BRUCE BOWEN April 26 (6:30-10 p.m.)

April 13 (6-9:30 p.m.)

10TH ANNUAL CELEBRATING COMMUNITY

Benefiting: Omaha Together One Community Location: KANEKO —otoc.org

April 14 (3 p.m.)

POPS AND PIE

Benefiting: Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha Location: Witherspoon Concert Hall at Joslyn Art Museum —igoomaha.org

NIGHT OF CELEBRATION

Benefiting: CHI Health Immanuel Location: Omaha Design Center —chihealth.com

Benefiting: Boys Town Location: Embassy Suites-La Vista —boystown.org

Event times and details may change.

Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.

April 26 (7 p.m.)

GUNS ’N’ HOSES

Benefiting: First Responders Foundation Location: Baxter Arena —firstrespondersomaha.org

April 26 and 27 (times vary)

BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE

Benefiting: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands Location: Maplewood Lanes —bbbsomaha.org

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 87 //

60PLUS // OPENER

W

about Nebraska’s wild turkeys, it always reminds me of bygone days when my boys were young—and we raised peacocks.

HEN I HEAR

Our peacocks would roam throughout the yard’s five wooded acres. The birds stayed on the property and often flew to the treetops to roost. They meandered along the roof of the house and garage. They strolled in the yard and made themselves comfortable on the deck. I studied their eating habits to learn which flowers to plant, i.e., the kind they wouldn’t eat.

At one time, we also had a couple of guinea fowl. There was one peacock and one guinea fowl who would spend entire days chasing each other around and around and around the house.

During spring mating season, male peacocks fanned their ornamental trains of tail feathers for the ladies (the peahens). The males also called out for the females’ attention. I always thought it sounded like “RL-L-L-L, RL-L-LL-L,” my oldest son’s name (R.L.).

After mating season, the peacocks shed their tails. I would gather the beautiful feathers from the yard for bouquets.

A couple of times, a peahen would lay eggs under the glass-topped table on the deck off of the master bedroom. It must have been comfortable there.

Watching a peahen teach her chicks to fly was fascinating. She would fly from the floor of the deck to the railing, then stand there and wait for the babies to follow, eventually flying from the railing to the roof.

Peacocks are hardy birds, and they can survive the Nebraska weather. In the wild they can live to about 10-25 years, but have been reported to live up to 50 years in captivity.

While our peacocks were the most beautiful creatures, the guinea fowl were hideous. We had to get rid of them all many years ago. But that’s another story. Now, as far as I know, turkeys rule the roost in the neighborhood.

Read more about the recovery of the native Nebraskan bird on pages 94-97.

Until next time.

Cheers!

Contributing Editor

MARCH/APRIL 2019 • 60PLUS

// 89 //

FEATURE // STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY // ARTWORK BY WATIE WHITE

Phyllis Hicks

W

The Publisher and the Newspaper She Never Meant to Run HEN THE STORY OF the

city’s longest-running AfricanAmerican-owned newspaper, The Omaha Star, is written, three women will dominate its 80-year narrative.

Founding publisher Mildred Brown ran the ship from 1938 until her death in 1989. Her niece Marguerita Washington (a career educator), who spent time working for her aunt growing up, succeeded her. Phyllis Hicks joined the paper in 2005 and took over more and more of its operations after Washington fell ill. Upon Washington’s 2016 death, Hicks officially became publisher and managing editor; in truth, she had been running things for some time.

Hicks—the last survivor of this troika of black women journalists—never intended getting so deeply involved with the paper. Brown was only an acquaintance and Hicks’ association with the Star was limited to reading and submitting news items to it. She only joined the staff as a favor to her mother, who was close to Washington. Hicks studied journalism in school, but besides writing occasional press releases for her work in the public and private sectors (including her coaching of the Stepping Saints drill team), she had nothing to do with the Fourth Estate.

Fate had other plans, and thus Hicks, like Brown and Washington before her, became the matriarchal face of the paper. She did it her way, too. Lacking the entrepreneurial and sartorial flair of Brown, Hicks nevertheless managed attracting enough advertisers to keep the Star afloat through troubled economic times and declining ad revenues and subscriptions. Without the publishing and academic background of Washington, Hicks still found ways to keep the paper relevant for today’s readers. // 90 //

60PLUS • MARCH/APRIL 2019

The Star is believed to be the nation’s oldest African-American paper owned and operated by women.

Through the Great Depression, the late ’60s riots, the 2008 economic collapse, the death of publishers, and declining print ad revenue, it has never ceased publication.

After more than a decade with the paper, Hicks—who turns 76 on March 7—is looking to step away from the paper due to her own declining health. She broke her ankle in 2017, and then, last year went to the hospital to be treated for pneumonia; she was discharged with a dysfunctional kidney requiring dialysis.

She is eager for someone to carry the Star torch forward. As this issue of Omaha Magazine went to press, a management transition involving the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center was in progress.

Whatever the paper’s future, Hicks is glad to have been part of its legacy of strong black women. That legacy extends to her late mother, aunts, and grandmother (Emma Lee Agee-Sullivan)—all independent achievers from whom she drew much inspiration.

When Agee-Sullivan was young, she was a member of the church pastored by the Rev. Earl Little (Malcolm X’s father). AgeeSullivan was with the Little family when a lynch mob came looking for Earl Little. The family hid him and covered for him, and the Littles fled Nebraska the next day. As an adult, Hicks says, Agee-Sullivan was active in the Baptist church and started the state’s first licensed, black-owned home daycare.

Hicks had aunts who worked in finance and another who was a championship golfer (who would have gone professional “if she had come at another time”), she says, adding that her paternal grandfather, the Rev. J. P. Mosley Sr., led a demonstration to integrate swimming pools in Chillicothe, Missouri, in 1954, and “built Mount Nebo Baptist Church from the ground up” in Omaha.

Phyllis Hicks modeled for artist Watie White’s public art mural series, 100 People. The woodcut image features Hicks with the Salem Baptist Church Stepping Saints drill team. Although a location for the mural has not been confirmed, White expects Hicks’ mural will be installed in Omaha during the spring.

// FEATURE //

When the challenge of the Star or anything else presented itself, she was ready. “I just did it because it had to be done,” Hicks says.

Hicks continued running the paper, she says, because “I just felt an obligation. When I take on something, I try to see it through.”

She followed the path laid out by other “black women taking the leadership role.”

The Star is believed to be the nation’s oldest African-American paper owned and operated by women. Through the Great Depression, the late ’60s riots, the 2008 economic collapse, the death of publishers, and declining print ad revenue, it has never ceased publication.

At a time when few black women owned businesses, Brown launched the Star only a year after moving to town. She originally worked for the city’s other African-American paper, The Guide. She left its employment for her startup, which competed against The Guide for advertisers and readers. The Star soon won out thanks to her entrepreneurial savvy and not-taking-no-for-an-answer grit. The publisher made her paper a bastion for civil rights and community pride.

Following Brown’s death in 1989, Washington took command. By the early 2000s, the paper struggled.

Meanwhile, Hicks’ mother, Juanita, befriended Washington. When Juanita fell ill, Washington helped care for her to allow Hicks to manage the Stepping Saints. Then, when Juanita’s house got flooded, she stayed with Washington for six weeks.

“They kind of adopted each other and threw me in the mix,” Hicks says.

Hicks was retired but, at the urging of her mother, she offered to assist Washington at the Star. Hicks soon took on editorial and business duties.

“I went to do a little marketing for Marguerita, and I’ve been there ever since,” she says. “I discovered there was a lot of help she needed.

The paper was in dire straits. And I just started doing some of everything.”

Along the way, Hicks and Washington grew close. “It was a growing relationship that became more of a personal one than a business one,” she says.

Hicks admires how Washington took up the mantle after Mildred Brown died.

“She wanted the paper to go on as a legacy to Mildred because Mildred put her all into the paper. Plus, Marguerita felt the paper needed to be in the community to allow the black community a voice. She felt the newspaper was another way to educate people.

“She made the ultimate sacrifice and put her life on hold to keep somebody else’s dream alive,” Hicks says.

With Washington and Brown as her models, she ensured the Star’s survival.

“I take satisfaction in knowing I kept it from going under because it was close to going under,” she says. “With some personal sacrifices, I’ve been able to keep the doors open and pay people’s salaries. I paid off all The Omaha Star bills. There were several years of back taxes. All that’s been caught up to date.”

Hicks came to believe, as Brown and Washington did, the Star serves an important role in its “ability to tell it like it is in the community, without it having to be politically correct.”

Just don’t expect crime reporting.

“I’ve tried to keep the paper in the light that Marguerita and Mildred did in positive news,” she says. “We don’t report who got killed, we don’t report crime, we don’t report Together, they formed any of that, because the Mildred D. Brown “If I say I’m going to there’s a mess of that Memorial Study Center being reported already. do something, then as a fundraising and What we try to do is scholarship vehicle. paint a bright picture of I’m going to try to what’s going on in the As Washington’s health community—people’s see it to the end.” failed, Hicks became her accomplishments. We caregiver and eventually try to put information —Phyllis Hicks power of attorney. By the out there that builds the time Washington died of community up as well as multiple malignant brain inspires the community.” tumors in 2016, Hicks transitioned the paper from a weekly to a biweekly as a cost-savings move. She also got the paper’s archives digitized online.

The Star’s long been home to strong voices— from Charlie Washington and Preston Love Sr. to Ernie Chambers and Walter Brooks— calling for change. For many black Omahans, including those living elsewhere, it remains a main conduit to their shared community.

Hicks wishes more young people used the paper as a resource and recognized its role in fighting injustice and championing black self-determination.

“It’s a legacy for them,” she says. “It’s a part of this community’s history, and it’s a vehicle for them to tell their stories. We invite young people to submit stories.”

The Star intersects with young people through internships it offers students and scholarships granted by the Study Center. Engaging with community youth has been a priority for Hicks for years.

Long before joining the Star, Hicks made her community mark as co-founder and director of the Salem Baptist Church Stepping Saints drill team. The team was originally organized in 1966 to perform at a single event.

But Saints dancers and drummers wanted something permanent, so the group became a fixture in area parades and at Disneyland, Disney World, Knott’s Berry Farm, and many other attractions across the nation.

Hicks says, the last time she counted, the Saints had performed in 38 states and some 2,000 youths had cycled through the team’s ranks over time. Some veteran Saints have seen their children and grandkids participate, making it a multigenerational tradition.

