Omaha Magazine - May 2023 - The Adventure Issue

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DREAMS, DISCOVERIES, AND DESTINATIONS FROM THE METRO AND BEYOND

MCC TRAVELING CLASSROOMS REMOVE THE STRESS FROM TRAVEL, MAXIMIZE GUEST EXPERIENCE

RMCC TRAVELING CLASSROOMS REMOVE THE STRESS FROM TRAVEL, MAXIMIZE GUEST EXPERIENCE

Rememb e r the feeling of going on a field trip during grade school? The anticipation of an adventure, the thrill of immersive learning and the satisfaction of being better acquainted with the place you call home. Metropolitan Community College’s Traveling Classrooms recapture that curiosity through leisure-based learning experiences for people of all ages with interests o f all types.

RRememb e r the feeling of going on a field trip during grade school? The anticipation of an adventure, the thrill of immersive learning and the satisfaction of being better acquainted with the place you call home. Metropolitan Community College’s Traveling Classrooms recapture that curiosity through leisure-based learning experiences for people of all ages with interests o f all types.

Each quarter, MCC offers excursions throughout the region and beyond. From unheralded state treasures like the Czech Festival in W ilber to unique natural wonders like the Ashfall Fossil Beds in Nebraska’s northeast reaches, MCC traveling classrooms provide p articipants with first-class experiences at a reasonable price. Convenience is fully integrated.

Each quarter, MCC offers excursions throughout the region and beyond. From unheralded state treasures like the Czech Festival in W ilber to unique natural wonders like the Ashfall Fossil Beds in Nebraska’s northeast reaches, MCC traveling classrooms provide p articipants with first-class experiences at a reasonable price. Convenience is fully integrated.

A deluxe motor coach provides the transportation, where experienced tour guide and world traveler, Kevin Kowskie, awaits on board. A visitor of more than 15 countries, he uses his passion for encountering new cultures, people and experiences to plan and lead intimate group tours with action-packed itineraries that lend themselves to cherished memories and new friendships.

A few of the Traveling Classroom destinations offered by MCC in the m o nths ahead in clude:

A deluxe motor coach provides the transportation, where experienced tour guide and world traveler, Kevin Kowskie, awaits on board. A visitor of more than 15 countries, he uses his passion for encountering new cultures, people and experiences to plan and lead intimate group tours with action-packed itineraries that lend themselves to cherished memories and new friendships.

A few of the Traveling Classroom destinations offered by MCC in the m o nths ahead in clude:

TULIPS AND A TASTE OF HOLLAND TOUR (ORANGE CITY, IOWA)

CZECH FESTIVAL AND WINERY TOUR (WILBER, NEBRASKA)

BLACK HILLS MONUMENT TOUR (SOUTH DAKOTA)

May 20

TULIPS AND A TASTE OF HOLLAND TOUR (ORANGE CITY, IOWA)

Enjoy a 19th century Holland experience in charming Orange City, a northwest Iowa village rich in Dutch heritage. Ethnic foods and treats, music and dancing and a parade with reserved seating await visitors. Traversing tulip-lined avenues, tour stops include the Century House, the Vogel windmill and the Tulip Town Bulb Company, which showcases a colorful array of over 40 varieties of imported Dutch tulips. Attendees can place an order for fall delivery, just in time for planting. The day concludes with a Dutch song and dance performance in a c ozy theater.

May 20

Enjoy a 19th century Holland experience in charming Orange City, a northwest Iowa village rich in Dutch heritage. Ethnic foods and treats, music and dancing and a parade with reserved seating await visitors. Traversing tulip-lined avenues, tour stops include the Century House, the Vogel windmill and the Tulip Town Bulb Company, which showcases a colorful array of over 40 varieties of imported Dutch tulips. Attendees can place an order for fall delivery, just in time for planting. The day concludes with a Dutch song and dance performance in a c ozy theater.

CZECH FESTIVAL AND WINERY TOUR (WILBER, NEBRASKA)

Aug. 5

On a visit to Wilber, Nebraska, a special day of celebration is in store at the famous summer Czech Festival, which will celebrate 150 years of Czech heritage in the southeast Nebraska community this year. Traditional polka music will fill the air on Main Street and an authentic Czech lunch will fill the bellies of MCC travelers. Enjoy independent shopping time to sample Czech arts and crafts, as well as Wilber staples original recipe Bohemian meat specialties and unforgettable kolache desserts. Unwind at the end of the day during a visit to a loca l winery.

Aug. 5

On a visit to Wilber, Nebraska, a special day of celebration is in store at the famous summer Czech Festival, which will celebrate 150 years of Czech heritage in the southeast Nebraska community this year. Traditional polka music will fill the air on Main Street and an authentic Czech lunch will fill the bellies of MCC travelers. Enjoy independent shopping time to sample Czech arts and crafts, as well as Wilber staples original recipe Bohemian meat specialties and unforgettable kolache desserts. Unwind at the end of the day during a visit to a loca l winery.

BLACK HILLS MONUMENT TOUR (SOUTH DAKOTA)

Aug. 29 -31

On this three-day adventure, see the unique landscapes and landmarks South Dakota has to offer. A history lesson on the growth, development and preservation of the country is in store at Mount Rushmore National Monument on day one. A guided tour of the Crazy Horse Monument and a visit to Custer State Park, home to a large herd of roaming buffalo and majestic views of the Black Hills, highlight day two. Take in the lunar-looking landscapes of Badlands National Park on the return trip home on day three

Aug. 29 -31

On this three-day adventure, see the unique landscapes and landmarks South Dakota has to offer. A history lesson on the growth, development and preservation of the country is in store at Mount Rushmore National Monument on day one. A guided tour of the Crazy Horse Monument and a visit to Custer State Park, home to a large herd of roaming buffalo and majestic views of the Black Hills, highlight day two. Take in the lunar-looking landscapes of Badlands National Park on the return trip home on day three

To view a full listing of Traveling Classroom events or for more information, visit mccneb .edu/ CE .

To view a full listing of Traveling Classroom events or for more information, visit mccneb .edu/ CE .

No driving. No planning. No hassle.

No driving. No planning. No hassle.

Sandhill cranes taking flight outside Kearney, Nebraska during their annual migration. Witnessing the sandhill crane migration is one of the many MC C Tr av eling Classroom experien ces.

COMPASSES AND DICTIONARIES:

What separates a trip from an adventure? An element of risk? A sense of novelty?

I suppose reading might be considered an adventure then, as you never quite know what word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis might come next. Though, as long as you aren’t coughing up silica dust, even big words like that aren’t so scary.

No, it’s the short words that jump out at us, and sometimes lead us in unexpected directions… Take the word ‘hope,’ a word local artist Anthony Peña combined with an image of solidarity during a time of outrage, heartbreak, and division. He inspired millions to consider ‘hope’ and launched his art into the public eye, changing lives including his with a sing le syllable.

Or take the word ‘care,’ a word that is painfully elusive in certain areas of the world when medical or surgical procedures are required. Though surgeon Dr. Debra Reilly recalled the time she “broke down in the hallway” after observing the awful state of a Kenyan hospital on her first visit to the country, ‘care’ picked her up and called her to return, to teach. Kenya has gone from zero to 24 plastic surgeons since Reilly began regularly visiting the country, and she continues to care for patients across the globe through the non-profit Reconstructing Women Inte rnationally.

Perhaps the most potent word of all, ‘love,’ is what led Henry Doorly Zoo Director of Genetics Dr. Edward Louis Jr. to create the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership a love for the abundance and variety of life nestled in an island nation he visited 25 years ago that has employed thousands of Malagasy natives and planted nearly six million trees in an effort to combat def orestation.

Whatever words inspire you, make sure you pay attention to where they lead after all, you may already be on the adventure of a lifetime.

Speaking of words and new experiences, Omaha Magazine is thrilled to partnered Radio Talking Book Service to bring you audio versions of our stories. The QR code in our table of contents links to a playlist containing all of this issue’s stories as narrated by the wonderful volunteers at RTBS. Additionally, there’s an individual QR code for each of this issue’s features at the end of those stori e s. Enjoy!

*Note: The hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover and does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition. For more information on our city edition, visit OmahaMagazine.com.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

003 From the Editor Compasses and Dictionaries

006 Between the Lines

007 Calendar of Events

026 Adventure Capturing Moments with Greg Lilly

042 History

William Thompson - Scalped

065 Obviously Omaha Escape Rooms

082 Explore!

087 Instagram

088 Not Funny The Last of Me

ARTS + CULTURE

014 Film

Katie Otten’s Inner Worlds

016 Visual Art Activist Artist Anthony Peña

020 Music

Stacy Garrop’s Gift to KVNO

022 Theater

Improv Duo Pandemic! @ The Disco

PEOPLE

034

FEATURES

030 034 A LABOR OF LOVE

The Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership

FREEDOM FROM GENDER

QR

038 Sports

Danielle Urban Takes the Reins

044 Profile MW Climbing

046 Gen O Molly Sambol’s Journey to South Korea

GIVING

048 Calendar

054 Profile

Dr. Debra Reilly Treats the Scars of Medical Insecurity Worldwide

60PLUS IN OMAHA

Listen to the entire issue here. Open the camera on your smart device and hover over the QR code.

KATIE OTTEN’S INNER WORLDS MUTUAL’S WILD KINGDOM SAVING MADAGASCAR THE LEGEND OF BERT MARTIN A FOREIGN TASTE DREAMS, DISCOVERIES, AND DESTINATIONS FROM THE METRO AND BEYOND

Look for QR Codes throughout this issue.

ABOUT MAY 2023 U.S. $5.95

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LOCATE A QR CODE PRINTED IN THIS ISSUE. Make sure you have internet access.

OPEN THE CAMERA APP IN YOUR SMART DEVICE. Newer smartphones/tablets come with capability to scan QR codes.

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POINT AT THE QR CODE. A link will appear. Click on it.

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ENJOY YOUR EXPERIENCE. Listen, watch, click, explore!

RACHEL BIRDSALL Graphi c Designer I

Born and raised in Omaha, Birdsall attended college in Blair, Nebraska, earning a degree in interactive media. She worked as a graphic designer at Enterprise Media Group for 14 years before joining Omaha Publications. In her free time, she enjoys making cider and mead, playing board and tabletop games, and spending time with her husband, Chris. They have two dogs, Skoll and Ivy, and three cats, Cake, Hinata , and Emmy.

SANDI M c CORMACK Sales Coordinator

After 20 years of self-employment, working with her husband, Tim McCormack, and the next 12 years in HR and facilities management for a global software company based in Omaha, Sandi joined Omaha Publications in 2022 as a sales coordinator…and is working with T im, again!

Entertaining is a large portion of the McCormack’s social life. Always an ‘open-door patio’ welcoming neighbors, family, and friends to hang out by the fire pit, big screen, or chatting to catch up…plus, beverages and food. They’re looking forward to Spring and Summer for beautiful flowers and a vegetable garden, and venturing to the Old Market or Stinson Park concerts...They can’t wait!

WILLIAM RICHLING Contrib uting Writer

William Rischling, commonly shortened to Will for convenience, was born and raised in Omaha. He’s had a passion for writing since childhood when he spent much of his time creating stories between the toys in his bedroom. Will works as an assistant manager at a pizza restaurant alongside many of his friends. When not serving steamy pizzas or writing silly stories he can be found spending time with his girlfriend and her dog, lifting somewhat-heavy things at the gym, and drawing strange little creatures in his sketchbooks.

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor

JULIUS FREDRICK

Senior Editor

LINDA PERSIGEHL

Senior Staff Writer

KIM CARPENTER

Contributing Writers

MEGAN BARTHOLOMEW · LEO ADAM BIGA · EMILY CHEN-NEWTON

ALICIA HOLLINS · DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN · SARA LOCKE

NATALIE McGOVERN · SUSAN MEYER

CHASE MURPHY · WILLIAM RISCHLING

DOUGLAS “OTIS TWELVE” WESSELMANN · MIKE WHYE

CREATIVE

Creative Director

MATT WIECZOREK

Graphic Designer II

RENEÉ LUDWICK

Graphic Designer I

RACHEL BIRDSALL

Contributing Photographer

SARAH LEMKE

SALES DEPARTMENT

Executive Vice President

Sales & Marketing

GIL COHEN

Branding Specialists DAWN DENNIS · GEORGE IDELMAN

Contributing Branding Specialists

GREG BRUNS · TIM McCORMACK

Publisher’s Assistant & OmahaHome Contributing Editor SANDY MATSON

Senior Sales Coordinator ALICIA HOLLINS

Sales Coordinator SANDI M cCORMACK

OPERATIONS

Business Manager KYLE FISHER Ad Traffic Manager DAVID TROUBA Digital Manager LUIS DE LA TOBA

Distribution Manager & Explore! Curator DAMIAN INGERSOLL EXECUTIVE Executive Publisher TODD LEMKE Associate Publisher BILL SITZMANN

L D C E A of 8 15 22

» EXHIBITIONS «

YOU’RE HOME: A HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

rough May 6 at Anne and John P. Nelson Gallery, PACE Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th St., Council Bluff s, IA. Features historic artifacts provided by Pioneer Trail Museum, Walnut Creek Historical Museum, Western Historic Trails Museum, Squirrel Cage Museum, Rails West Museum, Sweet Vale of Avoca Museum, and more. 6-9pm. Friday; 12am4pm. Saturday. Admission: Free. 712.890.5600. —paceartsiowa.org

JOE ADDISON

Through May 10 at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Features work by the Omaha-based visual artist who specializes in historic and experimental photographic processes. By appointment only, 9am-4pm. Monday—Friday. 402.595.2122. —artscouncil.nebraska.gov

MODERN QUILTING ON THE PRAIRIE

Through May 14 at Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St. Th is special collaboration with the Omaha Modern Quilt Guild and the International Quilt Museum (IQM) in Lincoln features approximately 40 quilts created by members of the Quilt Guild or loaned by the IQM. Visit this exhibition to learn more about the diversity and techniques of modern quilting alongside the historical works from IQM. 11am-5pm. Wednesday—Sunday. Admission: Free. 531.375.6643. —gallery1516.org

9 16 23

EVENTS

WASHED ASHORE: ART TO SAVE THE SEA

Through May 14 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. A traveling art exhibit created from marine debris collected from Oregon’s beaches, this show creatively demonstrates how problematic plastic pollution is to the environment. Giant sculptures of sea life, made from reclaimed trash, graphically illustrate the tragedy of plastic pollution in our ocean and waterways. The epic exhibition includes a titanic triggerfi sh, a pair of grand penguins, and an 11-foot-long shark named Chompers. 9am-5pm. daily. Admission prices vary. 402.346.4002.