The Saints celebrated 50 years in 2017. The team is still going strong. Even though Hicks no longer takes an active hand in things, she’s still the matriarch.

Just as she never meant for the Saints to be a long-term commitment, her Omaha Star gig turned into one. Her promise-keeping may be her enduring legacy.

“If I say I’m going to do something, then I’m going to try to see it to the end,” she says.

Hicks wants the paper to remain black-owned and managed and based in North Omaha, where its red brick building (at 2216 N. 24th St.) has landmark status on the National Register of Historic Places.

Visit theomahastar.com for more information.

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NOSTALGIA // STORY BY JARED KENNEDY // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

According to Retired Game Warden Dick Turpin // 94 //

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I

F YOU’VE EVER GONE

turkey hunting in Nebraska, or seen one out and about, you should know that every turkey you have encountered in Nebraska is a miracle. The state’s tumultuous history of wild turkeys encompasses massive population declines, failed repopulation efforts, and what retired game warden Dick Turpin calls a “Cinderella Story” reintroduction that led to Nebraska nearly topping the list of best places to hunt turkey in America.

Turkey hunting in Nebraska was nonexistent from about 1915 to 1961. Around the end of that time period, Turpin says Nebraska Game & Parks made a trade with the state of Wyoming to introduce wild turkeys back into Nebraska. Prairie chickens for turkeys, that was the deal, and the turkey population in Nebraska has—shall we say—soared with the eagles ever since.

The decline of the turkey population in Nebraska is thought to be caused by overharvesting by pioneers moving into and passing through the state. Food could be scarce for these settlers, and turkeys offered plenty for the table. The Nebraska Game & Parks Department reports that wild turkeys in Nebraska were all but wiped out by 1915.

“In ’58, we turned turkeys loose up in the Pine Ridge area. By 1961 or 1962, we had a season up there already because the turkeys did so well,” Turpin says. “These were the Merriam turkeys…the Merriam breed are really sought after and they are considered the Cadillac of turkeys.”

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Nebraska Game & Parks staff release Rio Grande turkeys in south-central Nebraska during the 1960s as part of efforts to restore wild populations. Photo provided by Game & Parks.

“We started trapping and transplanting them around the state because we were getting complaints from farmers saying they were getting turkeys in their feed bunks when they were trying to feed their steers and stuff,” Turpin says.

Turpin says Nebraska Game & Parks recognized the success of the turkey population and could see it was onto something. With the Pine Ridge flocks breeding turkeys so well, the biology department of Game & Parks decided to scout other locations to which they could move turkeys so the population could continue to grow. Halsey National Forest was chosen as the second location, but according to Turpin the turkey population was growing beyond having just two areas of containment.

“We started trapping and transplanting them around the state because we were getting complaints from farmers saying they were getting turkeys in their feed bunks when they were trying to feed their steers and stuff,” Turpin says.

Angry farmers aside, people were clamoring to get these turkeys in their locale; so much so that they were willing to take their local turkey population into their own hands.

“Game & Parks was slow getting birds released in the Niobrara area, so a group of outdoorsmen and land owners bought a bunch of Eastern turkeys [a different breed] and turned them loose themselves up in the Niobrara River country,” Turpin says. “Well, then we had a problem because our biologists didn’t want to introduce the Merriams there when the Eastern turkeys were there.”

The people in the Niobrara River area continued to press Nebraska Game & Parks to bring Merriam turkeys—the department finally relented and combined Eastern and Merriam turkey populations in that area.

“It was probably, this is no kidding, the best thing to ever happen to the state of Nebraska as far as wild turkeys are concerned,” Turpin says. “The Merriams and the Eastern birds began crossing, and all the sudden we had a hybrid population that just went wild; I mean there was a turkey under every leaf.”

According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, four Nebraska counties make the list of top-20 counties for turkey hunting in the United States. Dawes, Sheridan, Holt, and Sioux counties place 7th, 16th, 17th, and 20th, respectively, for counties with the most turkeys. The turkey federation also corroborates Turpin’s point that the Eastern/Merriam hybrid makes up most of the wild turkey population in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Game & Parks website reports that the Nebraska hybrid bird can weigh more than 25 pounds, which is at least six pounds heavier than either the Eastern or Merriam varieties. Turpin says the hybrid bird has another big advantage over the other breeds in the state: they’re willing to mobilize.

“The Rio Grande turkeys didn’t travel at all, and the Merriams didn’t go far either,” Turpin says. “But the hybrids, you turn them loose and the next morning they will be 20 miles south.

They will seek out the best habitat they can for what they need.”

Turkeys in Nebraska went from a large native population journaled by Lewis and Clark, to over-harvesting that drove the bird to the brink of extinction in Nebraska. Now the Cornhusker State is one of the most populous turkey states in the U.S. The existence of turkeys here has been a fickle thing, but Turpin says if hunters continue to purchase tags, and thus put money into conservation, this Cinderella tale doesn’t have to see midnight—it would be a shame to fowl up such a good thing.

Turpin retired from Nebraska Game & Parks as Chief of Law Enforcement in 1999 after serving as a conservation officer and the administrator of the Hunter Education Program. He served 40 years for the state agency, and he continues to be active in local and national organizations dedicated to hunting and conservation. He is a public speaker, hunting instructor, and creator of Dick Turpin Turkey Calls (handcrafted box turkey calls that Turpin creates himself).

Visit turpincalls.com for more information.

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ACTIVE LIVING // STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

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“The nice thing about diving is that it’s all about relaxing,” she says. “There’s not a lot of stress put on the body.”

// ACTIVE LIVING //

She’s a scuba diver with master diver certification and approximately 600 dives under her (weighted) belt since she took up the activity in 1995.

N

ATIVE NORTH DAKOTAN SHIRLEY Ortman was 19 before

she learned to swim.

Water exercise classes and lap swimming are low-impact with minimal pressure on the joints, Hollis says, and the DiVentures pool is a warm 88 degrees. The center also offers snorkeling and scuba instruction, and trial classes for the hesitant or curious.

“I’m a pretty good swimmer, but I don’t enjoy it,” she says. “And I do not like to lie on the beach; I’m bored silly.”

“You can get in the pool and breathe underwater, and just see what it’s like to experience scuba,” he says.

Ortman isn’t happy next to the water or splashing around in it because the sweet spot for her is several meters beneath the surface, “where you see the most.” She’s a scuba diver with master diver certification and approximately 600 dives under her (weighted) belt since she took up the activity in 1995.

“You can get your toe wet, so to speak,” Ortman adds.

“I’ve been to a lot of places but my all-time favorite is the Galapagos,” she says. “It’s for advanced diving; it’s heavy currents and you have to drop down quickly and hang on to a rock to watch stuff go by.”

“The nice thing about diving is that it’s all about relaxing,” she says. “There’s not a lot of stress put on the body.”

She’s seen an incredible variety of flora and fauna, including countless species of fish and hammerhead sharks, but she especially enjoys seeing sea turtles in their element. “I get goosebumps thinking about it,” she says.

Ortman was in her 40s when she tried scuba for the first time. At 68, she is still an active diver.

“I’ve dove with people up to their mid-80s,” says Dean Hollis, who founded DiVentures, an aquatics and scuba center in Omaha (now with six locations in five states). “We offer a lot of aquatic activities suitable for older adults.”

Although scuba diving isn’t a practical regular fitness regimen, especially in the Midwest, it’s a great way to stay active and engaged at any age, Ortman says.

And there’s always more to learn. Ortman recently took a stress-and-rescue course to sharpen up.

“You really need to hone your skills so you don’t get sloppy,” Ortman explains. “Now I feel that I have better ability to take care of myself. Or, if I see somebody else in distress, I could identify that and assist.”

“The water at the quarry was murky and cold, but I’m a little bit of a snob,” she says. Most of her dives have taken place in warmer ocean waters, like Hawaii, Tahiti, or the Bahamas.

Ortman has booked group scuba excursions through DiVentures and companies like LiveAboard, where she can share stories with other scuba divers and enjoy the diving subculture.

Landlubbers often ask how deep she’s gone (close to 130 feet, about the size of a 12-story building and the maximum depth for recreational diving), she says, but other divers understand that it’s more about what you see.

“These are immersive trips,” Ortman says.

“Everyone is always excited to talk about their experiences, and the trips are always fun.”

Visit diventures.com for more information.

The quarry in Iowa where stress-and-rescue instruction took place was one of the few times she has dived inland—outside of the 14-foot pool at DiVentures.

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HEALTH // STORY BY GREG JERRETT // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

S

UBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

occur when at least one substance or drug leads to distress or impairment that is clinically significant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of opioid addicts in the United States is estimated to be in the millions.

Exact numbers may never be known, as many people who are addicted to opioids try to keep it a secret or legitimately do not realize a problem exists. Some may fear the stigma and judgment that come with being an addict.

A recent study by the CDC determined over 200,000 people died in the United States between 1999 and 2016 from causes related to prescription opioids. Nebraska saw 44 deaths in 2016. While less than the national average of 13.3 deaths per 100,000, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nebraska still saw 2.4 deaths per 100,000 people.

Those over 60 are not immune. The AARP has stated in educational literature that while bipartisan efforts, public awareness of prescription drug issues, and treatment have increased, fewer efforts have been geared to the older population, whose “unique characteristics may demand different or more nuanced solutions to these problems.”

Dr. Allison Dering-Anderson is the community pharmacist in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Department of Pharmacy Practice and a lecturer in pharmacy law and ethics. She agrees that older adults have more medical issues that put them at risk for substance use disorders.

“People over 60 have any of a number of things that set them up in a circumstance where they need an opiate to treat pain,” Dering-Anderson says. “They are the ones most likely to have some chronic pain condition from an injury that never healed right, or arthritis that is ridiculously painful, and they need an opiate to control the pain.”

Dering-Anderson is no stranger to pain or opiates. She was prescribed opiates after a painful knee operation. Post surgery, she said she would not have been able to do anything without significant pain control, but was lucky that her body chose to accept pain medication as that and nothing more. Not everyone is so lucky. Problems may occur when the body accepts the medication, but the brain becomes accustomed to, and craves, the euphoria associated with opiates.

The problem is the scientific method, DeringAnderson says, not one of intentional overprescription or market pressure to sell more drugs. For example, when Tramadol (a synthetic opioid) was introduced to the American market, it was to have no poten“People over 60 have any of considered tial for contributing to subuse disorder. But that a number of things that set stance changed after its release— them up in a circumstance as with many drugs new to market—when hidden side where they need an opiate effects and statistical outliers were discovered.

to treat pain,” DeringAnderson says. “They are the ones most likely to have some chronic pain condition from an injury that never healed right, or arthritis that is ridiculously painful, and they need an opiate to control the pain.”