—lauritzengardens.org

DESCENDANTS OF DEWITTY

rough May 28 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Th is 25-photo exhibition shares the history of the people of DeWitty, later known as Audacious, the largest and longest-lasting African American settlement in rural Nebraska. Th e settlers, including former slaves who had fled to Canada before the Civil War and their descendants, began to arrive in 1906 attracted by the 1904 Kinkaid Act’s off er of 640 acres of free land in the Sandhills. 12-4pm. Sunday; 10am-4pm. Tuesday—Saturday. 402.444.5071. —durhammuseum.org

BEYOND THE GOLDEN GARDEN WALL BY ANTHONY DEON BROWN

Through May 29 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Deon paints surrealistic imagery in acrylic on canvas, predominantly occupied by an array of colorful subjects with simple, but intense color palettes. Th is show gives the viewer a sneak peek into what Deon sees when he closes his eyes, fi nding peace and tranquility in a place in his mind called "Garden of Dhya." 402.346.4002. —lauritzengardens.org

IN THE BEGINNING: THE ARTIST SAMUEL BAK

rough June 4 at the Samuel Bak Museum: e Learning Center, University of Nebraska-Omaha, 2289 S. 67th St. Th is chronological and thematic selection of Bak’s paintings and drawings from 1946 through 2022 showcases the arc of his artistic career over eight decades. The exhibition features watercolors and drawings done in the Vilna ghetto during the Nazi occupation of the city, abstract works from the sixties, and his renowned metaphysical paintings. Bak’s work weaves together personal and Jewish histories through a series of layered metaphors to articulate an iconography of his Holocaust experience. 10am-4pm. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 10am-6pm. Thursday; 12-4pm. Sunday. Admission: free. 402.554.6100. —unomaha.edu/samuel-bak-museum-thelearning-center/collections-exhibitions

ARTSY MOMMY

May 5 at Sunderland Gallery, St. Cecilia Cathedral, 715 N. 40th St.

A celebration of motherhood and children. Features one-of-a-kind, handmade art, crafts, toys, and dolls from local artists and international Fair-Trade producers. 5-7pm. 402.558.3100. —cathedralartsproject.org

MAY 2023 // 7 //

JAMES SURLS: NIGHTSHADE AND REDBONE

rough Aug. 13 at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St. Features work by the internationally recognized sculptor, one of the most preeminent artists living and working in the United States, whose sculptures, drawings, and prints reflect his unique sensibility regarding natural forms. 11am-5pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 11am-8pm Thursday. 402.341.3800. —thekaneko.org

THE LUNCHBOX: PACKED WITH POP CULTURE

rough Sept. 3 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Featuring hundreds of lunchboxes as well as one-of-a-kind original paintings on loan from local lunchbox collector Mark Kelehan, the display provides an overview of the history of lunchboxes, insight into the production process, and an educational introduction into the dynamic world of collecting. The Lunchbox demonstrates how lunchboxes are time capsules of American pop culture from the 1950s through the 1980s. 12-4pm Sunday; 10am-4pm Tuesday—Saturday. 402.444.5071. —durhammuseum.org

PRESENCE IN THE PAUSE: INTERIORITY AND ITS RADICAL IMMANENCE

May 20—Sept. 17 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Th is group exhibition features work that focuses on the complexity of our everyday relationships through portraits and domestic scenes that examine personhood, memories, and the speeding up and slowing down of contemporary life. 11am-5pm. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; 11am-9pm. Thursday. Admission: free. 402.341.7130

—bemiscenter.org

JENNIFER LING DATCHUK: EAT BITTERNESS

May 20—Sept. 17 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. An exploration of the artist’s layered identity as a woman, a Chinese woman, an American, and a third-culture kid. Trained in ceramics and working with porcelain and other materials often associated with traditional women’s work such as textiles and hair, Datchuk’s practice discusses fragility, beauty, femininity, identity, and her personal history. 11am-5pm. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; 11am-9pm. Thursday. Admission: free. 402.341.7130.

—bemiscenter.org

STAGE PERFORMANCES

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

rough May 7 at Omaha Community Playhouse 6915 Cass St. The gleefully gruesome cult comedy with an infectious 60s-style score. Seymour, a nerdy store clerk at Mushnik’s flower shop, is thrust into the spotlight when he happens upon a new breed of carnivorous plant. But his newfound fame comes at a cost when Seymour discovers the sassy seedling has an unquenchable thirst for human blood. Ravenously fun, dripping with camp and nostalgia. 402.553.0800.

—communityplayhouse.com

BRAD UPTON

May 3 at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St., Village Pointe. The comedian, actor, writer, and track coach brings his trademark humor to Omaha. 7:30pm. 402.493.8036.

—omaha.funnybone.com

JETE—BLACK BOY JOY

May 4 at the Highlander Accelerator. 2112 N. 30th St. Th is in-person and live-streamed panel discussion will illuminate the positive black image created by some of the most significant Black male choreographers and dancers from and living in Omaha; featuring the work of PHILADANCO. 6:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

TAKE UP SPACE TEEN OPEN MIC

May 6 at Project Project, 1818 Vinton St. Come out for a teen open mic night designed for writers age 13-19. Th is event moves throughout the city to meet writers in their own neighborhoods. 6-7:30pm.

—facebook.com/weareprojectproject.

PHILADANCO!

May 6 at the Orpheum eater, 409 S. 16th St. Founded in 1970, The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) is recognized for its artistic integrity, superbly trained dancers, and electrifying performances. With a legacy of breaking barriers and building bridges across cultural divides, PHILADANCO is celebrated for its innovation, creativity, and preservation of predominantly African-American traditions in dance. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

WILLA CATHER’S “ONE OF OURS”

May 9 at St. Cecilia Cathedral, 715 N. 40th St. CAP partners with the Willa Cather Foundation to explore Cather’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, One of Ours , on the 100th anniversary of its publication. 7pm. 402.558.3100.

—cathedralartsproject.org

Five venues, five unique celebration experiences Hosting events for 100 - 1,000 guests, Omaha Event Group boasts 15 years of experience with over 300 events each year, including Omaha Fashion Week Schedule a consultation with our team of experts today

PIRATES OF PENZANCE

May 12—14 & 19—21 at PACE Chanticleer Community eater, 1001 S. 6th St, Council Bluff s, IA. Th e comic opera centers around Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets the daughters of Major-General Stanley, including Mabel, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic soon learns, however, that he was born on the 29th of February, and so, technically, he has a birthday only once each leap year. Times vary. 712.890.5600.

—paceartsiowa.org

THE WIZARD OF OZ

May 13 & May 14 at the Orpheum eater, 409 S. 16th St. Th is interpretation of the beloved Oz story features iconic characters Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Good Witch, the Wicked Witch of the West, and, of course, the Wizard himself. A fast-paced, entertaining spectacle, the performance tells the story in styles, ranging from th.e grandeur of classical ballet to the energy of large-scale musical theater. 7:30pm Monday; 2pm Tuesday. 712.890.5601

—amballet.org

ABOUT MICHAEL BLAUSTEIN

May 20 & 21 at Funny Bone Comedy Club, 17305 Davenport St., Village Pointe. The internationally touring headlining comedian and accomplished actor performs in Omaha for this limited engagement. Times vary. 402.493.8036. —omaha.funnybone.com

CONCERTS

A CHORAL KALEIDOSCOPE

May 1 at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 324 S. Jackson St., Papillion. Features a spring concert by girls, boys, women, and the master chorale of Sing Omaha. 6pm. 402.933.7234

—singomahachoirs.org

JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT

May 2 at the Orpheum eater, 409 S. 16th St. Th e four-time Grammy-Award winner brings his music to the stage alongside special guest Amythyst Kiah. 7pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

FOREIGNER

May 3 at Liberty First Credit Union Arena, 7300 Q St., Ralston. Features the legendary British-American rock band and their top, iconic hits. 8pm. 402-934-9966.

—libertyfi rstcreditunionarena.com

WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY?

May 19 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. If you are a “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” fan, get ready for the same relentless laughter that you grew to love, but without the commercial breaks. If you are new to improv comedy, then you are in for a show unlike anything you’ve ever seen before with masterful improv artists Ryan Stiles and Greg Proops, both seen on the hit show, as well as Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606. —ticketomaha.com

HECTOR ANCHONDO

May 5 at the Rusty Nail, 14210 Pierce Plz. The winner of the 2020 International Blues Challenge brings his singular talent to the stage for onenight only. 6:30pm. 402.933.9753.

—rustynailomaha.com

TYLER BOOTH: THE REAL COUNTRY TOUR

May 5 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The artist from eastern Kentucky brings his spin on “real country” to Omaha during his latest tour. 8pm. 402.345.7569.

-–theslowdown.com

TOUCH OF GREY

May 5, at Rathskeller Bier Haus, 4524 Farnam St. Features live, classic rock, mostly by the Grateful Dead. 7pm. 402.991.7724

—rathskelleromaha.com

AN EVENING WITH INVOKE CONTEMPORARY STRING QUARTET

May 5 at Vesper Concerts, 1517 S. 114th St. Described as “not classical…but not not classical” Invoke continues to dodge attempts at genre classifi cation. Th e multi-instrumental band’s other ‘not-nots’ encompass traditions from across America, including bluegrass, Appalachian fiddle tunes, jazz, and minimalism and weaves these styles together to create individual music written by and for the group. 7pm.

—vesperconcerts.org

STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI IN CONCERT

May 6 & 7 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Watch “Return of the Jedi” as Ernest Richardson and the Omaha Symphony bring you a live-to-picture performance of John Williams' exhilarating score. 7:3pm Saturday; 2pm Sunday.The Force is strong with this one! 402.345.0606. —ticketomaha.com

DORIAN

WOOD, CANTO DE TODES

May 6 at Low End, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Dorian Wood’s “Canto de Todes” (“Song of Everyone) is a 12-hour composition and installation. Inspired by a lyric of the late Chilean singer and songwriter Violeta Parra, the project emphasizes the urgency of folk music as a vessel for social change. 11am-11pm. 402.341.7130. —bemiscenter.org

ONYX

May 7 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Celebrate the 30th-year anniversary of “BACDAFUCUP.” Also features R.A. The Rugged Man. 6:30pm. 402.884.5707. —reverblounge.com

ILLUMINARE

May 7 at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St. A concert by Omaha Symphonic Chorus. 3pm. —omahasymphonicchorus.org

DEEPER

May 10 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Features Deeper plus Bad Self Portraits & Pagan Athletes. 8pm. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

BUDDY GUY: DAMN RIGHT FAREWELL

May 11 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. An evening with the legendary American blues guitarist and singer, who has influenced generations of guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, and Stevie Ray Vaughan and is one of the fi nal surviving connections to Chicago’s electric blues. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606. —ticketomaha.com

JOE RAINEY

May 11 at Low End, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. The artist, a Red Lake Ojibwe from Minneapolis, a city with one of the largest and proudest Native American populations in the country, demonstrates his command of the Pow Wow style, descending from Indigenous singing that's been heard across the waters of what is now called Minnesota for centuries. 8pm. 402.341.7130.

—bemiscenter.org

NOISEFEST

May 12 at Project Project, 1818 Vinton St. The experimental music festival features performances by local and touring noise musicians. Attendees will be immersed in the genre of noise, with sensory-rich performances in multiple spaces inside and immediately outside of the venue. 5-10pm.

—omahamobilestage.org/events/noisefest

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S THE SOUND OF MUSIC

May 13 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 113 N. 18th St. The Trinity Cathedral Choir performs songs from the beloved musical in the cathedral nave. 7pm. 402.342.7010.

—trinityepiscopal.org

YOKE LORE

May 13 at e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Brooklyn-based project Yoke Lore is the new musical venture of Adrian Galvin, previously of Yellerkin and Walk the Moon. Yoke Lore layers the harmonies of Panda Bear, the soulful beats of M83, and the modern pop of Blackbird Blackbird to tell "the stories of how we are bound.” 7pm. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE

May 14 at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. Th is free, ticketless event features performances by the Salem Baptist Choir, Enjoli & Timeless, Omaha Girls Rock, the Nebraska All-Stars, and the Central High School Jazz Band to celebrate the opening of Omaha’s newest live music venue. 11am-5pm. 402.345.0202.

—steelhouseomaha.com

BAGELS AND SOMETIMES BACH

SUNDAY MUSIC SERIES: OLGA SMOLA & YULIA KALASHNIKOVA

DANIEL RODRIGUEZ

May 12 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Features Rodrigues and Trapper Schoepp. 8pm. 402.884.5707.

—reverblounge.com

BILLY CURRINGTON

May 12 at Liberty First Credit Union Arena, 7300 Q St., Ralston. Features the country singer and songwriter, the only country music artist in US Billboard Country Airplay chart history to have a song in the number one spot gain an audience of nearly 9,500,000 over another country music artist's song in the number two spot. 5:30pm. 402.934.9966.

—libertyfi rstcreditunionarena.com

REWIND—CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF THE 80S

May 13 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Come along on a musical time warp with Omaha Symphony to a time when big hair and parachute pants ruled. Th is fun-fi lled show will have audiences singing and dancing in the aisles with the greatest songs of the 80s. A six-piece band of top players will join the Omaha Symphony orchestra in featuring songs from amazing artists such as George Michael, Mister Mister, Irene Cara, Kool & The Gang, Joan Jett, Sheena Easton, The Cure, and more. 6:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—omahasymphony.org

May 14 at Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St. Th is special Mother’s Day performance closes the Spring season of Gallery 1516’s Sunday morning music series with a performance by Olga Smola on violin and Yulia Kalashnikova on piano. 11:30am. 531.375.6643.

—gallery1516.org

JOHN RUTTER’S “THE RELUCTANT DRAGON”

May 14 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 113 N 18th St. The Trinity Cathedral Choir performs John Rutter’s “The Reluctant Dragon” in the cathedral nave. 2pm. 402.342.7010.

—trinityepiscopal.org

RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES

May 15 at the Orpheum eater, 409 S. 16th St. Features songs from Abbey Road & the Rooftop Concert LIVE, in addition to all your favorite hits. Th is mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is the next best thing to seeing the Beatles. 7:30pm. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

NARROW HEAD

May 16 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave. Also features Graham Hunt, Glow, and Ivory Days. 8pm. 402.884.5707. —reverblounge.com

THOMAS RHETT: HOME TEAM TOUR 23

May 18 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. The singer and songwriter performs his best-known hits. 8pm. 402.341.1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

LIZZO: THE SPECIAL 2OUR

May 19 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Th e singer, rapper, and fl autist stops in Omaha during her 2023 world tour. 8pm. 402.341.1500.

—chihealthcenteromaha.com

VISCEROUS

May 19 at e Drinkery, 3012 N. 102nd St. Features special guests Pathos & Logos. 6pm. 402.572.9400

—facebook.com/TheDrinkery402

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS

May 20 at e Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Also sometimes known as SCOTS, the American rock band formed in 1983 in Chapel Hill, NC, and is known for playing country and rockabilly songs featuring humorous lyrics inspired by the American South. 8pm. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

HIGDON & MENDELSSOHN 5

May 21 at the Strauss Performing Arts Center; 6305 University Dr. N. Omaha Symphony Principal Viola Thomas Kluge gives the Omaha premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Viola Concerto, a work that shines a spotlight on the instrument’s expressive sensitivity. 2pm. 402.342.3836. —omahasymphony.org

TESLA: TIME TO ROCK!

May 26 at e Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. The legendary hard-rock band stops by Omaha on this leg of their 2023 tour. 8pm. 402.706.2205. —the admiral.com

TRIVIUM

May 30 at e Admiral, 2234 S. 13th St. In addition to the headliner, the night features performances by Beartooth, Archetypes Collide, and Malevolence. 6:30pm. 402.706.2205. —the admiral.com

FAMILY, FESTIVALS, COMMUNITY, & MORE

A GENERATION OF HOPE: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE HEARTLAND

THE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL OF NEBRASKA

May 6 at Bellevue Berry and Pumpkin Patch, 11001 S. 48th St., Papillion. Grab a turkey leg and step back in time when royalty ruled and knights really were in shining armor. Full contact equestrian jousting, six unique performance stages featuring local, regional, and national talent, over a hundred costumed characters, and many one-of-a-kind artisans await you at this majestic festival. Two diff erently themed weekends, featuring two diff erent adventures. 10am6pm. 402.331.5500.

—bellevueberryfarm.com

OMACON 2023: THE FORGOTTEN WAR

May 6 at the Omaha Police Offi cers Association Hall, 13445 Cryer Ave. The public is invited to bring their Korean War subjects from 1950— 1953 as we mark 70 years since the end of the confl ict with special awards for the best entries. 9am.

—fortcrookipms.com

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

May 6 at Krypton Comics, 2809 S. 125th Ave. Comic book giveaways are just a part of this annual event, which also includes photo ops with costumed characters, free sketches, appearances by regional artists and more. 10am-6pm.

402.391.4131

—kryptoncomicsomaha.com

LAVISTA SPRING KITE FESTIVAL

May 7 at LaVista Soccer Complex, 7346 S. 66th St., LaVista. Bring your whole family to this free event for an afternoon of kite-fl ying fun. You’ll see some of the world’s largest and most creative kites! Don’t forget your own kite to fl y and a bag for the kite candy drops, which take place throughout the event. 11am-4pm.

—cityofl avista.org

HIO HOP LAB

May 19 at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. Th is free, ticketless event features performances by DJ Crabrangucci, M-1, Hi-Tek and D. Prosper. 7pm. 402.345.0202.

—steelhouseomaha.com

COMPAGNIA TPO’S BUTTERFLIES & SQUONK”S HAND TO HAND

May 20—May 21 at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. Two immersive theater experiences on the Steelhouse Omaha stage and outside patio. Interact with lights and sound inside and with two giant puppet hands outside for a unique and fun-fi lled afternoon. All ages welcome. 1pm & 4pm. 402.345.0202.

—steelhouseomaha.com

rough Sept. 3 at the Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. Th is collaborative eff ort between Omaha Children’s Museum and the local Indigenous community is a celebration of the people who have called this region home for thousands of years. Learn about their culture and traditions throughout interactive exhibits, visit a school, learn about the importance of storytelling and the significance of the winter count to that tradition, then create your own winter count. Explore traditional housing and imagine life in an earth lodge, tipi, and much more! 9am-4pm Tuesday—Friday; 9am-5pm Saturday—Sunday. Admission prices vary. 402.342.6164. —ocm.org

CELEBRATE CB: COUNCIL BLUFFS COMMUNITY PRIDE WEEK

May 8 at Bayliss Park, 100 Pearl St., Council Bluff s, IA. The week-long celebration of the Council Bluff s community dates back over 50 years. Th is annual event is a way for the community to get together and celebrate community pride. 1pm.

—the712initiative.org

TOAST NEBRASKA WINE FESTIVAL

May 12 at Stinson Park, Aksarben Village, 2285 S. 67th St. Presented by the Nebraska Winery & Grape Growers Association, Toast celebrates Nebraska wines with the majority of Nebraska wineries in attendance, off ering more than 100 wines to sample plus live music, educational sessions, shopping, and food. 4-9pm.

—toastwinefest.com

DISNEY’S ALADDIN KIDS

May 12-13 at Millard West High School Performing Arts Center, 5710 S. 176th Ave. Welcome to the marketplace of Agrabah, where the fantastic tale of the street rat who became a prince takes place. Th is stage adaptation of the Disney fi lm specifically for younger performers features hit songs including “Friend Like Me” and “A Whole New World.” 402.715.6000.

—mwhs.mpsomaha.org

CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL

May 12—14 along historic South 24th St., South Omaha. The city’s largest festival features live music and entertainment, carnival rides, food, and more. Times vary.

—cdmomaha.com

SONGFEST

May 12 at St. Cecilia Cathedral School, 3869 Webster St. Features the annual performance by St. Cecilia students. 1:30-2:30pm. 402.556.6655. —stcecilia.net

FLORENCE DAY

May 13—14, North 30th Street; Parade: May 13, 1-3pm, Miller Park to McKinley St. Organized by the Florence Historical Foundation, this Omaha neighborhood celebrates its heritage each year with a parade and many other activities. —historicflorence.org

QUEER TABLE TALK: FAITH AND THE QUEER COMMUNITY

May 23 at Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, UNO, 6400 University Drive, S. A community conversation led by Inclusive Communities. 6-7:30pm. 402.391.4460. —inclusive-communities.org

PATRIOTIC PARADE & CONCERT

May 27 at the Gene Leahy Mall, Downtown Omaha. An event honoring the nation’s Gold Star families and veterans that includes the Tuskegee P-51 Mustang, the “Rise Above” traveling exhibit, and Fort Riley’s Mounted Color Guard. The free concert follows the roll call honoring fallen loved ones. 402.612.0210. —patrioticproductions.org

OMAHA BURGER BATTLE

TOWERS OF TOMORROW WITH LEGO® BRICKS

May 27—Sept. 3 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Th e exhibition features 20 astonishing skyscrapers from North America, Asia and Australia constructed in breathtaking architectural detail by Ryan McNaught, one of only 12 LEGO®-certified professionals in the world. 12-4pm Sunday; 10am-4pm Tuesday—Saturday. 402.444.5071.

—durhammuseum.org

COMPAGNIA TPO’S BUTTERFLIES & SQUONK”S HAND TO HAND

May 20 & May 21 at Steelhouse Omaha, 1114 Dodge St. Two immersive theater experiences on the Steelhouse Omaha stage and outside patio. Interact with lights and sound inside and with two giant puppet hands outside for a unique and fun-fi lled afternoon. All ages welcome. 1pm & 4pm. 402.345.0202. —steelhouseomaha.com

SUMMER READING KICKOFF

May 21 at Sump Memorial Library, 222 Jeff erson St., Papillion. Th is all-ages event includes campfi re lunches, lawn games, balloon animals, face painting, and live music to kick off summer reading. 11am-1pm. 402.597.2040. —papillion.libcal.com

May 27 at Stinson Park, Aksarben Village, 2285 S. 67th St. Omaha's top grill masters will be representing their local neighborhood and fi ghting to the fi nish as they battle it out for best burger in the city. Each competitor will be providing a 2 oz gourmet sliders with up to fi ve toppings for you to judge. The winner will be crowned with the esteemed title of 'Omaha Burger Battle' fi rst place WINNER and holder of the area's best burger. 12-3pm.

—omahaburgerbattle.com

Would you like weekly event recommendations delivered right to your inbox? Open the camera on your smart device and hover over the QR code (left) to subscribe to Omaha Magazine ’s Weekend Entertainment Guide online.

A+C FILM // STORY WILLIAM RISCHLING

PHOTOGRAPHY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN RENEE LUDWICK

“The things that make us unique are also the things that make us wonderful.” -K atie Otten

Souls Laid Bare

Katie Otten’s Inner Worlds Web Series Explores Fantasy as Healing

Escapism is a divisive coping mechanism. Certain hobbies hinge almost entirely on a disconnect from reality; submersion into a realm of creativity unconstrained by the outside world. Perhaps the most widely known example is the tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons. Often shortened to ‘D&D,’ the game has had a fickle relationship with popular culture since its inception in 1974. However, 2017 saw a meteoric resurgence of the property with the release of the game’s fi fth edition ruleset—introducing millions of newcomers to a system of boundless storytelling and self-expression, including Katie Otten.

An Omaha transplant, Otten has established herself as an adjunct theater professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, a model, a nd an actor.

“I moved here about nine years ago now. I'm from Wisconsin originally, and when I moved here, I thought, ‘Okay, I'll just be here for about a year or so for a contract at a theater and then I'm gonna go off somewhere else.’ But I ended up really fi nding my people here and fi nding that Omaha was a really cool, welcoming place,” she explained. “I really like that anything you put your mind to, you can do, and it's maybe easier in some places, maybe there'll be more resources, but there's always going to be people to support you and to help make it happen. You can afford to be here and do it, where with some cities you defi nitely can't.”

No story of success is without struggle, Otten’s notwithstanding. A characteristic common to people possessing great talent is a paralyzing lack of confidence—a wall that Otten threw herself against repeatedly.

“When I went to school for acting in Wisconsin, I only wanted to be an actor, that’s all I cared about. Th ing is, all of the other actors had this extreme confidence,” she recalled. “They would be on stage and just sparkle and command attention. In comparison, I was so scared and confused, I had really bad confidence issues. After two years of working my butt off and not figuring out how to fi nd that confidence the teacher sat down with me and said, ‘Y’know, maybe you’re just not meant to be an actor.’ Th at destroyed me. I wondered what I was going to do with my life…it was all I ever wanted.”

Reminiscing on this painful memory, Otten’s voice never wavered with regret, bitterness, nor self-pity. It was recalled with the same reverence and appreciation of a cherished memory—one of personal growth.

“Th at’s when I tried teaching, and teaching forces you to be confident even if you don’t feel it,” she continued. “You have to pretend you are for the students’ sake. Pretending to be confident actually made me confident; I faked it until I made it.”

Th is steeled optimism propelled Otten throughout her career, eventually leading to the creation of her passion project: Inner Worlds. Uploaded to YouTube for anyone to watch for free, the Inner Worlds web series follows a group of friends as they navigate their daily lives. These characters are vastly different from one another, but are united in their love of D&D. It is through fantasy and roleplaying that the players share and shed their anxieties, and together, process real-world traumas.

Now on its second season, Inner Worlds is an extension of Otten, wearing its uniquely bright outlook of the world on its sleeve, no matter how dark things may get.

“I started writing when the pandemic started. I lost a whole bunch of paid gigs. And I was like, ‘Oh, what am I going to do?’ And I always had sort of wanted to write something related to D&D, because I'm a huge Dungeons & Dragons fan. I was really interested in the show The Guild with Felicia Day, which is about an online game but it had little five minute episodes,” Otten said. “And I was like, this seems like a really cool way to

digest information and focus only on what's important in the story. And so I thought, I can write something like that maybe. And once I started to write it, then I was like, ‘Oh, well now I'm really invested in this, I have to make it.’ So there was no going back. It was right at the beginning of the pandemic, really, and it's kind of never stopped.”

Jessica Johnson, director of Inner Worlds and a close friend of Otten’s, explained, “She's probably one of the most generous artists I think I've ever worked with. She is very open about sharing her work and sharing the creative process with other artists. While at the same time being very confident in what she's created which makes it really easy to create something collaboratively. She is probably one of the most joyful people I've been around.”

It can be a frightening prospect to lay bare one’s individuality, whether playing a tabletop game with friends or creating a show for strangers—a risk Otten embraces and encourages.

“There are still times where I doubt myself but I have to remind myself that everyone has something to contribute, a story to tell, and everyone should get that opportunity,” she beamed. “I’ve made something that wouldn’t exist if I didn’t make it. I think that’s a reason to do anything. It can be hard but you have to remember that your unique self is something to be cherished instead of being afraid of.”

“The things that make us unique are also the things that make us wonderful.”

Visit

STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

How Anthony Peña

Drew Hope from Tragedy

Dalton Carper’s 2020 photo captured then 7-year-old Zuri Jensen standing atop a truck with her face skyward and one arm raised in a fist of solidarity with Omaha Black Lives Matter protesters. Famed Omaha artist Watie White introduced fellow artist Anthony T. Peña to the viral image. Pena’s resulting poster and mural became synonymous with hope, catapulting him from obscurity to national r ecognition.

“It’s amazing how art brings people together. We all make up this story of hope,” said Peña, 55, a Metro Area Transit bus operator. “The photo says so much. I wanted to use my First Amendment right to say something, too, but in a different way. At first my drawing was black and white. As I kept running through concepts, I added yellow. At first, Zuri wasn’t holding a sign. I saw where someone commented they saw hope in the photo, I thought it would be perfect for her holding a sign that says hope.”

The signed poster sold out, becoming a collector’s item same for a T-shirt print. Proceeds of The Hope Project were shared with Carper, the Jensens, and Culxr House.

“It’s amazing how people react to the images. It feels really good that people gravitate to the message,” Peña said.

His experience proves recognition often comes when lea st expected.

“I guess it was just time. Before 2020 my artwork might as well have been nonexistent. The only place you could see it was on Instagram,” Peña reflected. “I would get likes here and there, but nothing substantial. Watie White liked one of my posts. I reached out to him to meet for coffee. I had a whole lot of questions and he gave me a lot of good advice on how to get my artwork out there. I took it that was a real ga me-changer.”

Peña and White subsequently collaborated with Bart Vargas, Patty Talbert, and Ang Bennett on the 18-by-24-foot “Hope” mural in NoDo. The Jensens help ed paint it.

“I was nervous. These artists are established and here I was, a new kid on the block,” Peña said.

Winter storm damage in 2022 forced the mural’s removal. It’s being repainted while a new site is be ing scouted.

Previously, Peña drew exclusively for family and friends.

“My mom bought me sketchbooks, but I would always draw them up and end up drawing on the walls, in books,” he said. “She didn’t get upset. She encouraged me.”

A North High teacher urged him to pursue college fine arts studies, which Peña did at the University of Nebras ka at Omaha.

“I didn’t finish because I thought I knew everything,” he conceded. “I didn’t really apply myself as much as I s hould have.”

His work’s stark contrasts and primary colors reflect pop art influences. The selftaught artist learned his craft from comic books, particularly the work of Marvel Comics illustrator John Byrne.

“I loved his style,” Peña said, “the way he did action scenes, his characters’ facial expressions, his realistic depictions of the human body a nd anatomy.”

Peña’s own graphic novel project, “4 OUT OF 5,” imagines a near future when human cloning is big business. He’s both illustrating and writing it.

He’s held “making ends meet jobs” his entire adult life.

“When it comes to loving your craft, you’re going to have to sacrifice a lot ,” he said.

He’s now a full-time artist with a commissioned portrait, mural, and logo projects, though he still drives a Metro Area Transit bus. Whereas before he created out of his apartment, he now has a Hot Shops studio downtown.

MAT hired Peña to paint a veterans wall mural at its headquarters, and he’s among the featured artists in the Omaha by Design Art and Infrastructure Metro ORBT mur al project.

“It’s fun to be a part of somethin g that big,” he said.

His mural “Up in the Air/Escapism,” a take on daydreaming, adorns the 72nd and Dodge westbound ORBT station.