“There have been some missteps in determining the potential for substance use disorder,” Dering-Anderson says, adding adamantly that deliberate misdirection is not the issue. “The FDA approved the Tramadol label based on studies that did not show this was a problem.

Now it’s a problem, and they did all of the correct post-market things to send out new warnings to change their labeling.”

More often the problem is selective participation in treatment. Patients may avoid physical therapy or exercise, preferring the quicker results of opiates.

Jessie Thompson works in the front lines of substance use disorder treatment as a counselor at Lutheran Family Services. Her observation is that older patients may have been prescribed opiates for so long they might not necessarily realize that they are addicted.

“Sometimes I think they have pain and maybe the pain is not as bad as it was, or there are other treatment modalities that haven’t been prescribed because they’ve had chronic pain for so long,” Thompson says.

Stretching, exercise, and rest are often part of any recovery plan, but may fall by the wayside while medication takes front stage.

Thompson and Dering-Anderson agree that the pendulum has swung both ways and that, over the decades, doctors have been alternately leery of prescribing opiates for pain and then encouraged to do more to manage pain.

Dering-Anderson says seniors should know they do not have to be in pain, that not all pain medications lead to substance use disorder, and that following a complete regimen of treatment can reduce a patient’s drug load.

“If the prescriber and the pharmacists recommend ibuprofen [which is not considered addictive], give that a try, but do all of the other things that go along with pain management,” she says. “You need to rest, do your exercises, massage therapy, go to physical therapy, because it is with those professions that we have a chance at reducing your drug load and to keep you safe.”

There are many variables that go into addiction. Life circumstances, relationship status, genetic predisposition, type of substance, and medical conditions can all be factors contributing to substance use disorder. But one factor in avoiding addiction is vigilance.

Visit unmc.edu or lfsneb.org for more information about addiction resources at UNMC and Lutheran Family Services.

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Visit Omahamagazine.com Click “Get the Magazine” Then Click “Weekend E-Blast”

OBVIOUSLY OMAHA // STORY BY JUSTINE YOUNG // PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

You Say “Tomato,” I Say “Bloody Mary”

01

A GU I DE TO OMAHA’S B LOODY MARYS

WHAT OTHER COCKTAIL can cure hangovers, give you your daily fill of veggies (tomato juice

counts as a vegetable, right?), and is socially acceptable to drink at any hour? Bloody marys have been the go-to drink of choice for those looking to spice up their brunch or heal a headache after a night on the town for nearly 100 years. Served over ice in a tall glass, this salty sip is typically made of tomato juice, vodka, and an assortment of hot sauces and spices, often garnished with celery. The wide variety of ingredients and embellishments available to the bloody mary gives bartenders an opportunity to mix creatively, and since Omaha has an abundance to offer when it comes to the classic drink, we’ve rounded up a few of the city’s best bloody marys for you to try.

01. KRUG PARK 04. TWISTED FORK GRILL & SALOON 6205 Maple St. 1014 Howard St. 402-932-0038 402-932-9600 krugpark.com twistedforksaloon.com Located in the center of Benson’s busThe Twisted Fork packs a vast range of tling entertainment district, Krug Park bloody marys into four menu options is well-known among locals for their during weekend brunch—served from wide selection of refreshments, including 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Try Buck’s bloody 12 signature takes on the bloody mary mary (a mixture of house vodka, Zing known as “The Bloody Dozen.” From the Zang, and rimmed with "buck salt") or Bakon bloody mary (which includes beef the bourbon bloody mary (a more classticks and olives) to the Cucumber Dill sic version created with a bourbon base). (infused with cucumber and dill vodka), The Twisted Fork also offers their own there’s something on this one-of-a-kind take on a bacon-flavored bloody, as well menu for everyone at Krug’s. Visit the as a build-your-own bar with more than bar on “Bloody” Saturday or “Bloody” a dozen options for garnishes to top off Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. and enjoy your own unique brunch mix. $1 off your pick of the dozen.

05. RAILCAR MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN 02. REPORT IN PUB 1814 N. 144th St. 12100 W. Center Road 402-493-4743 402-916-4438 railcaromaha.com reportinpubomaha.com An homage to Omaha’s long hisOrder a Giant Bloody Mary at Report In tory in the railroad industry, Railcar Pub if your hunger matches your thirst.

Modern American Kitchen’s cozy The name is no hyperbole. At 36 ounces, atmosphere and classic American the monstrous beverage is topped with an dishes make sure customers dine entire meal’s worth of food stacked on a comfortably and leave full. Brunch skewer and towering out of a glass mug. starts early (9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.), and the The drink order includes a quarter-pound bloody marys cost only one cent after cheeseburger, two hot wings, bacon, a fried your first drink at full price. Make pickle, and “all the normal stuff” you’d sure to try all three of their original find in a bloody mary. bloody mary concoctions: “Hopped,” “The Rocket,” and “The Jerk.”

03. STOKES Old Market: 1122 Howard St. 06. SHUCKS FISH HOUSE & OYSTER BAR 402-408-9000 Downtown: 1911 Leavenworth St. West Omaha: 13615 California St. 402-614-5544 402-498-0804 Pacific Street: 1218 S. 119th St. stokesrestaurant.com 402-827-4376 Legacy: 16901 Wright Plaza, No. 198 Want to try your own hand at mixing a 402-763-1860 bloody mary without having to raid the shucksfishhouse.com grocery store? Visit Stokes on weekends between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., where Looking for even more variety in your the build-your-own bloody mary bar brunch life? Check out any of Shucks offers endless options for a personally Fish House & Oyster Bar’s three customized drink experience. Add fresh Omaha locations to taste the seafoodvegetables, a dash of your favorite hot style Shucks Bloody Mary, which is sauce, or whatever else you like at this garnished with pickles, green olives, DIY brunch special. pepperoncini, and fresh shrimp. Spice it up even more by asking for the Shucks Hot Mary, a fiery gluten-free version complete with a salted rim.

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2019

02

03

04

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N O S O M D O N M Y MI M

The g

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are om o s

vegan

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// DINING REVIEW // STORY BY NIZ PROSKOCIL PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

HINK OF NEPAL, and the first thing

T

that springs to mind may be mountains. The South Asian country in the Himalayas is home to eight of the world’s tallest peaks, including the mighty Mount Everest. But one local business owner who grew up in Nepal is on a mission to put the country’s cuisine on Omaha’s radar.

w

u d n a m h Kat Station ne o to m o ks c .

M s a g l n li p pB u m u es d c i e p s les pa e ith N

Food is one of the best ways to get acquainted with other cultures, and for the past year or so, Sagar Gurung and his wife Mira Tamata have been introducing local diners to the flavors of Nepal by serving momos, or Nepalese dumplings, at various pop-up events around town. Last spring, they started bringing their pop-up eatery, Kathmandu Momo Station, to Scriptown Brewing Co. in Omaha’s Blackstone District for a few nights a week.

The dumpling spot is making the leap from pop-up to permanent shop, adding to the diversity of dining options in the Blackstone area. The momo shop had plans to occupy the same space as the pop-up— a narrow sliver of a room to the west of Scriptown, with rustic brick walls, vintage tile floor, and counter seating that looks out on Farnam Street. The eatery is scheduled to open by March, and the owners plan to offer momos five nights a week. Lunch service may be added later. Gurung hopes to expand the menu and offer a few other Nepali dishes, as well as drinks such as chai.

“It’s my momo dream come true,” says Gurung, who moved to Omaha in 1996 at age 16.

Nepalese food, with aromatics of ginger, garlic, cumin, and coriander, shares similarities with the cuisines of its neighbors, India and China. A popular street snack sold by vendors in Nepal, momos are stuffed, steamed dumplings filled with a mixture of ground meat, vegetables, and fragrant, warming spices. Small but packed with flavor, they’re often topped with a tomatoand-sesame-based sauce that ranges from mild to spicy.

Chicken momos

A popular street snack sold by vendors in Nepal, momos are stuffed, steamed dumplings filled with a mixture of ground meat, vegetables, and fragrant, warming spices.

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// DINING REVIEW //

Pork momos

During a December visit to the pop-up at Scriptown, I sampled all three of the available varieties of momos: chicken, pork, and vegan. Fresh from the steamer, the piping hot dumplings come eight to an order, nestled in small paper trays. The meat-filled momos contain ground chicken or pork seasoned with ginger, garlic, a blend of spices, and other ingredients. Vegan momos feature a mushroom-and-onion filling.

The pork and vegan dumplings are both half-moon shaped, with delicately crimped edges. The chicken momos—my favorite of the three—are plump, pingpong ball-size morsels with intricate pleats. Best eaten in one bite, they’re pure comfort.

Once the new space is up and running, the couple and their team may offer different kinds of momo fillings and sauces. They also would like to make the wrappers from scratch instead of using premade dumpling wrappers. Everything else is homemade, including the dipping sauces, which Tamata makes using her own recipe. Both the mild and spicy sauces are bright, fresh, and flavorful. Slightly spicy, sweet, and tangy, the reddish-orange sauce cuts through the richness of the savory fillings.

Besides the pop-ups at Scriptown, Gurung serves momos twice a week during lunch at his downtown Omaha coffee shop, Himalayan Java, near 16th and Harney streets. It took a while for momos to catch on with customers, he says, but they’ve become increasingly popular as word spreads.

It takes just one or two bites to see why many local diners have a soft spot for momos— they’re fast, fun to eat, and delicious.

Visit @kathmandumomostation on Facebook for more information.

KATHMANDU MOMO STATION 3924 ½ FARNAM ST. | 402-504-1498 FOOD SERVICE AMBIANCE PRICE OVERALL

$ 5 STARS POSSIBLE

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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DINING PROFILE // STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

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Macarons from Cake and Destroy

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// DINING PROFILE //

A firm believer in doing things at the right time, she turned down an opportunity to appear on a show on The Food Network because “the timing wasn’t right.”

ELISE FERTWAGNER IS a bit of a disrupter in the world of artistic baking, particularly in the Omaha area where she is an active member of the pop-up cuisine community (which seems to be rising in popularity faster than dough left to proof overnight).

Her baked creations showcase her creativity, ingenuity, and love of nostalgia.