He finds it surreal seeing his art on public display, or readi ng about it.

“I do a double-take,” Peña said. “It feels like they’re talking about somebody else.”

He collaborated with Talbert on another mural, “Peace.” He’s also worked with several artists on a mural cube dedicated to Ukraine, plus a Lexington, Nebraska, billboard image he did for Nebraskans for Abor tion Access.

“I’ve been very fortunate. For years, nothing, and since 2020 an incredible ride getting my work out there and people loving it,” Peña said.

White finds Peña’s continued growth “impressive” and “inspiring,” complimenting the artist’s “ability to find joy and meaning i n his work.”

“My work is constantly evolving,” Peña acknowledged. “You don’t ever want to be stale or just be known for doing one thing. I’m really challenging myself to do different mediums and use more color.”

“I love the experience and atmosphere of being around other artists,” he said of his flourishing studio practice. “It’s my second home. I can go there to create. If I want to free my mind I can walk around and check out what other artists are w orking on.”

In yet another personal milestone, last year saw Peña’s first solo exhibition at Benson’s BFF Gallery.

“[My family is] so happy for me,” he said. “For years they pushed me to get my artwork out there. I never really had the confidenc e to do it.”

“Opening night, I felt like I wa s dreaming.”

Visit instagram.com/1blackant for more information.

-Anthony

"It's amazing how people react to the images. It feels really good that people gravitate to the message."

Peña

For over 50 years, Omaha’s 90.7 KVNO has been broadcasting classical music programs, such as Saturdays with the Metropolitan Opera or Friday Favorites featuring cinematic movie scores. On October 21 of last year, KVNO celebrated its 50th anniversary with aplomb premiering an original piece by renowned composer Stacy Garrop performed by the Omah a Symphony.

Garrop, one of the most accomplished freelance composers of her day, has written over 100 commissioned pieces for clients throughout the United States from chamber choirs and symphony halls, to orchestras and opera theaters. She’s had notable works commissioned by the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theatre, and the Grammy-nominated choir, Th e Crossing.

When KVNO deliberated on a high-profile composer to feature, Garrop immediately c ame to mind.

While negotiations with KVNO were underway, Garrop discovered a 41-yearold document while cleaning out a filing cabinet: an important piece of family history. Beyond vague ties to Eastern Europe, her father’s side of the family had remained mysterious. In a twist a fate, the document chronicled Berko’s Stacy’s great grandfather journe y to Omaha.

Berko Gorobzoff (later changed to Garrop,) was a Jewish-Ukrainian immigrant to Omaha in 1904. He founded Garrop’s Grocery, where the Spielbound Board Game Café s tands today.

During an executive meeting discussing the commission, Garrop mentioned this connection, noting immigration was at the forefront of the project’s vision and that she could expand on this theme through her own family’s experience. Garrop set to work, researching the perilous time period of Jews fleeing Eka t erinoslav.

“My family’s history is basically that of ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ that was our story,” Garrop said. “They went through religious pe rsecution.”

Situated on the limits of the Pale of Settlement a region originally outlined by the Russian Empire for Jewish containment in 1791 Ekaterinoslav, now Dnipro, Ukraine, was a site of both industry and hardship for Russia’s Jewish population.

In 1904, a year before the bloody Russian Revolution, Berko escaped the city across a backdrop of pogroms and Jewish persecution. Ultimately, Berko and his family found refu ge in Omaha.

“We wanted something that would be a gift to Omaha,” affirmed KVNO station manager, Sherry Brownrigg. “The whole story behind it was that it was just a tribute to the history of Omaha really being made up of so many people from many other incredible melting pots that we have now. We still have so many immigrants coming in and finding their home in Omaha. We felt that really the whole thing was just a gif t to Omaha.”

The Omaha Symphony, helmed by symphony director and maestro, Ankush Kamar Bahl, was excited to partner with KVNO on the project. Bahl had a distinct vision for this piece.

“For 50 years, KVNO has continued to provide locally composed and community supported classical music programming for the great Omaha region. Local classical radio stations like KVNO are rare and to show our gratitude for our longstanding partnership, we [were] excited to premiere a work by award-winning composer Stacy Garrop,” Bahl said. “I look forward to seeing this partnership continue to flourish for year s to come!”

Berko’s Journey consists of three movements. The first, Leaving Ekaterinoslav details the harrowing journey of leaving the city as tensions rise between Jews and Russian proletariats. The second movement, In Transit , is a cinematic soundscape that places listeners aboard a locomotive replete with train whistles and an air of mixed relief and uncertainty as Berko travels westward. The third movement, At Home in Omaha , resonates with hope and new beginnings as Berko and his family arrive in, settle, and embrace their newfoun d community.

“Stacy is a programmatic composer where she tells a story,” Brownrigg noted. “It’s one of those pieces of music that you can see with your mind.”

“There’s chromaticism everywhere and dissonance,” Garrop said. “There is balance in the structure. At first you can’t see what the form is, it’s a skeleton…form is the most important musical parameter.”

A medley of instruments, from brass to wind ensembles, to a principal clarinet playing the lead as Berko, envelops listeners in a poignant musical sojourn interweaving traditional Jewish folk songs and Klezmer music, such as the Miller’s Tears and Tumbalalaika , throughout. The lyrical composition explores the perils and triumphs of Ber ko’s flight.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary gala and longstanding legacy of classical music in Omaha, Berko’s Journey made its debut on the Scott Hall main stage at the Holland Center. The event consisted of two nights, with a performance Friday evening and a live broadcast of the work the following night. A pre-performance 30-minute presentation by Garrop was held as light hors d’ouevres were served.

Since its establishment in 1972, KVNO has continued to promote classical music in the metro. As a public station offering fine arts radio programming, it once partnered with other public stations s uch as NPR.

“We started out as just a radio station, but now we have a smart phone app, we stream from kvno.org, and we’re strengthening them and putting new things into them all the time,” Brow nrigg said.

She hopes that radio and broadcast mediums can continue to reach the average person and inspire a love for the art form, even offering a respite for those feeling burdened by the humdrum of a negative news cycle.

“It’s like an oasis for people. It’s very accessible,” Brownrigg said. “From professors and doctors to truck drivers, it’s for everybody.”

Indeed, as Burko’s Journey illustrates through sound, Omaha is a city flush with opportunity for classical music lovers, artists such as Garrop, and for those seeking a be t ter life.

Visit garrop.com and kvno.org for more information.

“IT’S LIKE AN OASIS FOR PEOPLE. IT’S VERY ACCESSIBLE. FROM PROFESSORS AND DOCTORS TO TRUCK DRIVERS, IT’S FOR EVERYBODY.”

—Sherry Brownrigg

STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

A NOVEL STRAIN O F COMEDY

IMPROV DUO PANDEMIC! @ THE DISCO PROVES LAUGHTER IS CONTAGIOUS

OMAHA IMPROV DUO PANDEMIC! @ THE DISCO HAVE ENJOYED UPROARIOUS SUCCESS, EARNING RAVE REVIEWS AT THE BACKLINE COMEDY THEATRE AND ‘BEST COMEDY ENSEMBLE’ NODS FROM THE OMAHA ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS AWARDS.

“I never went into it with any expectation it would be anything other than a fun thing I do once in a while,” said Matt Johnson, the other half of Pandemic! @ the Disco. “To see it get that recognition feels really special. It’s v alidating.”

The pair met when Helwig served as music director for a five-person musical improv team that includ ed Johnson.

“Once, only the two of us were available for a show, and we were like, ‘Are we really going to try this ourselves? Okay, I guess we will.’ And it actually worked really well,” Helwi g recalled.

They debuted as a duo in the Backline’s weekly ‘Arena’ series, wherein a democracy of laughs holds court. “You try to keep winning to hold that spot for as long as possible,” she said. “It’s a great way to get featured in a 20-minute slot once a week”

“[We] share a certain passion for storytelling,” Johnson said. “We don’t just do funny musical scenes, we tell a funny musical story with character development and arcs.”

“I think of my work as a storyteller always,” He lwig echoed.

Chemistry and creative dynamism are essential, the pair taking cues not only from each other but from the audience to craft a patchwork narrative via music and comedic timing.

“Because we know each other so well and have been doing improv together so long, we really know where the other thrives,” Helwig said. “I know if I set up something, he’s going to hit a home run.”

Whereas most improv teams practice regularly under a coach, Pandemic is propelled by controlled chaos alone.

Omaha comedian Matt Geiler “has given us notes,” Helwig said, adding, “so I guess in that way he’s a gu est coach.”

“As far as preparing for our own shows,” Johnson said, “we did that at the outset–talking about story structure and wanting certain beats. A few times we’ve revised it over the years. Now we don’t really have to because we’ve done it so many times.”

Despite years of performing together, onstage sparks have n’t fizzled.

“Sometimes I leave the stage feeling there was electricity running through my body,” Helwig said.

“It’s an electric thing happening in the moment,” Johnson affirmed. “Improv is in many ways a conversation between the performers and audience. We do things and we get feedback…and we build from tha t together.”

“We prompt the audience with questions, so we get a lot of information to pull from,” Helwig explained, “and we just r un with it.”

“It’s an intense but ephemeral experience,” Johnson added. “Once that show’s done, it’s gone forever.”

“We have all these ideas laid out but we don’t know what the story’s going to be until we get there,” Helwig said, “except for a villain and a hero. The hero’s tragic flaw prope ls a quest.”

That the storyline and songs are devised on the spot, partly based on audience suggestions, she said, elicits “disbelief” from audiences.

“Especially if they’re unfamiliar with improv, people feel like a magic trick has been pulled on them,” Johnson said.

Backline owner Dylan Rhode admires how the duo comes up with “catchy hooks” and “sincere perspectives,” all with “no fear of going wherever the journey takes them.”

“They are an inspiration to everyone wanting to create improvised musical s,” he said.

Heiwig is also part of “Biscuits,” an improv show that hits the Blackline stage every fourth Friday. Additionally, she coaches the Backline’s musical house team which performs every second and fourth Tuesday and teaches musical improv workshops throughout the Midwest.

She ascribes her penchant for staying busy to her attention-deficit/hyperactivit y disorder.

“I have a theory every improviser has ADHD,” John son laughed.

For his part, Johnson is the creator of an improvised play he hopes to present quarterly, dubbed “Bott le Episode.”

“The gimmick of the show is that I serve the performers actual booze as they come on stage to create characters. It’s all improvised,” he explained.

Improv, like traditional theater, is about “playing pretend,” Johnson said, “but instead of being directed and working from a script, you are the actor, writer, director in a very instanta neous way.”

“The collaboration of ‘writing’ a story together live on stage is so fun,” Helwig said.

Helwig never imagined staying in Omaha beyond a year, but relationships and gigs have kept her here long enough to earn a master’s degree at College of Saint Mary.

She appreciates the “supportive” atmosphere and “many opportunities” af forded her.

“It’s such a family,” she said.

With the bond she and Johnson enjoy, they hope Pandemic! @ The Disco’s creative synergy inspires or perhaps, infects onlookers with a desire to try improv themselves.

“It’s a special thing unlike anything else,” Joh nson said.

Visit backlinecomedy.com for more information.

o get that feedback from both the Backline community and the arts community at large is so sweet,” said Robyn Helwig, an Oregon native who moved to Omaha in 2016 to work at The R ose Theater.

“IMPROV IS IN MANY WAYS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE PERFORMERS AND AUDIENCE. WE DO THINGS AND WE GET FEEDBACK…AND WE BUILD FROM THAT TOGETHER.”

-ROBYN HELWIG

Greg Lilly lives an adventurous life, one shaped as much by his profession as by hi s down time. Born and raised in Glenwood, Iowa, the 33-year-old freelance producer was “always interested in storytelling,” so it’s little surprise he ended up in an industry built upon it. Not only does he help others tell stories whether by managing budgets, timelines, or creative talent he also narrates his own via lived experiences, sometimes unintentionally.

Lilly began pursuing his career at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, where he initially studied electronic media. After a professor told students that only about 6% of those majors went onto careers in that field, Lilly tagged on a business degree a decision that’s served him well.

He’s been fired from an R. Kelly video, witnessed damage to one of the most iconic costumes in US brand history, and lost consciousness in a Thai operating room.

After graduating in 2012, Lilly headed to Chicago to intern at Ogilvy & Mather, an advertising, marketing, and public relations firm. “I was digitizing old tapes and was miserable,” he confessed of the steppingstone position.

The task-oriented job gave him entry into the field, and soon, he was doing freelance work for commercials and The Steve Harvey Show. Around that time, he found himself working on an R. Kelly music video.

“We had a celebrity dancer who was being paged to the set,” Lilly recounted with a chuckle. “I was standing right next to him and didn’t recognize him. He was very offended that I didn’t know who he was. They called me in and fired me.”

Lilly’s next stop was at the advertising agency McGarryBowen, also in Chicago, where he produced broadcasts, online content, test and radio spots, and edits for clients, one of whom was Kraft Foods, which owns the Hastings, Nebraska, brand Kool-Aid. For several years, Lilly was the unofficial guardian of the iconic Kool-Aid Man costume; a bulky, awkward fiberglass construction which embraced both the original costume and the updated fiberglass suit. He gamely gave himself the title “Kool-Aid Man costume creative consultant.”

Even after Lilly moved to Omaha in 2016 and went freelance with his own company, Greg Lilly LLC, he continued working with Kraft.

“I did all the live events for the Kool-AidMan,” he recounted. “Of course I tried it on; it smelled like the ’ 70s inside.”

In 2019, Lilly traveled to New York for a Kool-Aid Man skit on Saturday Night Live Although he warned the stuntman to be careful with how he moved in the costume, he lost his balance and fell, cracking the iconic suit.

“I told him he needed to slide his feet,” Lilly explained, “but he lost h is footing…”

Workplace anecdotes aside, Lilly has also experienced his fair share of global adventures from his home base in Omaha, and quickly became part of the cycling community. One year after moving to Omaha, he and five friends embarked on his first bike trip throughout the Iberian Peninsula. They began in Porto, Portugal, and biked to San Sebast ián, Spain.

“We had forgotten how big mountains are,” Lilly conceded. “We did some ‘planes, trains, and automobiles’ and took transportation before getting on bikes again.”

About a year later, Lilly found himself in Thailand, where he and his partner, Sam, were in a motorcycle accident.

“I waited an hour for an ambulance, which was really more of a truck,” he recounted. “Sam used her legs to stabilize me during the drive, so I wouldn’t sl ide around.”

Once he arrived at the hospital, he was rushed to emergency surgery for a shattered collarbone.

“I drifted off to sleep staring at the different colored ceiling tiles wondering if they’d calculated my weight from pounds to kilos accurately for the anesthesi a,” he said.

They did, and Lilly spent an additional month in Thailand recovering from his injury before returning stateside for correct ive surgery.

“There are two types of fun,” he offered. “Type one is obvious fun. Type two is fu n but hard.”

Friend Michael Hennings, an Omaha director, cinematographer, and filmmaker, accompan ied Lilly.