“My favorite thing about baking is—when you get everything right—you can invoke a memory,” Fertwagner says. Nostalgia has a lot to do with her love of baking since she has memories of cooking and baking with her family. “My earliest memory is of getting into the fridge and eating the sticks of butter,” she says, laughing.

Fertwagner is well-known as a baker who makes stunning creations, but also as a pastry chef who can make the most decadent indulgences a little more nutritionally dense and void of potential allergens. She has a knack for taking baked goods that people know and love and manipulating the ingredients and preparation to present goodies with a healthier twist.

She has worked as a pastry chef and decorator at a variety of places around Omaha, including bakeries and corporate settings. “When you’re making food for a bunch of people, you have to present it a different way,” she says, adding that not everyone is looking for a fancy, thought-provoking dessert to accompany their quick lunch at work.

“I’ve learned about creating a baseline,” she says. With a mischievous grin, she admits that she doesn’t always tell people that a pastry is vegan until after they’ve tasted it and already love it.

Surprisingly, her artistic creations from the oven don’t point toward additional artistic endeavors. “If you give me a baked good, I can do it,” she says. “But give me a paintbrush and a canvas, and I can’t do it.”

Her artistic process is fairly simple: baking involves blasting music and dancing around the kitchen, but decorating requires quiet concentration.

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Though she attended the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Institute in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, she doesn’t necessarily think culinary school is for everyone. “I’ve learned more from other people and from falling flat on my face.” She credits local chef Matt Parks as one of the most positive influences in her pastry chef career in Omaha. “He encouraged me, he believed in me, he challenged me, but also made me feel comfortable.”

A graduate of Marian High School, Fertwagner brings a lot to the table of her hometown’s culinary scene. She is the mother of two girls and hopes to someday open her own permanent bakery location. A firm believer in doing things at the right time, she turned down an opportunity to appear on a show on The Food Network because “the timing wasn’t right.”

“Everything hasn’t aligned yet to have a location,” she says. “With the right investors, the right space, and at the right time, it will happen.” Until then, keep a lookout for pop-up manifestations of her unique bakery brand—Cake and Destroy (an homage to the “Skate and Destroy” tagline of the skateboarding magazine Thrasher).

Visit @cakeanddestroy on Instagram and Facebook for more information.

DINING FEATURE // STORY BY JOSEFINA LOZA WELLS // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

MARCH/APRIL

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Pupusas are a traditional Salvadoran dish. The thick corn tortillas are stuffed with a savory filling and served with curtido (a spicy cabbage slaw).

MARCH/APRIL

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// DINING FEATURE //

IT’S THE HAZY END OF A RECENT LUNCH HOUR, AND A SERVER WIPES DOWN TABLES AT A SMALL SALVADORAN RESTAURANT TUCKED INTO A SUBURBAN STRIP MALL NEAR 77TH AND L STREETS. A gentle chime sounds as customers step into Latino Legacy, an unassuming eatery that opens up to bright yellow and red walls, tissue paper flowers, and colorful Latino art. Corrido music softly plays in the background.

Owners Juan and Zonia Villanueva, who hail from El Salvador, are proud of the Central and South American cuisines their eatery offers. The family-run gem adeptly showcases Salvadorian specialties such as pupusas and plátanos fritos.

Zonia, a 52-year-old spry woman with a kick in her step and a no-nonsense attitude, is the mastermind behind the family operation.

“Cooking makes me happy,” she says. “I like it, and the customers do, too.”

Back to the Villanuevas’ pupusas—handpatted saucers of fresh masa stuffed with beans, cheese, and pork. They are matched with obligatory curtido (a chile-lashed chopped cabbage salad singing with vinegar) and a pair of house hot sauces. These thick disks of hot gooey goodness have been Zonia’s bread and butter, so to speak.

As cheesy bean filling drips from pupusas onto customers’ chins, Zonia peeks from the back kitchen cracking a wry smile. These are the moments she lives for.

The restaurateur has a storied career in the service industry that began in Metapán, a small city just outside of Santa Ana, which is the third largest city in El Salvador. Work and opportunities were scarce. At a tender age, Zonia immigrated from then-war-torn El Salvador to New York’s Long Island in the mid- to late-1980s, leaving behind her country and culture.

“When I came it was quiet here [in the U.S.],” she recalls. “It was very quiet for me.”

So she and her husband, both immigrants in their 20s, busied themselves with work in hopes that the right opportunity for self-sufficiency would materialize.

“In New York, I worked as a nurse aide. I was babysitting. I worked in a factory. I had two, sometimes three jobs because back then

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minimum wage was $3.25 an hour,” she says.

“Us Latinos are a hard-work people. We’re always working for a better life.”

After visiting her sister and mother who had been living in Omaha, Zonia decided it was time for a change of pace for her family. By then, she had a young daughter, Jennifer, to look after and her husband was settled in his factory position.

“I liked Omaha,” she explains. Fourteen years in New York was enough. “I wanted to move. So, I told my husband I was going to live there. He didn’t want to come so he stayed in New York for a year until he finally made the move.”

In Omaha, Zonia worked as a hospital housekeeper, a factory line worker, and cleaned offices. Her husband, Juan, spent 13 years working for Tyson Foods. The couple earned their U.S. citizenship in 2006.

Though thousands of miles from her homeland, Zonia says she would bring her culture to others in the form of pupusas she cooked at her dinner table. Zonia admitted she often thought about opening a Salvadorian restaurant but would bat the idea away.

“Era me suena,” she exclaims. It was her dream. “A lot of people would say, ‘You have a good hand to make food, Zonia.’ So I thought about it more.”

Those positive comments, eventually, led her to take business classes to seek out more information on how to open a small business. Prior to opening Latino Legacy at 7755 L St. in December 2012, Zonia says she spent a great deal of time conceptualizing how her restaurant would be different to compete against the countless others in the area.

“Different cultures have different tastes,” she says.

That was her ticket to capitalize on a traditional Salvadorian recipe for pupusas, and her inspiration to offer more Central and South American cuisine.

“At my restaurant you’ll find something for everyone,” she says.

Latino Legacy carries an ample showcasing of Latin American dishes, including Puerto Rico’s mofongo (mashed plantains), Colombia’s bandeja paisa (grilled steak, sausage, pork dish), Peru’s jalea mixta (seafood platter), Mexico’s huevos rancheros (egg breakfast dish) and other Latino culinary offerings.

“Very authentic food,” says Veronica Pankowski, visiting the restaurant for the first time. “It was a great first experience eating traditional Salvadoran cuisine. I didn’t realize there’s a regional difference in how the food is prepared along with the ingredients that are native to the country.”

Pankowski ordered enchiladas. Instead of receiving soft shells lathered in a red chilé sauce similar to Mexican enchiladas, she was presented hard-shelled tortillas topped with coleslaw, chicken, and a halved hard-boiled egg.

“It was much different than I had expected, but tasty nonetheless,” she says.

The restaurant has become quite the family business as both her husband and daughter work, wait, and help out in the kitchen.

Depending on the time of day, you’ll catch her playing in the lounge near the pool table with her 4-year-old grandson.

In a time where anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise, Zonia continues to keep her Salvadoran roots alive in her family and her business through her love of food. It is part of her identity that she hopes will someday thrive with her grandson.

“It’s important not to lose the culture of our country. We are a proud people,” she says.

“I was an immigrant who worked hard. It’s important that people know that. We’re here to create our own opportunities through hard work, just as I did.”

Although the first three years were the toughest, Zonia says foot traffic at the restaurant has picked up greatly due to the popularity of pupusas. A Google search indicates that there are seven Salvadorian restaurants in the city that also offer similar menu items.

Yet, Zonia credits her restaurant’s longevity and pupuseria success to authenticity and her family’s generosity.

“I feel happy when I give,” she says. She gives of her time and money, and shares her culture with those in need. “God has done more for me than I could ever return.”

Visit @latinolegacyrestaurant on Facebook for more information.

"I liked Omaha, I wanted to move.

So, I told my husband I was going to live there.

He didn't want to come so he stayed in New York for a year until he finally made the move."

-Zonia Villanueva

From left: Zonia and Juan Villanueva MARCH/APRIL 2019

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- Sponsored Content DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

AMERICAN CHARLESTON’S - $$$

Get a Little Saucy.

140th and Dodge streets (402-431-0023) 76th and Dodge streets (402-991-0055)

Charleston’s is a casual, upbeat restaurant with a menu filled with dishes prepared from scratch daily. We focus on providing our guests with excellent prices and selecting the highest quality ingredients. Whether you are new to Charleston’s or a long-standing guest, we look forward to seeing you soon!

—charlestons.com/locations DJ’S DUGOUT - $

636 N. 114th St. (402-498-8855) 1003 Capitol Ave. (402-763-9974) 10308 S. 23rd St. (402-292-9096) 2102 S. 67th St. (402-933-3533) 180th and Q streets (402-292-9096) Highway 75 and Oak Hill Road (402-298-4166)

SPEZIA SPECIALTIES WOOD FIRE STEAKS & SEAFOOD INNOVATIVE PASTA—RISOTTO—GNOCCHI FRESH SALMON DAILY

Saturday Lunch 11 am - 4 pm

1/2 Price Cocktails Daily 4 - 6 pm NO CASH VALUE. EXPIRES 4/30/2019 Not Valid With Happy Hour or Any Other Promotions. One Per Check.

Catering

Sunday Brunch 11 am - 2 pm Bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys

. Private Party Rooms . Walk-Ins Welcome 3125 South 72 nd Street

(Easy access off I-80, take 72nd Street Exit)

402.391.2950 . Call today to make your reservation

Lunch Specials

With Free Glass of House Wine HAPPY HOUR M-F / SAT & SUN BRUNCH

Catch all of the action at six Omaha-area locations. DJ's Dugout features burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, appetizers, and an impressive drink menu along with HD TVs and projectors. Home to Blazin’ Pianos, Omaha’s only dueling piano concept.

—djsdugout.com JAMS- $$

7814 Dodge St. (402-399-8300) 1101 Harney St. in the Old Market (402-614-9333)

Jams is an Omaha restaurant legacy, an "American Grill" that offers a melting pot of different styles and varieties.

The dishes are made with high-quality ingredients that pair well with award-winning wines or creative cocktails.

—jamseats.com KITH & KIN - $$

402-991-1552 5018 Underwood Ave.

Kith & Kin comes from a southern term that means "friends and family." We offer a family-friendly restaurant in a beautiful space with scratch-made food at a reasonable price. Southern hospitality is our main objective.