“I like to call Greg ‘a fabulous blonde Viking,’” he joked. “I don’t want to say he’s a ‘leapbefore-you-look kind of guy’ because in a subtle way, he’s calculated. He says ‘yes’ to life and just makes it look effortless. He’s inspirationa l to watch.”

For example, when the duo wound up in a small village where ATM cards weren’t accepted, Lilly found people willing to accept a Venmo payment in exchange for cash. Of course, they ended up enjoying a meal together later for dinner.

“When you’re a producer, 90% of what happens is planned,” Hennings noted. “10% is where the magic happens. Greg is observ able magic.”

His next overseas venture was tamer. In January 2020 he moved to Groningen, the Netherlands, with Sam, an outdoor recreation grant manager with the National Park Service. She studied public policy at a Dutch university for several months while Lilly made the most of the public transportation and bike trails.

“I loved the Netherlands. It was very refreshing,” he said. “I hung out, biked around, and talked with the locals.”

Unfortunately, the pandemic cut the couple’s time overseas short. They returned to Omaha, where he’s continued seeking adventure when and where possible. This past winter he spent “three weeks just not working” and 300 grueling miles (30 a day) cycling.

What’s next on Lilly’s list? Possibly a cycling trip to Lake Michigan or one to Colombia, depending on the country’s political state.

“It’s a big world,” Lilly said. “I’ve always been into stories hearing other people’s and makin g my own.”

“I don’t want to say he’s a ‘leap-before-you-look kind of guy’ because in a subtle way, he’s calculated. He says ‘yes’ to life and just makes it look effortless. He’s inspirational to watch.” -Michael Hennings

For an audio version of this story, open the camera on your smart device and hover over the QR code above.

A Labor of Love

SAVING MADAGASCAR, ONE TREE AT A TIME

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium has long been one of the metro’s most treasured attractions. Ranked among the world’s top zoos, it has become known for its magnificent indoor rainforest and the world’s largest indoor desert, among many other exhibits. The zoo and its expansive Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park were recently named best zoo and best safari park in the nation b y USA Today

But just as important, and unbeknownst to many who visit the Henry Doorly Zoo, is the zoo’s behind-the-scenes commitment to science and co nservation.

Omaha Zoo’s work in molecular genetics, reproductive physiology, nutrition, and conservation medicine have had a global impact on research and conservation and have played a significant role in elevating the zoo to its world cl ass status.

“There is a huge spider web of activity that goes on behind the scenes at the zoo, and it is all interconnected,” said Edward Louis Jr., PhD, DMV, director of conservation genetics at the Henry Doorly Zoo. “All of these programs play an essential role in wildlife conservation and in helping us develop a more sustaina ble future.”

Wildlife conservation focuses on protecting biodiversity our planet’s diverse network of plant and animal species and their habitats and ensuring the survival of all species by implementing, and educating others about, sustainable living practices.

When Dr. Louis joined Omaha’s Zoo in 1996, he initiated a research program called the Madagascar Biodiversity and Biogeography Project. As his interest and commitment to global conservation grew, this transitioned into the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership (MBP). The MBP is a non-governmental organization based in Madagascar that has a goal of working with Malagasy communities to restore the relationship between people and their natural environment by developing a variety of community-based conservation and development programs.

A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT

Why Madagascar? Located just east of Mozambue off the coast of southern Africa, this island country is considered one of the most ecologically important biodiversity hotspots in the world.

The island has more than 14,000 plant species and ranks among the top five countries in the world for primate species. Much of its flora and fauna are endemic to the is land nation.

It is the world’s fourth largest island, and sadly, the one with the highest poverty rate. With a stunning green, lush landscape, the island features a vast array of unique wildlife and diverse ecosystems that range from arid and spiny forests to dense, humid jungles over nearly 475,000 square miles. Dr. Louis describes it as the state of Texas stretched out like California.

SAVING AN ERODING ECOSYSTEM

Madagascar’s landscape is rapidly changing, impacting the country’s entire ecosystem. The population has increased from nine million in 1999 to more than 30 million people today. This is creating a massive burden on the island’s biomes a nd wildlife.

Over the past 70 years, the island has lost 55% of its forests and lemurs, Madagascar’s native primates. Lemurs, which are found only in Madagascar, have become the world’s most threatened group of mammals due to unsustainable farming practices, mining, illegal logging, an d poaching.

Dr. Louis made his first trip to Madagascar in 1998. He agreed to attend events as part of the International Society of Primatology’s biannual meeting for a colleague, and was fascinated by the country’s biodiversity and changing ecosystem. Since then, his research in Madagascar has become a consummate passion and large part of his life’s work the island’s pull growing stronger with each subsequent visit. Dr. Louis has continued to make the trip to the island country halfway across the world several times annually for the past 25 years, where he spends an average of six months conducting research and working with the Malagasy communities toward saving the rapidly disappearing forests and endange red species.

In Dr. Louis’s words, it has grown into a “labor of love.”

THE MADAGASCAR BIODIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP

Since being named Director of Conservation Genetics for the Center of Conservation and Research at Omaha’s Zoo, Dr. Louis’ program in Madagascar has become one of its flagship programs. Visitors can catch a glimpse of the island’s amazing biodiverse environment at the zoo’s Hubbard Expedition Madagascar exhibit, which was created to spotlight the significant conservation effor ts underway.

Dr. Louis, who has a DVM and a PhD in conservation genetics, uses his expertise in molecular genomic technology to catalogue various animal species, including their diet, living and mating habits, and their ecological niches all toward determining how to best manage animals in the wild and captivity. He has collected photos and biological samples of over 7,000 individual lemurs at over 250 sites across Madagascar, which has led to the discovery of 24 previously undocumented lemur species.

However, working in Madagascar poses unique challenges. When Dr. Louis and his colleagues first began visiting the country in 1998, there was only dial-up internet service, no cellular phone towers, poor road infrastructure, limited to no running water, and electricity only in the larger cities. This meant that all of their samples had to be physically transported to labs in at the Omaha Zoo to be studied.

This is slowly changing there is now generator-powered electricity in a growing number of cities, as well as internet and cellular towers, and molecular equipment has become smaller and easier to transport and power, enabling some of their research to be condu c ted onsite.

MBP has focused its efforts in four primary regions of the country, where it has built field stations, with each region supporting different ecosystems. These stations, which rely on solar power systems, is where the bulk of their work is conducted. Through their research, they have identified key factors contributing to the decline in the forests and animal life in each region. MBP is addressing these issues with a multi-pronged approach that includes research, education, conservation, and job creation in the neighboring Malagasy c ommunities.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

After more than 25 years, MBP’s efforts are indeed making an impact.

Extensive community education and outreach efforts that focus on teaching community farmers alternative agricultural practices, resource conservation, and entrepreneurial opportunities have proven critical in the ir mission.

MBP has many partners, one of them Conservation Fusion Inc., founded and directed by Susie Louis is an international non-profit organization dedicated to working with communities worldwide. They provide education about biodiversity, respect for the environment, and stewardship by advocating more sustainable practices. Their work has been crucial for building trust and cooperation among the Malagasy, note d Dr. Louis.

MBP’s work is ongoing and for every triumph, new challenges arise. To stay positive, Dr. Louis approaches his work with practice d optimism:

“I wake up in the morning all fired up and ready to go and by the end of the day, sometimes I feel like I have taken one step forward and two steps back,” Dr. Louis confessed. “And then I start all over again th e next day.”

MASSIVE TREEPLANTING EFFORTS

In the southeast region of Madagascar, in an area known as Kianjavato where forests have been rapidly depleting, the combined efforts of MBP have resulted in nearly six million planted trees since 2012. They are now averaging 83,000 trees a month through an eight-year-long collaboration between the MBP, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, and the Arbor Day Foundation. This has been achieved via grassroots efforts by and through Malagasy residents. Research has revealed that lemurs play a critical role in the growth of new trees and plant life, explained Dr. Louis. Some lemurs eat the fruit from trees and pass the seeds unharmed in their feces. After the passage through lemurs, the seeds of many species of trees appear to germinate much better than if they were taken directly from the fruit.

JOB CREATION FOR THE MALAGASY COMMUNITIES

The field stations and main MBP office are staffed entirely by local Malagasy, providing stable jobs and economic avenues for many community members. The MBP field station teams perform many critical roles to assist with reforestation efforts and the tracking and studying of endangered species. Some even follow lemurs and collect their droppings. Reforestation teams extract the seeds from the lemur droppings and start seedlings in the nurseries at the field stations. These seedlings are later planted throughou t the area.

“Not only are we making inroads in reforestation and protecting endangered species, but we are also giving Malagasy jobs ,” he said.

“WE ARE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE MALAGASY PEOPLE. OUR HOPE IS THAT THE THINGS WE ARE DOING IN MADAGASCAR TODAY... WILL ENSURE THE PEOPLE NOW AND IN GENERATIONS TO COME WILL HAVE A VIABLE FUTURE.” -DR. EDWARD LOUIS JR.

With these programs, MBP has paid 57,000 wages to the Malagasy people every year for the past five years, providing a source of income for up to 45% of the community, note d Dr. Louis.

NEW SOLUTIONS TO ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE PRACTICES

Many Malagasy use open fires for cooking which require wood or coal to burn. This can lead to lung disease, mostly in women and children, due to frequent smoke inhalation. Not only is the production and gathering of cooking fuel leading to deforestation, but it is also threatening the existence of the northern sportive lemur in its last stronghold at Montagne des Français. The MBP introduced fuel-efficient stoves to replace open-fire cooking at this site and others. This alternative reduces the amount of wood burnt, is less expensive, improves indoor air quality, and greatly decreases reliance on for est timber.

CREATING NEW AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES

Efforts in the field station in Lavavolo, a dry, forested area of southwestern Madagascar, have focused on ending the poaching of both the rare and endangered radiated and spider tortoise, as well as reforestation. Through concentrated community education with its partner, Conservation Fusion, MBP has introduced new agricultural practices to provide a source of food and income for the residents. This includes the development of vegetable gardens and aquaponic systems, a gardening method in which plants and fish grow within the same system. Additionally, the organization has taught them about resource conservation and provided other financial opportunities to reduce dependence on t he forests.

Most of the Malagasy people are subsistence farmers, meaning they grow food crops to feed themselves and their families each year. Across Madagascar, slashand-burn agriculture has been common

practice for years. This agricultural method entails using parts of the natural habitat for cropland; once the soil has been depleted, usually after a series of crops, another swatch of forest is burned. MBP is combatting this practice by introducing alternative crops, promoting compost, and integrating native trees for shade, rainwater, and soil retention to reduce landslides.

CONSERVATION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

Dr. Louis is especially proud of the Conservation Credit Awards Program, which incentivizes local residents to participate in community planting events by rewarding them with credits to use toward sustainable, green items that can help improve their standard of living while reducing their drain on the forests. These include items like solar kits, rocket stoves, bicycles, and sewing machines. MBP has also introduced Hippo Rollers to many MBP communities. These are 24-gallon containers used to carry clean water by rolling them along the ground to make water collect ion easier.

Dr. Louis attributes many of MBP’s successes to building trust with the community members and finding solutions that meet t h eir needs.

“We put our roots down almost 25 years ago and we keep coming back,” he said. “They know they can trust us and they know we have their best interes ts in mind.”

A BOTANIST’S DREAM

“A botanist’s dream.” That’s what Cynthia Frasier, PhD, conservation geneticist and research scientist for the Conservation Genetics Department at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium calls her work with the Madagascar Biodiversity Project. Frasier completed a doctorate degree in plant science with the goal of promoting plant and animal conservation. Madagascar allows her to practice her dream on a large scale.

In addition to plant and animal research, Dr. Frasier works directly with Malagasy students, many of whom are studying to earn advanced degrees in c onservation.

It’s a symbiotic re lationship.

“They work alongside us at our field stations and I help them with their research projects,” explained Dr. Frasier. “By working side by side, we both benefit from each other as we may observe things differently and have different ideas as to how to approach concerns in the environment and in their communities. Their input on science, wildlife, culture everything really helps to guide our next steps.”

One of the results Frasier is most proud of is seeing nearly 60 Malagasy students complete their masters and doctora te degrees.

“That has been extremely rewarding, as they will go on to become important environmental advocates and leaders among their communities,” s he affirmed.

Frasier said much of MBP’s success would not be possible without the daring leadership of Dr. Louis.

“He is the definition of true grit,” she said. “Where others might perceive boundaries, he pushes through them. Our Malagasy peers are facing extreme circumstances population growth, severe weather events, and food crises. We need cross-cutting ideas that consider everything, and Dr. Loui s has them.”

“We are laying the groundwork for the Malagasy people,” Dr. Louis added. “Our hope is that the things we are doing in Madagascar today educating them about respecting their environment and how to adopt sustainable living practices will ensure the people now and in generations to come will have a viabl e future.”

Visit madagascarpartnership.org and omahazoo.com for more information.

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY HISTORY NEBRASKA // DESIGN BY

MATT WIECZOREK

WANTED

Freedom From Gender TH E LEGEND OF BERT MARTIN

“NOTORIOUS OUTLAW”

BEHIND THE SHIMMERING EYES OF A CLEAN-CUT 21-YEAR-OLD, ANXIETY GAVE WAY TO ACCEPTANCE. THE HINT OF A SMILE TUGGED AT HIS BOYISH FACE, A REMARKABLE TALE TEETERING ON HIS LIPS. OR RATHER, TALES— THE COLD SHEEN OF HIS FATHER-IN-LAW’S RIFLE LONG BEFORE THE PHRASE ‘SHOTGUN WEDDING’ CONJURED VISIONS OF VEGAS CHAPELS. PERHAPS HIS EYES SHONE WITH GLINTING SPURS; HOOFBEATS AND GUNFIRE TRAILING HIM INTO WYOMING’S BIG HORN COUNTY WHILE ON THE RUN WITH “BLACK JACK” KETCHUM’S INFAMOUS GUNSLINGERS. However, Martin’s cellmate had nothing to worry about going, by a report from the Nebraska State Journal that same month:

As it were, it was a tale that’d spark a media firestorm, and ultimately free him from the Nebraska State Penitentiary: that the husband, horse thief, and convicted felon sharing a cell with another man known to fellow inmates, wardens, and even the prison doctor as “Bert” or “Burt” Martin was born “Lena” or “Bertha” Martin. And while Martin’s origins, criminal exploits, and life after prison are susceptible to conflicting accounts, her character was consistent: she was plenty ‘man’ enough to earn the respect, even the fear, of her fellow outlaws and f rontiersmen.

“Martin’s cellmate was summoned before the Prison Board,” preempts an exchange detailed by the Cincinnati Enquirer headlined “NOTORIOUS OUTLAW, WHO PROVES TO BE A WOMAN, MASQUERADED FOR YEARS IN MAN’S ATTIRE” (Octo ber, 1901):

“‘Well I don’t mind telling you,’ he said finally, ‘if you’ll take her out that cell before she finds out I’ve given her away’ ‘Her? It’s a her then?’ demanded the astounded officials. ‘Sure,’ grinned the cellmate. ‘Burt Martin is Lena Martin by rights. But say you’ll take her out before you put me back?’ he demanded uneasily. ‘Women is handy with a shootin’ iron sometimes, and Burt won’t like this one l ittle bit.’”