Located in the heart of Dundee. Welcome to the family.

—kith-kin.us LE PEEP - $

69th & Pacific (402-933-2776) 177th and Center streets (402-934-9914) 156th Street and W. Dodge Road (402-408-1728) 120th and Blondo streets (402-991-8222)

BEER • COCKTAILS • WINE SANDWICHES • SAUSAGES • PRETZELS 402.502.9902 6209 MAPLE ST. • BENSON BARCHEN BEER.COM

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BEER GARDEN & BEER HALL

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED 16920 Wright Plz, #118 / Omaha, NE 68130 On the corner of 168th & West Center St.

402.884.8966

Le Peep puts a wholesome perspective on your favorite neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot. Fresh. Simple.

Elegant. Inviting. We put the emphasis on people, both patrons and staff. We focus on providing each of our guests the fresh food and friendly service that they have come to expect. Open daily 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

—lepeepomaha.com

Rotella’s Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns adition r T y l i m a A F ince 1921 S

rotellasbakery.com

Bringing Italy to Omaha Since 1919

Take a Taste of Italy Home Today!

Tues-Thurs: 8:30am-8pm Friday: 8:30am-8:30pm Saturday: 7:30am-8pm Sunday: 7:30am-6pm

402.345.3438 621 Pacific St, Omaha NE orsibakery.com

An Omaha favorite for over 100 years (1919-2019)

THANK YOU FOR VOTING OUR PASTA

Rockbrook Village (108th & Center) 402.391.2585 www.pastaamore.com

NUMBER #1

We can accommodate parties of 30 or more, by reservation only Catering Available

DINNER HOURS // Mon-Thur: 4:30-9PM, Fri & Sat: 4:30-10PM

Like Us on Facebook

Omaha’s most unique

LISA'S RADIAL CAFE - $ 402-551-2176 817 N. 40th St.

American. Cafe. Diner. Vegetarian-friendly. Gluten-free options. This old-school diner serves hearty portions of American comfort classics for breakfast and lunch.

Family-owned and operated. This business is a must if you’re in the area. People rave about our chicken-fried steak, stuffed French toast, coffee, and friendly staff.

Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

STELLA’S - $

402-291-6088 106 S. Galvin Road, Bellevue

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

—stellasbarandgrill.com

ICE CREAM TED AND WALLY’S - $ 402-341-5827 1120 Jackson St.

Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites, plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available.

—tedandwallys.com

I TA L I A N D I N I NG E X P E R I E N C E

ITALIAN LA CASA PIZZARIA - $$

402-556-6464 45th and Leavenworth streets

La Casa Pizzaria has been serving Omaha its legendary Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta for 60 years. We offer dine-in, carry-out, party facilities, catering, and now pizza shipments to the 48 contiguous states. Open Tuesday-Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

—lacasapizzaria.net

Omaha’s Authentic German Restaurant Family-owned since 1976

Gerda’s Family is carrying on her traditions and recipes, stop in for fresh bakery items and classic German dishes.

10 minutes from Downtown Omaha 5180 Leavenworth | 402.553.6774 gerdasgermanrestaurant.com

402.884.9800 13110 BIRCH DR, OMAHA, NE | LOMBARDOSOMAHA.COM

Try Omaha’s Favorite Reuben!

LOMBARDO'S BISTRO & BAR - $$ 402-884-9800 13110 Birch Drive

We are a locally owned and operated neighborhood eatery with an Italian flare. We offer a full, made-from-scratch menu along with extensive wine, craft cocktail, and craft beer lists. Casual is the best way to describe the warm and friendly service you will come to enjoy when choosing us. We offer dine-in, carry-out, catering, a daily happy hour (3-6:30 p.m. and all-day Sundays), live music Tuesdays and Sundays, and half-price bottles of wine on Wine Down Wednesdays.

—lombardosomaha.com

Thank You, Thank You,

Thank You

For Continually Voting For Us!

Serving Lunch & Dinner Mon-Sat 3001 S. 32nd Ave / Omaha, NE 402.345.5656

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Omaha’s largest selection of craft beers.

3578 Farnam St • 402-345-1708 www.beercornerusa.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

LO SOLE MIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO - $$ 402-345-5656 3001 S. 32nd Ave.

The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by charming homes. Everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes and basil, a bowl of oven-roasted garlic cloves, specially seasoned olive oil, and (at night) a jug of Chianti! The menu includes a large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, and eggplant parmigiana are also available. Lunch offerings include panini, salads, and one of the best pizzas in town. Patio seating, full bar, and a great wine list complete the atmosphere. No reservations, except for private rooms.

—losolemio.com PASTA AMORE - $$

402-391-2585 11027 Prairie Brook Road

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

Lunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m., dinner starts at 4:30 p.m.

Reservations recommended.

—pastaamore.com PITCH - $$

402-590-2625 5021 Underwood Ave.

An OpenTable's Diners' Choice for 2014 HotSpot Restaurant in America. Keeping up with the traditional way the first pizzas in Italy were made, our pizzas are cooked in a coal-fired oven. The menu also features seafood, hand-cut steak, housemade pastas, and burgers full of flavor. Our goal is to provide you with local, housemade, and imported ingredients. We offer a happy hour menu through the week. Our bar provides an array of in-house concoctions as well as your traditional libations. Our wine selection is well-thought-out and most impressive. You will enjoy Pitch. Monday 3 p.m.-10 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 3-10 p.m.

—pitchpizzeria.com

One of Omaha’s Best Happy Hours!

WALKING DISTANCE TO

CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA & TD AMERITRADE PARK CLEAR BAG POLICY IS IN EFFECT. 402.346.9116 | 501 N. 13th Street | theMattOmaha.com /the old mattress factory omaha

@Matt_factory

Mon. – Fri. 3—6 PM Fri. & Sat. After 9 PM julios.com/cateringmenu 123rd & Center | 402-330-2110

the backline comedy theatre

HAPPY HOUR TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS

(10-11PM)

($1 OFF ALL BEERS) www.backlinecomedy.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+ MARCH/APRIL 2019

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SPEZIA - $$$

402-391-2950 3125 S. 72nd St.

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

—speziarestaurant.com

MEXICAN FERNANDO’S - $

7555 Pacific St. (402-339-8006) 380 N. 114th St. (402-330-5707)

Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily.

Catering and party rooms also available. MondayThursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m.

—fernandosomaha.com

Pitchpizzeria.com @pitchpizzeria

5021 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE 402-590-2625

17808 Burke St. Omaha, NE 402-289-4096

6350 E. Thomas RD. Scottsdale, AZ 480-272-7500

JULIO’S - $

402-330-2110 2820 S. 123rd Court

Locally owned since 1977, Julio’s prides themselves on serving the finest Tex-Mex cuisine and offering top-notch customer service. Our loyal customers are the reason we have been around for nearly 40 years. We have an extensive menu that has both classic and innovative dishes—giving everyone the opportunity to find something they love. Salivating for Southwestern fare? We have tacos, tostadas, a dozen different enchiladas, and classic fajitas. And, of course, nachos!

—julios.com LA MESA - $$

158th Street and W. Maple Road (402-557-6130) 156th and Q streets (402-763-2555) 110th St. and W. Maple Road (402-496-1101) Fort Crook Road and Hwy 370, Bellevue (402-733-8754) 84th Street and Tara Plaza, Papillion (402-593-0983) Lake Manawa Exit, Council Bluffs (712-256-2762)

ICE CREAM ● EST 1986 ●

Home -Made in Omaha

Thanks for Voting Us # BREAKFAST YEARS in a Row!

11

1

NOW OPEN 69th & Pacific • 993-2776 177th & Center • 934-9914 156th & Dodge • 408-1728 120th & Blondo • 991-8222 Drive-Thru Open (Center St. Only) | Open Daily 6:30am-2:00pm Serving Breakfast & Lunch All Day!

LEPEEP.COM // 122 //

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Enjoy awesome enchiladas, fabulous fajitas, seafood specialties, mouth-watering margaritas, and more at La Mesa. Come see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s No. 1 Mexican restaurant 16 years in a row.

Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

—lamesaomaha.com MARGARITA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT - $ 402-393-7515 4915 S. 72nd St.

Margarita's is a business with more than seven years in the food world. We offer authentic Mexican food where you can enjoy a nice moment with your family.

—margaritasmenu.com DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

ROMEO'S MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA - $

90th and Blondo streets (402-391-8870) 146th Street and W. Center Road (402-330-4160) 96th and L streets (402-331-5656) Galvin and Avery roads, Bellevue (402-292-2028) 29th and Farnam streets (402-346-1110)

Romeo's is your friendly, family Mexican food and pizza restaurant.We take real pride in serving our guests generous portions of the freshest, most flavorful dishes made with the finest ingredients available.

Zesty seasonings and the freshest ingredients combine to ensure the ultimate in flavor. Our savory taco meat is prepared every morning at each location. Make sure to try our chimichangas; they're the best in town.

—romeosomaha.com

SPECIAL DINING

WALKING DISTANCE

TO CHI HEALTH CENTER OMAHA & TD AMERITRADE PARK YOUR PRE-GAME HE AD QUARTE RS FOR LUNCH, DINNE R OR YOUR NE XT EVE NT!

BÄRCHEN BEER GARDEN - $ 402-502-9902 6209 Maple St.

Located in Benson, Bärchen is a modern American beer garden and beer hall influenced by German communal drinking culture. Indoor seating for approximately 125 people and outdoor seating in our beer garden for approximately 125-150 people. The laid-back atmosphere pairs well with our 30 rotating taps, international beer list, unique sausage & sandwich menu, and locally made pretzels. We are family and dog friendly—all are welcome. Hours: Tues-Thurs 3 p.m.-11 p.m.; Fri & Sat 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-10 p.m. For more information or to host an event, please email gm@barchenbeer.com —barchenbeer.com

501 N. 13TH ST • 402.346.9116 • THEMATTOMAHA.COM / theoldmattresfactoryomaha

@Matt_factory

BRUSHI EUROPEAN AMERICAN CUISINE - $$ 402-884-6878 721 North 132nd Street

Swiss trained Chef, Paul Braunschweiler, combines the best of Europe’s epicurean delights with an American flair. Brushi’s casual and open atmosphere combine to create a true bistro experience. Fresh ingredients highlight the menu. Happy Hours and nightly specials. Private dining available. Patio seating weather permitting.

—brushiomaha.com

E U R O P E A N A M E R I C A N C U I S I N E

CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE - $ 402-345-1708 3578 Farnam St.

Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia—Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best Reuben sandwich, we are a Midtown beerlover’s destination. Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight. Closed Sunday.

—beercornerusa.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

Read About

in Omaha Magazine

7 21 N . 13 2 N D S T R E E T O M A H A , N E 6 815 4 4 0 2 . 8 8 4 . 6 8 7 8 B R U S H I O M A H A . C O M

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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FIRST WATCH - $

1222 S. 71st St. (402-932-5691) 2855 S. 168th St. (402-330-3444) 3605 N. 147th St. (402-965-3444) 304 Olson Drive., Papillion (402-965-3444) 2015 Pratt Ave., Bellevue (402-991-3448)

We begin each morning at the crack of dawn, slicing fresh fruits and vegetables, baking muffins, and whipping up our French toast batter from scratch. Everything is made to-order here at First Watch. We use only the finest ingredients possible for the freshest taste around.

—firstwatch.com GERDA’S GERMAN RESTAURANT & BAKERY - $ 402-553-6774 5180 Leavenworth St.

Omaha’s only authentic German restaurant, a little piece of Germany in the metro. Inspired by Gerda's recipes for homemade spaetzle, schnitzels, and rouladen. Fresh-made soups, red cabbage, sauerkraut, and dumplings are a few other treats. Stay for a dessert of Black Forest cake or grab a fresh bakery item for breakfast on your way out. Check hours online.

—gerdasgermanrestaurant.com

jamseats.com

GREEK ISLANDS - $ 402-346-1528 3821 Center St.

7:00am-2:30pm DAILY firstwatch.com

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

—greekislandsomaha.com J.COCO - $$$

402-884-2626 5203 Leavenworth St.

The building that once housed a beloved neighborhood grocery has a new future. Built as a grocery back in 1925, it is now home to J. Coco. Our seasonal menus, rooted in tradition, showcase our natural ingredients. Local, organic, and sustainable when available. We feature craft bartending, housemade desserts, and pastas. We celebrate the traditional with a modern twist. Lunch: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5 p.m.-close.

—jcocoomaha.com KOREA GARDEN AUTHENTIC ASIAN CUISINE AND SUSHI - $$ 402-505-4089 5352 S. 72nd St.

Stella’s Bar and Grill Thanks to our customers for voting us the “Best Burger in Omaha” “Serving World Famous Hamburgers since 1936” 106 Galvin Rd • Bellevue, NE • 402-291-6088 • Open Monday-Saturday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm // 124 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

Lunch specials served Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m., featuring signature Korean dishes like bulgogi, doenjang jjigae, and grilled mackerel. Menu includes appetizers, traditional specialties, rice, noodles, soup, and beverages.

—koreangardenomaha.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

// SPONSORED //

VOTED OMAHA’S #1 SPORTS BAR

DOWNTOWN - 10th & Capitol MIRACLE HILLS - 114th & Dodge MILLARD - 180th & Q AKSARBEN VILLAGE - 67th & Center BELLEVUE - 23rd & Cornhusker PLATTSMOUTH - Hwy 75 & Oak Hill

FLEMING'S

PRIME STEAKHOUSE Locally Inspired Dishes & WINE BAR

by Chef Doug Case

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD STEAKHOUSE

A

DJSDUGOUT.COM |

warm welcome, a delicious dinner, lifelong memories—some things customers can always expect at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Omaha.

Whether someone is searching for the perfect US ONwith family, atmosphereJOIN to celebrate a holiday stoppingMONDAY’S in for a casual happy FOR hour drink with a friend, or treating a spouse to an elegant $50 FILET & LOBSTER anniversary dinner from the Chef ’s Table, people cannot go wrong when the choice is thisPrivate local neighborhood steakhouse.

Need a dining space available meeting space that will impress clients and for parties up to 200 guests for leave them with a dining experience they will breakfast, lunch and dinner. remember?

It’s here.

Best Greek

Family Owned Since 1983 Family Owned Since 1983 Catering ~ Party Room Available CATERING / PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE Homemade, Fresh Food ~ Always HOMEMADE, FRESH FOOD, ALWAYS.

Fleming’s is a part of the community. That is why they frequently host unique events like wine dinners, pairing meals, or featured JOSH menu nights.

PrivateORSINI party? Fleming’s is the Partner best choice Operating for those who want a memorable experience from a premier steakhouse.

Guests will402.393.0811 delight in Fleming’s thoughtful service and delectable 140 REGENCY PKWY /menu.

OMAHA, NE 68114

3821 Center St. 402/346-1528

3821 Center St / 402.346.1528

GreekIslandsOmaha.com GreekIslandsOmaha.com

FLEMINGSSTEAKHOUSE.COM

140 Regency Parkway Omaha, NE 68114 402-393-0811 flemingssteakhouse.com/locations/ne/omaha

www.romeosOMAHA.com

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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PARADISE BAKERY - $

17305 Davenport St. (402-934-5757) 120 Regency Parkway (402-991-3000)

Paradise Bakery offers freshly prepared baked goods made from scratch every morning with the finest ingredients available. Offering a variety of meals including soups, salads, and sandwiches.

Our associates are extremely proud of the reputation Paradise has earned for providing exceptional service and producing the finest-quality products.

—paradisebakery.com TAJ KABOB AND CURRY - $ 402-933-1445/402-238-4317 654 N. 114th St.

Taj of Omaha shares its love of traditional Indian cuisine with friends and family in the Omaha area.

The owners invite you to come enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and new menu. Taj offers both lunch and dinner specials, delivery and catering services, and a free party room.

—tajofomaha.com

STEAKHOUSES CASCIO'S - $$ 402-345-8313 1620 S. 10th St.

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

—casciossteakhouse.com THE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$ 402-391-7440 2121 S. 73rd St.

Famous for the original Whiskey Steak. Truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Rare...and very well done. Lunch Monday­- Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m., cocktail hour 3-6 p.m., dinner nightly 5 p.m.

—droverrestaurant.com FLEMING'S PRIME STEAKHOUSE - $$$$ 402-393-0811 140 Regency Parkway

Food Features • Restaurant Reviews Chef Profiles • Dining Guides • In Every Issue

At Fleming’s, a steak is never just a steak. It’s the culmination of a meticulous process of selection, preparation, and service that ensures it reaches your table at its very best. We obsess over every detail so that you’ll savor every bite.

This is why we offer the finest USDA Prime beef, available both wet- and dry-aged and broiled at 1,600 degrees or iron-crusted. You can elevate your selection even more with our indulgent steak companions, including truffle-poached lobster, diablo shrimp, and lump crabmeat. Each dish is crafted from scratch by our culinary team and served by our skillful staff. Reservations recommended.

—flemingssteakhouse.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

JOHNNY'S CAFÉ - $$$ 402-731-4774 4702 S. 27th St.

Years of quality dining and hospitality make Johnny's Café a restaurant to remember. We serve only the finest beef the Midwest has to offer. Aged steaks and prime rib are the specialties, with homemade bread and pies to complete a meal. An excellent wine list adds to the enjoyment at one of Omaha's original restaurants. Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

—johnnyscafe.com

STEAKS • CHOPS • SEAFOOD ITALIAN SPECIALTIES 7 private party rooms Seating up to 400 Lots of parking

STEAK & GRAPES - $

1620 S. 10th Street

402-884-8966 16920 Wright Plaza, Suite No. 118

We are obsessed with really, really good grapes; creative, gourmet comfort food; and a funky, fun atmosphere in which to share them. We search all over the world to find you great wines. Many wines come from our relationships with smaller, undiscovered vineyards, which offer a great value to our guests. Wine is supposed to be fun. We pour heavy and will open any bottle for our guests to try by the glass. When you taste a new varietal at Steak & Grapes, let us know how it changed your concept of what wine is supposed to be. Our gourmet comfort food is made fresh, using eco-friendly and local ingredients. As for the fun, we instigate it, but count on you to see it to fruition (literally through the fruit).

Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Join us for Saturday and Sunday brunch.)

—steakandgrapesomaha.com

402-345-8313

www.casciossteakhouse.com

OMAHA’S ORIGINAL STEAKHOUSE

• Proudly serving visitor & locals for 90 years.

• Featured on CNN.com Best Meat Cities in America • Serving hand cut steaks, aged on premise and slow roasted prime rib with pride.

402.731.4774 johnnyscafe.com 27th & ‘L’ St., Kennedy Frwy, ‘L’ St. Exit 8 Minutes from Downtown Omaha.

Best Of Omaha 13 Years Running

WHERE WHERE GOOD GOOD FOOD FOOD AND AND GOOD GOOD SERVICE SERVICE NEVER NEVER GO GO OUT OUT OF OF STYLE. STYLE.

MARCH/APRIL 2019

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// EXPLORE CALNENDAR //

STAY & PLAY IN SARPY COUNTY! Walnut Creek Recreation Area

Located just a few minutes south of Omaha, Sarpy County awaits with a wonderful mix of fun things to see and do this spring. Enjoy over 25 miles of biking/hiking trails. Stay in one of our premier hotels. Spend the day at a family fun center. From parks, lakes and winery to malls, specialty shops, and theatres, Sarpy County is the perfect destination for your next getaway.For a full list of shopping, restaurants and area events, visit us at

GoSarpy.com.

BELLEVUE • GRETNA • LA VISTA • PAPILLION • SPRINGFIELD • OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE • OMAHA METRO

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail Leopard Lanes Bowling

Nebraska Crossing Outlet Mall

Embassy Suites Stella’s Bar & Grill

// EXPLORE CALENDAR //

NEBRASKA T WELF TH ANNUAL POL AR BE AR TANK R ACE

March 1 & 2 at Middle Loup River near Mullen.

This timed event features teams of four-to-six people racing down the river in metal stock tanks. Prizes are awarded for tank decorations and themes. Teams may also choose to forgo the race and enjoy a relaxing float down the river. 308-546-2206.

—sandhillsjourney.com

R O DE O GR A N D I S L A N D

March 1 & 2 at Heartland Events Center in Fonner Park, Grand Island. This Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association event features team roping, barrel racing, and Xtreme Bulls Tour (Saturday). 308-382-4515.

—heartlandeventscenter.com

AIRCR A F T A DV EN T URE March 16 at Strategic

M YS TERY AT THE M ANSION March 23 at Arbor

S T. PAT RICK ’S DAY CEL EBR ATION

B R O W N V IL L E CO N CE R T S E R IE S : T H E R A S T RE L L I CE L L O QUA R T E T March 31 at

Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland.