“She took the discovery of her sex without much chagrin and appeared to regard the matter as a rather comical incident,” the artic le revealed.

Beyond being arrested near Ashland, tried in Springview, and sentenced to two years in Lincoln’s Nebraska State Penitentiary on October 19, 1900 for horse theft in Keya Paha County, just how Martin arrived at this “comical incident” 11 months into their term va ries wildly.

By some accounts, Martin was born in southwestern Iowa a “a dashing girl with considerable reputation as a beauty” named Lena “Bertie” Martin who was eventually “seen with some horses that the notorious outlaw, ‘Black Jack’ had run off the open range in the Niobrara country.” She was rumored to be “his sweetheart,” and counted “the boldest daredevil and best shot in the band.” (The Marion Star, 1901 )

However, by far the more plausible and supported origin is that Martin was born in Nodaway County, Missouri, to a Mr. Samuel Martin and an unnamed mother. Her actual name was Bertha, according to an interview with said father by an Omaha World-Herald reporter on October 7, 1901, and it’s known that she lived in Keya Paha County in north-central Nebrask a by age 13.

Still, the dispatch raised more questions than conclusions:

“Martin says his daughter, Bertha, later married a young woman named Lena, the result of this marriage being a bright little baby boy […] Sheriff Cable of Keya Paha County believes that if this person now in the penitentiary is really a woman, he believes that it will develop that Burt’s wife, Lena, clandestinely exchanged clothes with her husband […] and exchanged places with him in the cell.”

For an audio version of this story, open the camera on your smart device and hover over the QR code above.

The Sheriff’s theory was officially debunked the following winter when Nebraska Governor Ezra P. Savage commuted Martin’s sentence:

“Arrayed in man’s clothing she would pass anywhere as a beardless young man. She has borne the name Bert since childhood […] After the sex of the prisoner was discovered, the prison officials and the governor decided that there was no place in the prison for such a person. The Sentence was commuted and the prisoner was released last February,” reads a 1902 Nebraska State Jour nal summary.

It is true, however, that Martin got married in a ceremony that would echo in local legend for decades to come. Martin had settled in Ashland, Nebraska, working as a farmhand while fanning a reputation as an excellent rifle shot and an expert with the lariat. He befriended, and possibly fell in love with, a young farmer's daughter named Lena Dean. They absconded to Nebraska City, possibly because Lena was showing signs of pregnancy. Her father, William Dean, was convinced the two had engaged in improper relations. Enraged, he tracked the young couple down, forcing Bert and Lena to return and marry in Wahoo, as presided over by a shotgun barrel.

A headline from The Nebraska State Journal sums the scene up with sensational aplomb: “WOMAN CONVICT A WOER - MADE “HUSBAND” AT A SHOTGUN MARRIAGE. RESULT OF AN ELOPEMENT - While Masquerading as a Man She Runs With a Young Maiden at Ashland.”

“Martin had such a reputation as an expert shot that the sheriff’s posse which followed wasn’t exactly in a hurry to catch up,” reads a November, 1901 description of the arrest from The Marion Star

The Honorable Judge Harrington took pity on Martin, as his wife, Lena, plead for clemency with bawling babe, Dewey, in arms. On October 19,1900, Bert was sentenced to two years in the Nebraska State Penitentiary a light sentence given the nature of the crime.

The mugshot of inmate ‘3656’ shows Martin’s unblemished face, clean suit, and gentle eyes. Upon entering the jail, a bath was drawn, a striped uniform issued, and an examination by the prison physician took place. Dr. L.W. Edwards jotted down a few bodily ‘imperfections,’ including small hands and a mole on the left side of the back of Bert’s neck. At 21 years old, many excused his lack of facial hair as a symptom of youth. Dr. Edwards was later lambasted by the press following the discovery of Martin’s sex, who lamely lamely shifted the blame to “sleeping guards” when questioned.

For 11 months Martin performed his prison detail as a cook in the adjoining broom factory without incident until “whisperings” filtering through prison bars culminated in “a gentle hint to the guards that an investigation would result in a revelation” if Martin were to be more carefully s crutinized.

Indeed, to the uproar of the press, and the supreme embarrassment of Dr. Edwards and other prison officials, Martin was identified as a woman soon after, and relocated to the facility’s “women’s area.” Everyone was dumbstruck, except those who actually knew Martin who preferred the company of “her dog, gun, and horse” to most people and said “she was perfectly willing to put on women’s clothes [while serving time]…[but] as soon as she is released she will go straight back to her old cowboy companions in Keya Pa ha county.”

Martin wouldn’t have to wait long, the governor commuting their sentence with a stoke of a pen and a final note scrawled in the prison record: “later investigation found Martin to be “‘a lf + alf.’”

Prior to getting married, Martin had requested to “borrow” a horse in Keya Paha County and decided to steer the reigns a few 100 miles longer than agreed upon. Sheriff Cable happened to be in Ashland and recognized Martin. The newlywed, who had been going by the alias ‘Bert Sherman,’ was promptly arrested and returned to Keya Paha for trial. According to some outlets, Martin was no stranger to law enforcement.

An article published in The Californian revisits Martin’s tale just under a year later, and those of related individuals, brandishing the headline “UNSEXED WOMEN.”

It begins, “Forty-five or more instances of women who lived as men have come to light in the last ten years. There are also many accounts of men who lived as women. A scientist has estimated that one in every 3000 women is the victim of this str ange mania.”

For Bert, and others like him, this “strange mania” went by a different name: “Freedom.”

history.nebraska.gov for more information.

“MARTIN HAD SUCH A REPUTATION AS AN EXPERT SHOT THAT THE SHERIFF’S POSSE WHICH FOLLOWED WASN’T EXACTLY IN A HURRY TO CATCH UP.” —THE MARION STAR, 1901

TAKING THE REINS

DANIELLE URBAN HAS MADE EQUINE ADVENTURES HER BUSINESS

Born in Canada to a certified “horse family,” Urban first learned to ride at her grandfat her’s farm.

“I was three or so on my first hour-long trail ride,” Urban recalled. “I was the kid who would ride to school instead of walking. Everything that could be horse-centric for me absolutely was from a very early age. My grandfather used to do some driving with his horses and buggy. My father was a veterinarian. Both of my sisters rode. I was really lucky to be born into a family that had the resources to be really supportive of the fact that I was born just horse-crazy.”

While having supportive parents in most hobbies and career paths might mean parents who will wake up extra early to take you to practice, if the object of a child’s affection is a 2,000-pound animal, then that’s a horse of a diffe rent color.

“My parents may not have known exactly what they were getting themselves into, but they have always wanted me to do with my life exactly what I wanted to do.” Urban said. “I changed from Western to English when I was 11; I changed disciplines to jumping, and they were still on board. Even when I told them I wanted to move to the United States in my late teens. I was hoping to move up in the business, and the opportunities were in the States. They have always pushed me to go after w hat I want.”

When Urban met the Cudmore family at a Spruce Meadows event in Calgary, Canada, they were impressed with the aspiring equestrian.

“They invited me to Omaha to learn from them and ride together, and that’s when I moved here from Canada,” she said. “I’ve gotten to travel to the US a lot for events, and I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time in other states. But the more I travel, the happier I am coming home to Omaha.”

Urban brought her reverence for horses to work with her, and spent 14 years at Quail Run Horse Centre in Elkhorn.

Since 2019, she has managed her own business, Rise Up Premier Equestrian Services, out of Flying Change Farm in Kennar d, Nebraska.

“My clients own their own horses, and the horses are in training with me,” Urban explained. “I have clients who range in age from 12 to 60 years old, and I work with them in sessions and lessons. Then we go on the road and I coach them in horse shows, or I ride their horses in c ompetition.”

The pair became acquainted while Delano was a client at Quail Run.

“We started taking lessons from her and got to know her better. Soon we had developed a really great friendship with her, which merged into owning a couple of horses together, becoming business partners, and then when I built our farm in Kennard, we were able to offer her a place where she could run her own business,” Delano said. “Our friendship and partnership kept growing through that time, but I would say she doesn’t have a single client she doesn’t have this kind of relationship with. She considers them all friends.

“She always puts the horse first, and that’s not always the case in our industry.” Delano confided. “The horse’s health, well-being, and happiness all come first to her. She makes sure every horse gets undivided attention and the highest level of care, but she also makes sure that they are turned out daily and that they get time to just be a horse.

“Dannee notices everything about each animal. The tiniest bit of swelling, she’ll catch it immediately and want to know where it came from,” Delano continued. “She knows each client, each relationship, each animal, and she tailors everything about her work to meet the needs of that day.”

For her own part, Urban spends a lot of energy deflecting any accolades for her success toward her support system her family, friends, and team but she never skips an opportunity to show gratitude for the life s he’s built.

Flying Change Farm features a barn that houses 20 show horses, and the fourlegged residents are treated to a fivestar experience daily. Horses receive full care at Flying Change, from feeding and health monitoring to training and exercise. But while the pasture maintenance and stall cleaning are hard work, Urban invests in more than the technical good of t he animals.

“Dannee is incredibly confident in her work,” said Beth Delano, owner of Flying Change Farm. “She’s earned that confidence by being absolutely amazing at wha t she does.”

“I feel lucky that I get to follow my passion in life," Urban affirmed. "It’s mostly about the horses, but as I get older I realize the relationships with the people I have been fortunate to meet and work with in this industry are truly de ar to me.” Visit

LIKE MANY LITTLE GIRLS, DANIELLE URBAN WAS ENAMORED WITH PONIES FROM A YOUNG AGE. UNLIKE MOST LITTLE GIRLS, HOWEVER, SHE WAS ABLE TO SEIZE THE REINS AND TURN THAT LOVE INTO A DRIVING FORCE IN HER LIFE, BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.

“MY PARENTS MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO, BUT THEY HAVE ALWAYS WANTED ME TO DO WITH MY LIFE EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO.”

-DANIELLE URBAN

PHOTOGRAPHY by Bill Sitzmann | DESIGN by Matt Wieczorek

NNot everyone grows up with opera like Allison Swenson did.

Opera Omaha’s new General Director is the daughter of two music teachers.

“My dad established a Metropolitan Opera Guild membership in my name when I was born,” reflected Swenson. “And the rest is history.”

In childhood, she studied piano, trombone, and voice, but was most serious about singing. “The voice is still what draws me to opera. Opera singers are elite talents, like Olympic athletes. I am in awe of what t hey can do.”

As she got older, she decided to pursue a career in opera administration, to play an offstage role in bringing the art form to life onstage.

“After several years working in opera, it became about more than the music and the show. It became about collaboration and the team effort singers, conductors, directors, designers, the production staff,

my colleagues in the office. The people in this field are what makes it s o special.”

After an impressive trajectory working for nationally recognized organizations such as the Glimmerglass Festival and the Santa Fe Opera, Swenson is now making Omaha her home. As General Director of Opera Omaha, she oversees all areas of operations from choosing repertoire, to casting, to balancing the budget, to community engagement and creating a healthy compa ny culture.

“I have been embraced so warmly. People are kind and genuinely so. There are no sharp elbows in Omaha! I can be myself within the company and with ou r audience.”

As the only opera company in the state, Opera Omaha will be many Nebraskans’ first introduction to the art form.

“That is a great responsibility. We plan an opera season specifically for the people of Nebraska. Our operas are rehearsed and

performed in Omaha, and can’t be seen anywhere else unlike a national touring show. Our operas are like pearls, curated just for ou r audience.”

To welcome everyone, Opera Omaha projects the lyrics in English during performances so the audience can understand what is being sung, regardless of the language in which the opera is written. Audience members can be seen in everything from blue jeans to a tux, and tickets are affordable, starting at on ly $19 each.

“In Omaha, the spirit of community is very strong. There is a great deal of pride here. Omaha deserves the best of everything, and that include s opera.” oo

Allison Swenson

“

OPERA OMAHA’S NEW GENERAL DIRECTOR

THE VOICE IS STILL WHAT DRAWS ME TO OPERA. OPERA SINGERS ARE ELITE TALENTS, LIKE OLYMPIC ATHLETES. I AM IN AWE OF WHAT THEY CAN DO.”

-ALLISON SWENSON

THE TRUE AND GRISLY STORY OF WILLIAM THOMPSON’S SCALP

RARE ODDITY

A COLLECTION

HIGHLIGHT IN OMAHA PUBLIC

LIBRARY

ARCHIVES

It’s one of the most unusual items in the Omaha Public Library’s collection. Certainly the most grisly. And since its accession in the early part of the 20th century, generations of library patrons have been intrigued, amazed, and downright repulsed at the sight of William Thomp son’s scalp.

Yes, his scalp.

As grotesque as the anatomical oddity is, it’s emblematic of the US transcontinental railroad’s turbulent construction, the displacement of Indigenous Plains populations, and the frightful scenarios faced by railroad workers caught i n between.

The incident unfolded at the height of summer in 1867.

“It was a hot and muggy August night,” said Lynn Sullivan, library specialist with Omaha Public Library and unofficial caretaker of the artifact. “Nebraska had barely been a state for six months when Union Pacific had not received a telegraph for se veral days.”

The company itself was founded barely five years prior under 1862’s Pacific Railroad Act, which Abraham Lincoln had approved to construct a railroad from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. The railroad would, Lincoln and others believed, connect the east and west coasts, and in so doing, unite the country both economically and spiritually as the bloody Civil War raged on.

Installing railroad tracks across the Great Plains, however, disrupted Native American hunting grounds and threatened the Indigenous way of life. As a result, tribes regularly attempted to disrupt the railroad’s incursions into their territory.

“The railroad brought the North and South together to fulfill the 'Manifest Destiny' delayed by the Civil War, but it also marked the end of Great Plains culture,” Sullivan explained. “It was a threat to the Native American w ay of life.”

On August 6, a group of Cheyenne cut telegraph wires near Plum Creek Station (today Lexington, Nebraska). When Union Pacific discovered it had lost communication, it dispatched a five-man crew to investigate. One of those men was William Thompson, who had emmigrated from England to the frontier to start a new life as a lineman.

The crew transported themselves via a handcar to investigate, but as they neared their destination after dark, railroad ties placed on the tracks derailed it. Disoriented, the crew was little match for the more heavily armed 25 or so Cheyenne who circled them on horseback.

A skirmish ensued, during which all the Union Pacific men except Thompson were killed. Shortly after, a train sent behind them ran into another track obstruction, and 17 cars derailed, marking the first train derailment in US history. A battle ensued, during which the Cheyenne looted the train and men on both sides were killed.

Left for dead, Thompson, who had been scalped and shot, miraculously survived. Either he played dead or lost consciousness; but when he regained awareness of his surroundings, he located his severed scalp, apparently dropped amid the chaos of the second armed confrontation. Thompson retrieved the bloody souvenir, and when a rescue team arrived, placed it in a bucket of salt in hopes of preserving it. He then returned to Omaha and went to Dr. Richard C. Moore, who maintained an office around Douglas and 14th streets in downtown Omaha to see if it could be reattached. Alas, it could not.