Visitors can learn about the B-17 Flying Fortress and the A-26 Invader during this special event.

402-944-3100.

—sacmuseum.org March 16 in downtown O’Neill. The home of “The World's Largest Shamrock” nearly doubles its size to 7,000 people during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Festivities begin Wednesday with the Irish Walk of Fame and the painting of the town's beloved shamrock. The big day is Saturday, with a fun run, Green Eggs and Ham breakfast, free concert, Irish dancers, a parade, kids activities, and donkey basketball. 402-336-2355.

—oneillchamber.com

SHAMROCK SHUFFLE 5K WALK / RUN /CR AWL

March 16 at Chuckles Bar in Fairbury. Runners and walkers are encouraged to dress up in leprechaun gear for this event. The post-race celebration includes unique awards, live music, giveaways, green booze, and food. 402-729-3000.

—fairburychamber.org

AUDUBON’S NEBR A SK A CR A NE FES TIVA L A CELTIC CELEBR ATION March 5 at Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. Master musicians Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy take the stage, joined by their virtuosic children. The evening highlights fiery fiddling, step dancing, singing, and world-class music. 402-472-4700.

—liedcenter.org

March 21-24 at multiple locations in Kearney.

Thousands of Sandhill cranes migrate through Nebraska each year, and this festival highlights the cranes. The event includes educational speakers, meals, and, of course, a trip to see the cranes.

308-468-5282.

—ne.audubon.org

Mar.

T HE JE R S E Y T E NOR S

05

March 5 at the Neville Center in North Platte. In an opera-rock mash-up sensation that blends opera classics, rock epics, and crooning ballads, The Jersey Tenors combine for a powerhouse vocal performance. 308-532-8559.

—@northplattecommunityplayhouse on Facebook

MICHAEL BUBLE March 23 at Pinnacle

Lodge Mansion in Nebraska City. Solve clues, look for evidence, and break the old fashioned whodunnit case while mingling with new friends. 402-873-8717.

—arbordayfarm.org

Brownville Concert Hall in Brownville. This unique ensemble mixes works by Bach, Dave Brubeck, and more in their concert titled From Brahms to Beatles.

402-825-3331.

—brownvilleconcertseries.com

STAR CITY BACONFEST

April 7 at Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln. The event for meatlovers features bacon-inspired delights from Lincoln’s finest chefs and live entertainment.

—starcitybaconfest.com

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET April

11 at Lied Performing Arts Center in Lincoln. With technical precision, power, and passion, Complexions transcends tradition with a groundbreaking mix of styles ranging from ballet to hip-hop. 402-472-4700.

—liedcenter.org

MAHENWAHDOSE April 13 at Red Cloud Opera House

in Red Cloud. Mahenwahdose is a Muscogean word meaning "True Native American Theater.” The Native American performance company from Oklahoma features Native artists dedicated to performing accurate, educational, and traditional stories of indigenous America. 866-731-7304.

—willacather.org

Bank Arena in Lincoln. The popular jazz and pop singer will help celebrate the arena’s fifth anniversary with performances of hits such as “Feelin’ Good,” “Haven’t Met You Yet,” and more. 402-904-4444.

—ticketmaster.com

DELFE AYO M A RS A LIS March 14 at Lied Center

for Performing Arts in Lincoln. Audience members can celebrate a late Mardi Gras with New Orleans-style jazz performed by legendary trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and baritone saxophonist Roger Lewis, founder of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. 402-472-4700.

—liedcenter.org

THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN April 14 at Lied Performing Arts Center in Lincoln. The world-renowned ukulele superstars come to the Lied with their toe-tapping music, hilarious banter, and sheer superlative entertainment. 402-472-4700.

—liedcenter.org MARCH/APRIL 2019

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// EXPLORE CALENDAR //

SPRING FLING April 20 at Strategic Air Command &

Aerospace Museum in Ashland. Kids of all ages can participate in an egg hunt, make and take a craft, visit with the Easter Bunny, and learn about making kites. 402-944-3100.

—sacmuseum.org

KEARNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: DANCES OF LOVE April 23 at UNK Fine Arts Recital Hall in Kearney. This classical concert features Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances accompanied by the University of Nebraska-Kearney choir. 308-865-8441.

—unk.edu

ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION April 26-28 at Arbor Day

Farm in Nebraska City. Visitors can celebrate this holiday where it all began—at Arbor Day Farm. All across this 260-acre campus, opportunities abound to play, learn, taste, and shop, all in celebration of trees.

Concurrent to this event is the 148th Annual Arbor Day Celebration in Nebraska City, with a parade, kids activities, plant sales, and more. 402- 873-8717.

—arbordayfarm.org

E A RT H DAY April 27 at Union Plaza in Lincoln.

This event includes live music, informational booths, family activities, food trucks, and a farmer’s market.

—lincolnearthday.org

IOWA R O D N E Y C A R R IN G T O N

March 1 at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines. Carrington is a multitalented comedian, actor, and writer who has recorded eight major record label comedy albums selling over 3 million copies. 515-244-0507.

—hoytsherman.org

MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL March 23-24 at Indian

Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids. The Maple Syrup Festival, held at the end of the syruping season, features syrup-making demonstrations, a look inside the Maple Sugar House, a pancake breakfast with real maple syrup, and live music. 319-362-0664.

—indiancreeknaturecenter.org

RANDY RAINBOW April 4 at Hoyt Sherman Place

KANSAS FA K E PAT T Y ’ S D AY

March 2 at Aggieville Historical District in Manhattan. Aggieville is the place to drink green beer and spread Irish cheer. The streets will be shut down so that revelers can more easily travel from bar to April bar during this special event. 785-320-6709.

—manhattancvb.org

04

in Des Moines. Fresh off the sold-out first leg of this national tour, internet sensation Randy Rainbow’s series of political spoofs and song parodies have garnered international acclaim and over hundreds of millions of views. 515-244-0507.

—hoytsherman.org

TENDERLOINS AND SO MUCH MORE TOUR April 6

at Cooking with Alessandra in Des Moines. This tour explores foods that were made famous in Des Moines and restaurants that keep those traditions alive. 515-508-9474.

—cookingwithalessandra.com

TAKE A BITE

April 12-14 in Amana. This threeday food fest includes cooking demonstrations, hands-on instruction, samples, dinners, and special menu items at Amana Colonies. 319-622-7622.

—amanacolonies.com

RED GREEN’S “THIS COULD BE IT!” TOUR April 14 at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines. Fans of public television’s The Red Green Show will be able to see handyman projects, hear advice given to married guys and teenage boys, and get tips on getting old.

515-244-0507.

—hoytsherman.org

BROTHERS OSBORNE

March 7 at the Orpheum in Sioux City. This twang-and-crunch duo blends equal parts country and rock into a fresh, identifiable sound. 855-333-8771.

—orpheumlive.com

SWITCHBACK March 9 & 10 at The Warham Opera House in Manhattan. The McCain Performance Series features Irish-Americana. band Switchback. Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack have written many Irish songs that ring as true as the ancient ballads of Finn McCool's time. 785-532-6428.

—k-state.edu/mccain CLOWN OF KINGS COMEDY & THE PAR AGON R AGTIME ORCHES TR A March 17 at C.L Hoover Opera House in Junction City. To celebrate this Opera House’s 150th anniversary, three short films starring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd, will be shown, accompanied by The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. 785-238-3906.

—.jcoperahouse.org

E A S TER EGG HUN T April 20 at Louisburg Cider Mill in Louisburg. Warm cider and donuts will be provided during this Easter egg hunt, and family photos with the Easter Bunny after the hunt will add to fond family holiday memories. 913-837-5202.

—louisburgcidermill.com

K E G S ’ N ’ E GG S April 27 at Kansas City Renaissance Festival grounds in Bonner Springs.

While sipping on craft beers and listening to live music at this adult-only event, guests can hunt for golden eggs and win prizes. 913-721-2110.

—kegsneggskc.com

KINKY BOOTS March 15 at the Orpheum Theatre

in Sioux City. This musical is scored by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and is about an unlikely friendship between a shoemaker and a drag queen. 855-333-8771.

—orpheumlive.com

LEPRECHAUN CHASE 10K March 9 at Principal Park in Des Moines. Skill (and a little luck) will be needed at this particular event. Runners will be decked out in green, or anything shamrock-related, during the race and the green beer after-party.

—lc10k.com

S T. PAT RICK ’S DAY FES TIVA L March 15 and

16 in Emmetsburg. This sister city of Dublin, Ireland, celebrates the “wearing o’ the green” in a grand way.

Events include a bean bag tournament, fun run, kids’ zone, free movie, live music, and a parade. Before the parade, eat a cup of Irish stew or a baked potato with toppings, or sample the entries from the chili cookoff.

712-852-4326.

—emmetsburgirishgifts.com

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MARCH/APRIL 2019

K I T E S OV ER HOOV ER PA R K

April 20 near Hoover Park in West Branch. April is kite-flying month, and thousands of colorful kites will fly during this event, which includes a kite-performance team and family-friendly games, a candy drop, and crafts for kids. 319-643-5301.

—hoover.archives.gov

FOOD A ND FA RM FE S T I VA L

April 27-28 at Living History Farms in Urbandale. Local producers, brewers, makers, and artists will gather together on the front lawn of Living History Farms to celebrate everything that makes Iowa great. VIP events include Festival of Cheese, Beer ’n' Bread, and Cocktails and Comfort Food. 515-278-5286.

—lhf.orgm

KANSAS

S TORY TELLING

FE S TIVA L

April 26-27 in downtown Downs. Tall tales, anecdotes, and historical re-enactments can all be found at this festival, which offers two evening concerts and many separate sessions of stories, workshops, and music. 785-454-6648.

—kansasstorytelling.com

MISSOURI ERIC CHURCH March 1 and 2 at the Sprint Center

in Kansas City. The country star will be performing songs from his new album Desperate Man as well as other popular past hits. 816-949-7100.

—ticketmaster.com

// EXPLORE CALENDAR //

BUD LIGH T GR A ND PA R A DE A ND PA R T Y

March 2 in the Soulard District, St. Louis. One of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations outside of the Big Easy is held in St. Louis. The festivities started in late January and culminate with this parade and party, bringing tens of thousands of people into the city. 800-916-8938.

—stlmardigras.org

SN A K E S AT URDAY March 16 in North Kansas

City. This popular St. Patrick’s Day event in Kansas City includes a parade followed by a carnival, children’s events, and more. 816-548-3113.

—snakesaturday.com

March

10 T H A NNUA L M A RDI GR A S BA R CR AW L March 2 in the Power & Light

17

District, Kansas City. Mardi Gras fans can eat, drink, and be merry in this annual tribute to pre-Lent traditions. The crawl includes 12 participating bars with live music, crawfish-eating contests, fire jugglers, and street performers. 816-842-1045.

—powerandlightdistrict.com

BACK T R ACK VOCA L S March 2 at the Missouri

Theatre in St. Joseph. Backtrack is an award-winning, five-person a cappella group based out of New York City. The group creates impressive covers of past and present pop music. 816-279-1225.

— saintjosephperformingarts.org

S T. PATRICK ’S DAY PAR ADE March

17 along Broadway in Kansas City.

Those who do not get enough shamrocks and shenanigans in North Kansas City can spend the next day reveling with fellow St. Patrick’s Day fans with one of the country’s largest St. Patrick Day parades.

—kcirishparade.com

NCA A MEN’S BASK ETBALL REGIONAL March

29-31 at Sprint Center in Kansas City. Kansas City is again hosting teams in the Midwest Regional of March Madness' Elite Eight. Regional winners will advance to Minneapolis for the Final Four and championship games. 816-949-7100.

—sprintcenterboxoffice.com

K A N S A S CI T Y F IL M F E S T

April 10-14 at Cinemark on the Plaza in Kansas City. More than 120 films will be shown over five days at this annual event, which celebrates the power of storytelling as a shared cultural experience through the cinematic arts. 816-756-5877.

—kcfilmfest.org

Omaha’s Largest Mineral and Fossil Store

ME TA L LICA March 6 at Sprint Center in Kansas

City. One of metal’s biggest acts comes to Kansas City on their world tour. 816-949-7100.

—sprintcenter.com

Great things for the whole family, and mom too!

Conveniently located just off the interstate 8487 Frederick Street | customgemsomaha.com | 402-397-9606

844.271.6909 MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 131 //

// EXPLORE CALENDAR //

JOSHUA REDMAN QUARTET April 11 at Folly Theater in Kansas City. Coming in from New York City after a series of concerts at the famed Blue Note club, the son of legendary saxophonist Dewey Redman brings his own jazz style to the Midwest. 816-474-4444.

—follytheater.org

PIG AND SWIG April 21 in the Power & Light

District, Kansas City. A showcase of some of the best local and regional barbecue flavors, bourbon, whiskey, and craft beer. 816-842-1045.

—powerandlightdistrict.com

April

27

ARTURO SANDOVAL April 27 at

Folly Theater in Kansas City.

This 10-time Grammy Award winner ’s most recent album includes duets with Ariana Grande, Stevie Wonder, and Josh Groban.

816-474-4444.

—follytheater.org

BLESSING OF THE BIKES

THE TIME TO HIBERNATE IS OVER.

See the beautiful Nebraska landscape at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center and Pioneers Park Nature Center. With over 1,500 acres of tallgrass prairie combined at both locations, observe and experience the outdoors as they were meant to be enjoyed.

For more info, visit lincoln.org.

// 132 //

MARCH/APRIL 2019

April 28 on the historic downtown square in Neosho. The annual event brings together more than 300 bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts to initiate the onset of the riding season. Food, vendors, drift trike racing, and live music carry the day that is concluded with a bike blessing. 417-389-3301.

—@blessingofthebikescovenant0702 on Facebook

Event times and details may change.

Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.

// INSTAGRAM //

#OMAHAMAGAZINE SHARE YOUR PHOTOS OF OMAHA TO BE FEATURED HERE.

@lolasblest

@alisontoppphotography

@alexvielee

@hayleyocho

@kdkader

@sixhexsix

@alexispateraxx

@mitchellleephotography

@eternal_and_unchanging

instagram.com/omahamagazine

facebook.com/omahamagazine

twitter.com/omahamagazine

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 133 //

NOT FUNNY // COLUMN BY OTIS TWELVE // PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL SITZMANN

TWO HABITS TO SAVE THE WORLD: NAPPING AND WALKING

T

HERE ARE TWO things that frame my life—naps and walks.

Sure, I have a job and a family, but those roles take care of themselves so long as I have a nap and a walk on a regular basis. Most of life entails performing repetitive tasks: shopping, cooking, eating, breathing, filing your taxes, making your bed, and occasionally actually speaking to fellow humans with a modicum of courtesy. Living in the modern world is not really very complex, and for me at least, it’s easy when it includes the aforementioned snooze and stroll.

Now, napping is, on its face, also a simple task. Close your eyes, slip through a hypnagogic state into the realm of Morpheus, and there you are. It’s very similar to going to bed at night, except it must be done during daylight hours, when others are busy at seemingly “productive” tasks. Napping can be done while prone, sitting, crumpled in a corner, or even, by truly accomplished practitioners, standing; though I do not recommend beginners attempt this technique as it can lead to bodily bruising that is hard to explain to supervisors, spouses, or law enforcement officials. It should also be noted that napping is best when there are no children or small nervous dogs nearby.

The successful napper enjoys myriad benefits from the practice, including an improved complexion, peace of mind, and a pleasant sense of detachment from the so-called “real” world. People who nap regularly rarely commit crimes, start wars, Google inappropriately, root for the New England Patriots, or embarrass themselves or others by becoming overachievers. People who nap are a natural brake on the world’s propensity for making too much progress, or letting achievements get out of hand.

I have learned that napping is a great thing to do when facing any problem, large or small. It seems that most problems in life solve themselves. In fact, they do so most efficiently when they are ignored. Thus, grab some “zzzz’s” and your problems will simply disappear.

Walking is actually a prerequisite for napping. A good stretch of the legs prepares one for a good stretch of afternoon shuteye. But be careful, do not confuse walking with exercise. Exercise, or “working out,” as many addicts call it, is to be avoided at all costs. The worst form of this aff liction is running.

For expanded content, scan this QR code with your smart device.

MARCH/APRIL

// 134 //

2019

There is never any excuse for running.

Mankind has wiped out most of the old predators who fed on our tasty f lesh, so we are unlikely to find ourselves in a lifeor-death chase these days. Likewise, we no longer have to pursue our own prey since a good number of grocery stores are now open 24/7. Running is simply for showoffs, and running on a treadmill? The worst form of narcissism.

Walking is simply walking. It is important not to have a destination when walking.

It’s a Zen thing. Simply move your legs and begin that journey of a thousand miles with a single step, always keeping in mind that you have absolutely no intention of ever covering a thousand miles. Avoid treadmills, jogging (a “gateway” behavior), and health clubs.

Take a walk. Take a nap.

The world will be a better place.

Otis Twelve hosts the radio program Early Morning Classics with Otis Twelve on 90.7 KVNO, weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Visit kvno.org for more information.

MARCH/APRIL 2019

// 135 //

MARCH 12 BUSINESS ETHICS ALLIANCE

MARCH 2 WOOD MATERIALS AND 1-3 P.M. JOINERY TECHNIQUES

11:30 A.M.-1 P.M.

BENCH 1441 N. 11TH ST.

MARCH 8 TABLE GRACE MINISTRIES PRESENTS 5:30-8:30 P.M. NOURISHING HUNGRY BODIES AND SOULS VOICES OF DIGNITY ST. THOMAS LUTHERAN CHURCH 17007 Q ST.

MARCH 9 INTRO TO WOODWORKING

10:30 A.M.-3 P.M.

BENCH 1441 N. 11TH ST.

MARCH 9 TRIVIA NIGHT 6-9 P.M.

PRAIRIE CROSSING VINEYARD & WINERY 31506 PIONEER TRAIL, TREYNOR, IOWA

SPRING ETHICS LUNCHEON SCOTT CONFERENCE CENTER 6450 PINE ST.

MARCH 20 BUSINESS ETHICS ALLIANCE 7:10-8:45 A.M.

SPRING EXECUTIVE BREAKFAST HOLLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 1200 DOUGLAS ST.

MARCH 23 HAUNTICON OMAHA 2019 11 A.M.-7 P.M.

SOKOL AUDITORIUM 2234 S. 13TH ST.

MARCH 23 A BRUSH WITH EVIL III 5-7 P.M. PREMIER AT HAUNTICON SOKOL AUDITORIUM 2234 S. 13TH ST.

APRIL 2 LAURA JANE GRACE & THE DEVOURING MOTHERS, WITH MERCY UNION AND CONTROL TOP

7:30-11:30 P.M.

O’LEAVERS PUB 1322 SADDLE CREEK ROAD

APRIL 6 SAVAK WITH LITTLE BRAZIL 10 P.M.-MIDNIGHT

O’LEAVERS PUB 1322 SADDLE CREEK ROAD

APRIL 9 BUSINESS ETHICS ALLIANCE 7:30-8:45 A.M.

SPRING MIND CANDY DIALOGUE TEMPLE ISRAEL 13111 STERLING RIDGE DRIVE

APRIL 13, 20, 27 GOAT AND LAMB YOGA TIMES VARY

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For more information about rebates, visit: mudomaha.com/our-company/rebates

mudomaha.com

/mudomahane

@mudomahane

New Year, Renewed Youth Forever dedicated to offering the most cutting-edge and innovative cosmetic treatments available, Dr. Joel Schlessinger now offers even more ways to help you achieve your vision of beauty, including Intensif RF Microneedling, PRP and the latest CoolSculpting treatments.

EndyMed Microneedling

Wrinkles & Scarring

We offer Microneedling with laser-like radiofrequency that better helps with skin tightening, improvement in overall skin texture and even acne scarring as compared to standard microneedling.

Hair Loss & Rejuvenation

PRP

PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) is a new treatment for hair loss and facial rejuvenation. This is one of many new treatments that can be used alongside fillers and Botox for fantastic results!

Fat Reduction

CoolSculpting

Non-invasive CoolSculpting treatments reduce fat on the chin, abdomen and other areas with no downtime.

Board-certified dermatologist & cosmetic surgeon Dr. Joel Schlessinger has the experience & expertise to help find the best treatment for you.

Stop by or call for a consultation.

402-334-7546 | 2802 Oak View Drive www.LovelySkin.com/Cosmetics

Best of Omaha Winner 2018 Six Different Categories

RETAIL STORE & SPA Skin Specialists and LovelySkin Spa are under the direction of Joel Schlessinger, M.D., Board-Certified Dermatologist and Cosmetic Surgeon. Copyright Š 2019, Skin Specialists, P.C.