According to Frank J. Burkley, whose 1935 book The Faded Frontier chronicled life on the prairie and in Omaha from the 1840s to 1860s, Dr. Moore’s report described Thompson’s w ound thusly:

The scalp was entirely removed from a space measuring nine inches by seven. The denuded surface extended from one inch above the left eyebrow backwards. There was also a severe tom ahawk wound.

Sullivan said this was key in identifying the tribe involved in the incident: “Different tribes had different methods for scalping. This began over the left eye and was cut in a diamond pattern. That wa s Cheyenne.”

Moore’s excerpt continued that since Thompson was in such excellent health, his recovery was rapid. He also noted that his patient had “severe neuralgic pains on the right side of head and face, but in about three months all pain ceased and nearly the entire surface was cicatrized,” or scarred. The lineman sported an irregularly shaped bald patch for the rest of his life.

After he recovered, Thompson returned to his native England, “evidently thinking that the wild and woolly West was too strenuous a neighborhood for peaceful residence” at least according to Burkley, who also claimed the ambush survivor returned to Omaha for several follow-up visits.

Whether it was during one of these return trips or via parcel from England, in 1900 Thompson expressed his appreciation to Dr. Moore and gifted the doctor his scalp. Dr. Moore, whether unable or unwilling to maintain the medical trophy, in turn donated the bodily relic to the Omaha Public Library, where it has remained as a permanent part of the collection ever since. For roughly 75 years, the scalp was displayed in a bell jar.

Today, it’s stored in an acid-free archival box and brought out for display on special occasions or upon requests made in advance. It’s a true curiosity, an odd object at once fascinating and grotesque. Thompson’s hair was surprisingly thick and wavy, and the Titian hue, shared Sullivan, has prompted at least one visitor to joke that similar highlights in a modern-day salon wouldn’t come cheap.

“He had a lovely head of hair,” she said. The library specialist understands that viewing the scalp can be difficult for some.

“It’s a mixed blessing,” Sullivan said. “We don’t want it to be used disrespectfully, but it’s a great teach ing tool.”

Visit omahalibrary.org for more information.

Left for dead, Thompson, who had been scalped and shot, miraculously survived... but when he regained awareness of his surroundings, he located his severed scalp, apparently dropped amid the chaos of the second armed confrontation.

A LOVE LETTER TO CRASH PADS

MW CLIMBING

EMPHASIZES CULTURE, BOULDERING FOR ALL

Wendy Huynh

a nd Matt Beio

fter two years of success in Lincoln, MW Climbing Gym is opening a second location in Omaha t his summer.

Wendy Huynh, who started the gym with her husband, Matt Beio, joked, “Most couples start off by building a chair or something together. We went all in we bu ilt a gym.”

It was “the biggest IKEA furniture build you’ve ever seen,” B eio quipped.

Since MW Lincoln opened in 2021, the gym has gained a reputation for not only celebrating classically strong and advanced athletes, but also nontraditional climbers, newbies, and everyone in between.

Before falling in love, getting married, and co-owning two gyms together, Beio and Huynh were two strangers dragged into the climbing scene by mutual friends. However, they soon bonded over a shared fear of heights and the mounting stress of graduate school Beio a chemistry student at the time, and Huynh studying behavioral neuroscience. They got to know each other through climbing, rapidly taking to the sport because of the “problem-solving aspect,” Huynh said.

In the early days, climbing provided the couple with much needed release valve and a “relentlessly positive” community. As they became more involved with climbing, their core belief that climbing spaces should be open and welcoming to everyone began to m aterialize.

“[Everyone should feel] that they belong in this space, because they do,” Huyn h affirmed.

Beio and Huynh got engaged in 2019, after about four years of climbing together. Around the same time, the couple noticed the climbing community the same that had provided footholds during times of stress, and new heights in their relationship simply couldn’t sustain the sport’s growing popularity. There was a significant need for a new facility in Lincoln, and the blueprints for MW Climbing were drawn.

Beio and Huynh covered the costs of the Lincoln gym without borrowing through DIY construction, and “learning on the fly,” as B eio put it.

“The hardest thing that I had to learn was sewing,” Huynh reflected, adding that she broke dozens of needles in the process of making the mats for the gym, or “crash pads’’ in climbers’ lexicon. For the larger construction elements, they used the woodworking equipment and relied on instruction from the Nebraska Innovation Studio, which offers tools, space, and classes for Nebraska artists and entrepreneurs. Beio said Huynh has taken almost every class the Innovation Studio offers exc ept welding.

“I do want to do welding eventually,” Huyn h clarified.

For months the couple climbed over more than boulders, but “endless buckets of paint” and piles of fabric just to get in and out of bed. Not to mention, they had a wedd ing to plan.

“It might be cheesy,” Huynh beamed, stealing a glance at Beio, “but, I loved you more with each experience…having to work through those grueling labor intensive days, I was more and more sure that I picked the ri ght person.”

This time around, they have a larger team of people helping build the 24,000-squarefoot Omaha gym. Their passion, combined with extensive market research, convinced the couple it was the right move.

“I knew how to handle big data,” Huynh noted, a former statistics professor at Doane University. Meanwhile, Beio continues to teach chemistry at both Doane University and the University of Nebra ska-Lincoln.

“We were very used to researching, and researching thoroughly,” Huynh reiterated.

Though she’s not a professor anymore, Huynh still uses her teaching experience when training and mentoring gym staff. Leading by example, Huynh and Beio strived to foster the gym’s characteristically inclusive e nvironment.

Sarah Walker, who climbs at MW Lincoln, said she used to think, “climbing isn’t for curvy people. It’s just not.”

That was before she “fell in love with climbing” because of the thoughtful way the routes are designed at MW for a range of body types and sk ill levels.

They take special care that the lower level climbs are accessible but still require the puzzle-solving mindset that’s characteristic of bouldering. Huynh explained how they design bouldering routes with diversity and inclusion in mind, because each team member “has something unique to contribute…different body types, skill sets.”

“Trans people, fat women, women, people of color, they deserve athletic spaces too,” Walker said.

In Walker’s eyes, they’v e succeeded.

“Just go into the gym, look at who’s on the wall,” she said.

“Everybody knows everybody,” said Mark Ebers, whose wife Cathy threw him a surprise 60th birthday party at the gym. “It’s interesting the people you mix with, you know…with tattoos and piercings. And it’s like, ‘I wonder if I would ever talk to this guy outside of the gym?’ But there, it’s easy to do.”

Wendy, who’s Chinese American, said she doesn’t particularly use her identity to lead, it’s just who she is. But she emphasized representation does matter, whether in academic s or sports.

“I’m proud of my heritage, I’m proud of my culture. And if that helps other folks feel safe, if it helps people feel seen, I’m all for it,” Huynh said. “There is intention with how I present myself and how I want our gym culture to be and it revolves around the idea of inc lusivity.”

Visit mwclimbing.com for more information.

“It’s interesting the people you mix with, you know… with tattoos and piercings. And it’s like, ‘I wonder if I would ever talk to this guy outside of the gym?’ But there, it’s easy to do.” -Mark Ebers

RIDING THE 'KOREAN WAVE'

Molly Sambol’s Fulbright-Driven Journey to South Korea

Though Jeonju, South Korea, may be 6,500 miles away, it’ll never remain far from Molly Sambol’s heart. The Fulbright scholar recently returned to Omaha after a year of teaching English abroad.

As one of only a small percentage of Fulbright Scholarship recipients among U.S. college students, Sambol used her funding to dive deeper into one of her passions: Kore an culture.

Toward the end of her time at Duchesne Academy, Sambol experienced a profound awakening to the glamorous world of ‘K-pop.’

“I like to joke that there was a boy band-shaped hole in my heart after One Direction broke up,” Sambol laughed. “By the time graduation rolled around, I was ‘the K-pop girl.’”

While studying at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Sambol connected with a few students from South Korea and joined them in establishing the campus’s Korean Cu lture Club.

“It was just these girls teaching everyone about their education system, politics, and language all on their own, which is pretty awesome,” Sambol said.

Also while at UNL, Sambol completed a month-long study abroad at Korea University, one of the country’s prestigious SKY an acronym for Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University institutions. There, Sambol enrolled in Korean language courses, classes on Korean culture, and more. A favorite of hers was ‘Mass Media and Pop Culture,’ in which she learned about Korean history through various media platforms such as music, television, and newspapers. As soon as she boarded the plane home, she knew she had to go back.

That’s where Fulbright came in.

“I knew there were programs that would allow someone like me, especially with a teaching background, to go and teach in South Korea,” Sambol recalled.

After attending a presentation with UNL’s Fulbright coordinator, Sambol took advantage of every available resource (as well as extended quarantine time) to perfect her application. Those resources included reviews with the program coordinator, peers, and a dedicated panel provided by UNL faculty and staff.

“What’s funny is I had never really even heard of Fulbright before applying, I just knew it was a funded thing to get me back over to Korea,” Sambol said. “Then I got it, and family members told me, ‘Molly, that is a big deal!’”

Embarking in early 2022, Sambol’s Fulbright program in South Korea began with six weeks of training in language, culture, and other courses to prepare her and 80 fellow student-teachers to adjust to life in a new environment.

Sambol was matched to teach at Sangsan High School in Jeonju, with a second-year Fulbright teacher from New York, Carolyn Acosta. According to Acosta, Sambol was a natural when it came to connecting w ith pupils.

“Molly is a very kind and welcoming teacher and was always willing to listen,” Acosta says. “As a result, she was able to become a safe space for many of our students.”

The pair’s main responsibility was teaching a conversation class to the school’s already mostly-fluent first-year classes. Students met weekly to practice grammar and vocabulary as a supplement to their normal English courses. However, Sambol’s deepest connections were with their upper-level classes.

Sambol and Acosta taught two senior students in an advanced composition class, to whom they are now offering friendly support as the seniors take their college entrance exams and begin to draft applications.

“We really built a deep connection with our 11th-grade students, to the point in which they threw us a surprise going away party,” Acosta recalled. “Both of us almost cried it just goes to show how much we were able to bond with our students.”

One of the favorite activities all-around was a pen-pal program, which Acosta and Sambol established with American students back home notably Ms. Reinhart’s World Culture class at Duchesne Academy

“It started as just a one-time assignment, but the students took it even further, connecting on social media to learn more about each other’s daily schedules, classes, and lifestyles,” Sambol said. “It was very cute seeing them get excited about learning new cultures!”

Now both back home in the States, the two teachers are still trying to bring pieces of Korea to their friends and family in New York and Nebraska.

Sambol continues to spread her love of Korean culture through continual language-learning, sharing new dishes with her family, and of course, binging Korean dramas. One of her favorite ways to experience Korean history while abroad was visiting historic sites and renting a hanbok, a traditional Korean garb.

“I would find any excuse to immerse myself in the country’s history with hanbok. You need to pick something up in Seoul? Let’s wear hanbok. Your friends are visiting? Let’s go wear hanbok! Any opportunity, I am always 100% down for hanbok.”

Though there are less frequent reasons to don her favorite apparel now that she’s back in Omaha, there may be some opportunity to spot Sambol in her favorite outfit around Duchesne’s campus this fall where she intends to continue pursuing her passion for teaching as an AP English instructor.

Visit

“We really built a deep connection with our 11th-grade students, to the point in which they threw us a surprise going away party. Both of us almost cried— it just goes to show how much we were able to bond with our students.”

-Carolyn Acosta

GIVING CALENDAR

MAY 2023

FEATURED EVENT

Go Beyond Golf Challenge

BENEFITING: GO BEYOND YOUTH PROGRAMS

Location: Pacific Springs Golf Course

May 12

This 18-hole scramble supports Omaha-based nonprofit Go Beyond, which encourages area youth “to facilitate self-discovery and build community” via expert-led expeditions to some of the most stunning locales in the US, like Yellowstone National Park. Hiking, rock-climbing, whitewater rafting, and fossil hunting are just some of the activities teens can experience while building community and fortitude. All sponsorship proceeds go toward supporting area youth. —gobeyondne.org

May 2.

BOOSTER BANQUET

Benefits: Boys Town Student-Athletes Location: Embassy Suites La Vista —boystown.org

May 3.

NEBRASKA CANCER COALITION (NC2) 2023 CANCER SUMMIT

Benefits: Nebraska Cancer Coalition Location: Nebraska Cancer Coalition, Lincoln —necancer.org

May 5.

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BOWLING CLASSIC

Benefits: Junior Achievement of the Midlands

Location: Mockingbird Lanes —midlands.ja.org

May 6.

CHAMPAGNE & DIAMONDS FUNDRAISER

Benefits: MICAH House Location: Mid-America Center —themicahhouse.org

May 03

May 6.

HOLY CROSS GALA 2023

Benefits: Holy Cross Catholic Church Location: Scott Conference Center —holycrossomaha.org

May 6.

DERBY DAYS BOURBON BASH

Benefits: Bags of Fun Omaha Location: 12100 W. Center Road Ste. 905 —bagsoffunomaha.org

May 6.

MARCH FOR BABIES

Benefits: March of Dimes, Location: Werner Park —marchforbabies.org

May 7.

10TH ANNUAL RHONDA’S TEAM BURPEE FUNDRAISER FOR COLON CANCER

Benefits: Great Plains Colon Cancer Task Force Location: CrossFit Hydro —coloncancertaskforce.org

May 06

May 8.

FORE! THE KIDS

Benefits: Children’s Specialty Pediatric Clinic - Lincoln Location: Hillcrest Country Club, Lincoln —childrensomaha.org/ event/fore-the-kids/

May 9.

THE 24TH ANNUAL D.J.’S HERO AWARDS LUNCHEON

Benefits: The Salvation Army Location: CHI Health Center —centralusa.salvationarmy. org/omaha

May 10.

WINE, WHISKEY, AND WISHES OMAHA

Benefits: Make-A-Wish Nebraska Location: Champion’s Run —wish.org/nebraska

May 12.

MHS ANNUAL GALA: “LOVING ANIMALS IS IN OUR DNA”

Benefits: Midlands Humane Society Location: Mid-America Center —midlandshumanesociety.org

May 12-13.

BROWNELL TALBOT GALAWILD ABOUT BT

Benefits: Brownell Talbot

Location: Cottonwood Hotel (May 12), Brownell Talbot (May 13) —one.bidpal.net/ gala2023/welcome

May 13.

20TH ANNUAL WEAR YELLOW RIDE, RUN, & WALK

Benefits: Wear Yellow Nebraska

Location: Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, Ashland —wearyellownebraska.org

May 13.

AFRICAN DJAWA

Benefits: African Culture Connection

Location: Westside High School —africancultureconnection.org

May 13.

KENDRA SCOTT GIVES BACK TO CAKE4KIDS

Benefits: Cake4Kids

Location: Kendra Scott - Village Pointe —cake4kids.org/chapters/omaha

May 15.

2023 SAMMYSTRONG SWINGING FOR HOPE

Benefits: Families Battling Pediatric Brain Cancer Location: Field Club of Omaha —gosammystrong.com

First Place

Tattoo Parlor

First Place

May 17.

OESC FUNDRAISING NIGHT AT FREDDY’S

Benefits: Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club

Location: Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers - Shadow Lake Towne Center

—offutt.af.mil

May 18.

2023 CHIPPING IN FOR CHILDREN

Benefits: Children’s Square U.S.A.

Location: Top Golf Omaha —childrenssquare.org

OUR TOP PROVIDERS

Salina Anderson, APRN

Geraldine Alexis, LIMHP, PLADC

Julie Bierman, LCSW, LMHP

Chantel Bruha, LIMHP, LADC

Korrie Conners, LMHP, CSAT

Kirby Davis, LMHP

Peggy Deaver, LIMHP, CPC

Davin Dickerson, APRN

Beth Farrell, LCSW, LIMHP

Dumayi Gutierrez, PhD, LMHP

Lucy Hancock, MA

#1

Charlene Hills, LCSW, LIMHP

KG Langdon, APRN

Mary Loftis, LMHP, CPC

Kim Mueller, LIMHP, CPC

Nicole Obrecht, LIMHP

Kara Schneider, BA

Marty Stoltenberg, APRN-BC

Kristi Tackett-Newburg, PhD, LIMHP

Greg Tvrdik, LIMHP, CPC

Sarah Wenzl, LMHP, CPC

* Counseling * Psychotherapy * Medication Management * EMDR Therapy * Online Therapy * Performance / Leadership / Emotional Wellness Coaching * Addiction Treatment * Substance Abuse Evaluations * Couples Therapy 9802 Nicholas Street, Unit 350, Omaha, NE 68114 402-932-2296 | appointments@ccaomaha.com | www.ccaomaha.com

May 18

May 18. UNITED WAY OF THE MIDLANDS’ 100TH-ANNIVERSARY COMMUNITY CONCERT

Benefits: United Way of the Midlands (Free Entry)

Location: Gene Leahy Mall —unitedwaymidlands.org

May 19.

FEEL THE FREEDOM 2023

Benefits: Chariots4Hope

Location: Peter Fink’s American Muscle Car Museum —chariots4hope.org

May 20.

2023 GREATER OMAHA HEART & STROKE WALK

Benefits: American Heart Association

Location: Miller’s Landing

—heart.org

May 22.

PANERA FUNDRAISING NIGHT

Benefits: Standing Bear Elementary PTO

Location: —standingbearpto. membershiptoolkit.com

Dr. Kristi Tackett-Newburg Founder/Owner

Counseling Services

FIRST PLACE!

Couples

May 23.

ANNUAL GOLF OUTING

Benefits: Housing Foundation for Sarpy

County Location: Platteview Golf Club —sarpyhousing.org

May 27.

PATRIOTIC PARADE & CONCERT

Benefits: Patriotic Productions

Location: Gene Leahy Mall —patrioticproductions.org

May 31.

OHB GOLF CLASSIC

Benefits: Omaha Home for Boys (OHB)

Location: Tiburon Golf Club —ohb.org

May 23

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

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

Saluting the 2023 scholarship honorees!

D.J.’s HERO AWARDS LUNCHEON

11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 9, at CHI Health Center Omaha

Now through June 18, 2023

Venture capitalist, former NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Michael Redd — and his wife, author Achea Redd — will discuss how they support mental health and wellness initiatives nationwide.

Ticket information: djshero.org or scan below

Debra Reilly, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, works part-time at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, and part time at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings, Nebraska. However, her client base extends far beyond these community fixtures it spans the entire globe.

Around 30 years ago, Reilly met two women from Germany who professed that women around the world sacrifice their own health and privilege that of their children. Particularly low on the priority list are surgical procedures, especially for concealed issues like burn scars hidden by clothing

“There are 160-some organizations for cleft palette,” Reilly said. “These women had a diff erent plan.”

That plan was to bring reconstructive surgery to women across the world. In the mid-1990s, Reilly began traveling internationally with this aim in mind, and she hasn’t looked back.

Her practice has taken her to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, East Africa, and Haiti places where treatment often involves creative solutions. Such procedures, whether on men or women, have brought patients relief and greater qual ity of life.

Reilly is no stranger to ingenuity; in fact, creative problem-solving is one of the aspects of plastic surgery that drew her to the field, which ranges from breast-reconstruction for cancer survivors, to opening the nasal passages of those suffering from chronic sinus infections, a nd beyond .

y first trip to Kenya, I was working at the big hospital,” Reilly said. “I had no clue how bad the conditions would be. There was nothing…nothing. I broke down in the hallway. Then I said to myself, find one thing you can do, just one thing, and I found two.”

This included teaching, a pursuit that allowed her expertise to have a ripple-effect across the places she visited. She taught area medical staff how to dilute a specialized soap, or how to properly prep a patient.

In Mexico, a patient required an arm board for treatment, and any form of sterile, $500-plus padded restraint was thousands of miles away. Reilly made due with available materials: a standard board, automotive upholstery, and a basic clamp acquired from a hardware store. Four hours later, Reilly successfully performed the operation.

Providing comfort is one goal of reconstructive surgery, whether in the US, Kenya, or Bangladesh. In more remote places, however, that comfort takes on diff erent forms.

“If you can take away a barrier to get help, that’s great,” Reilly said. “What we hope to do is make the woman more comfortable. Fixing a scar, that’s a stigma. A lot of the women in saris, the burns are in the breast area.”

The burns Reilly speaks of are often from in-law burnings, a practice that persists despite legal and cultural change. According to the The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, the government prohibits the giving or taking of dowry in India. Still, according to the data collection platform Statista, 6,800 dowry-related deaths were reported in the country in 2021 alone.

“Our teams look for opportunities to raise awareness about the prevalence of this problem through press conferences and social media,” R eilly said.

To further the awareness of domestic violence by burning in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India, Reilly was among three female plastic surgeons who founded Reconstructing Women Internationally in 2007. She was also part of a team that has educated the first

plastic surgeon in Rwanda, and she helped train the first plastic surgeons in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Kenya has gone from zero to 24 plastic surgeons since Reilly began her regular visits to the country.

“Sometimes, one woman will bring her sister in here saying, ‘Here, please help,’” Reilly said. “To me, that’s meaningful, when women wil l speak up.”

That said, the scale and scope of surgical procedures is dependent on a given area’s existing medical inf rastructure.

“You have to think, what’s the biggest bang for the buck,” Reilly said. “A little scar may be turned away. If I only have five days, I’m going to take care of a patient who can’t move his neck, who can’t unfurl his hands from his palm.”

The team is essential, Reilly said: “It’s not just surgery, it’s nursing staff. They need to know their role. I go with a small team. Nursing staff and residents have b een a boon.”

Doctors such as Reilly must also consider post-operative care. A surgery that requires secondary surgeries or extensive post-operative therapies may not be performed because there may be few, if any, qualified to perform the procedures once Reilly and her team ha ve departed.

Pain management is another important factor. Narcotics cannot be brought into other countries, even by a board-certified doctor, so pain medications are often relegated to acetaminophen or ibuprofen. This decreased reliance on pain medications has translated to Reilly’s practice stateside. She may never need to use potato peelings to dress a wound at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, but, where once she would have put a patient under for a smaller reconstructive job, she now weighs the benefits of local, regional a nesthetics.

“The biggest surprise is that the patients are so grateful,” Reilly said. “We can only do small versions an operation we know is successful. An operation that makes a scar more functional. They are grateful for that.”

Visit

I HAD NO CLUE HOW BAD THE CONDITIONS WOULD BE. THERE WAS NOTHING… NOTHING. I BROKE DOWN IN THE HALLWAY. THEN I SAID TO MYSELF, FIND ONE THING YOU CAN DO, JUST ONE THING, AND I FOUND TWO.

DR. DEBRA REILLY

HIVE-MINDED

Mike Wrobel Shares the Buzz Around Beekeeping

Mike Wrobel has a high-clearance, high-stress job: Chief Adversary Analyst, Current Operations Division, Global Operations Directorate, United States Strategic Command. After serving for six years of active Air Force duty, Wrobel has worked as a civilian Air Force contractor for more than 30 years. As such, he takes his free time extremely seriously.

“My co-workers like to tease me that I have 459 hobbies,” Wrobel said. “One day around 15 years ago it occurred to me that honeybees were very cool, very interesting.”

Keeping up with Wrobel as he riffs on what it is exactly that makes honeybees “cool” is a lot like asking a young nephew about his favorite dinosaur a swarm of specialized terminology abuzz with endless enthusiasm.

“One thing I learned quickly is that a lot of people are going to join the bee keeping community with a lot of knowledge they gleaned from YouTube. I cannot stress enough how many well-intended people are putting out incorrect information on YouTube,” Wrobel cautioned. “There are a lot of trends, a lot of gadgets and processes that look really great, but that aren’t sustainable or good for the bees.”

Wrobel credits his connections with Omaha Bee Club, where he serves as vice president of the board, for helping him learn to sift through misinformation to find the knowledge bu ried within.

“I started with four hives initially, and some years I lost more bees than survived,” Wrobel recalled. “At one point, my business, BeeHive Guys, sold bees, queens, and nucs (nucleus colonies) to new beekeepers. Honey was a byproduct of the business. But after purchasing a semi[truck] of bees, which included 432 hives out of California, we realized that the bees had been exposed to pesticide. The hives went into failure, and we took a huge fin ancial hit.”

Wrobel rescaled his operation and returned the focus to hive maintenance and honey production, rather than breeding and que en rearing.

“As a hobbyist, rather than a commercial bee farmer, you’ll spend about an hour per hive every week,” he explained. “More hives and higher levels of keeping will obviously require a greater commitment. But as I approach retirement, I think maintaining about 80 hives is the right sc ale for me.”

Wrobel’s BeeHive Guys is presently the only full-feature bee supply retailer in the Omaha area. While some shops will carry or connect hobbyists with odds and ends, BeeHive Guys offers everything one needs to raise, rear, produce, and protect colonies. However, Wrobel is more than an enthusiast he’s a passionate purveyor of knowledge, which he shares generously and jovially with anyone who care s to listen.

Wrobel started with the same anxieties about bees, including being stung that anyone would have. In his first years of keeping, maintained the hive in full prote ctive gear.

“It gets hot out there, and you’ve got all of this extra gear on and you’re sweating, getting more and more anxious,” he recalled. “You can’t feel as well with these thick gloves on protecting y our hands.”

It occurred to him that there had to be a better, more connected way to work with his bees and he wa sn’t alone.

“I met Brad Price through the Bee Club, and one day I was working with Brad, doing some queen rearing, and he came out in just about no gear at all. I was in my veil and jacket and gloves, and he was just in his blue jeans and a T-shirt and veil,” Wrobe l recounted.

“Everyone has their own way of doing things,” Price, Wrobel’s friend and fellow

enthusiast noted. “There are a lot of very different right ways of doing things, and a lot more wrong ways. If someone has figured out a way of doing things that really works for them and is safe for the bees… then that’s another right way!”

Both men agree that the key to peacefully working with bees is to breed a calm queen.

“There are days I’m amazed at how easily they’ll let me work with them,” Price added. “Not having a lot of gear on makes it easier to be gentle with the bees. They’re a lot like people. You can end up with a genetic line of angry, aggressive bees, but you can also make really peaceful bees aggressive by being aggressive with them. They change a lot based on how they’re treated.”

“I still know when I need to get fully geared up,” Wrobel insisted, “and I keep an EpiPen with me just in case. I don’t have allergies, but they can develop, and you’re out there in the middle of nowhere, so it would be a while before help arrived if something ba d happened.”

But Wrobel isn’t holding his breath for something bad. Instead, he’s waiting patiently for his new generation of queens to arrive and to begin collecting up to 6,000 pounds of honey he has capacity to process this year.

Wrobel has historically sold out of honey every year via word of mouth, but as he shifts from bee production to raw, local honey sales this coming season, customers will be able to make purchases directly from h is website.

For more information or to browse products, visit beeh iveguys.com.

STORY BY SARA LOCKE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

“I still know when I need to get fully geared up, and I keep an EpiPen with me just in case. I don’t have allergies, but they can develop, and you’re out there in the middle of nowhere, so it would be a while before help arrived if something bad happened.”

-Mike Wrobel

// STORY BY SARA LOCKE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom From humble roots to well-funded reboots

Before YouTube made seeing the wildest wonders of nature a few keystrokes away, before Steve Irwin taught us that nature was to be protected and above all, respected before Morgan Freeman narrated the great migration of penguins, there was Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom The program was, for many of us, America’s first brush with nature beyond the skulking raccoons and the nameless black birds of backyard biomes. It revealed combinations of genus and species we’d never encountered, and beyond tantalizing viewers with remote locales and exotic creatures, Wild Kingdom appraised the human impact on life itself.

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom debuted in 1963, hosted by friends Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler. The duo bravely explored mountain tops and ocean depths in the pursuit of understanding our place in the animal kingdom. They examined the impact of logging on elk populations, global warming on whale migration, and the potential for wider communication with chimpanzees like Lucy, who was able to learn sign language to communicate with handlers. The show demystified the untamed, and established a connection to nature for generations of Americans. This connection resulted in a deeper understanding of, and compassion for, the wor ld we share.

Memories of the show still resonate with former Omahan Justin Trowbridge. His curiosity stoked by the dynamic duo on Wild Kingdom , Trowbridge relished following along as his parents volunteered with Zoofari and the Omaha Zoo fundraisin g efforts.

“As the kid who was dragged to meetings at the Zoo, my babysitters were some of the managers and directors on the zoo staff,” Trowbridge recalled. “Bud Russo was a wealth of information about animals and the inner workings of the Zoo, and graciously offered his time and expertise to show me around when my parents would bring me along with them.

“After spending the day hanging out with Murphy the Gorilla, feeding Giraffes, or seeing behind the scenes at the Aquarium, I’d head home and watch Wild Kingdom with the rest of our family. I could spend five hours with Bud in the Cat Complex

learning about the animals, and he’d never run out of material! Marlin had 30 minutes to cover a given subject. They both had that great voice that was calming but authoritative. Their passion for animals and education came through even when they were n’t trying.”

“If I hear those opening credits, I’m instantly transported back in time,” Trowbridge continued. “We always looked forward to the show because you never really knew what you’d see. But you knew it would be entertaining, educational, and always famil y-friendly.”

Laura Suess recalled, “I loved watching Wild Kingdom on Sunday nights at my Grandma Daisy’s house! Years later, I was working at Mutual of Omaha and Marlin Perkins came in. I got to shake his hand and chat for a bit. I told him I watched him as a kid, and asked if he ever did the dangerous encounters or if he left those to Jim (Fowler). He laughed and said Jim did the majority of those…I could have talked to h im all day!”

Perkins and Fowler won far more than the public’s admiration with their work, landing four Emmys for “outstanding program achievement” in 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1970.

Perkins passed away in 1986 at the age of 81, and Fowler continued to share his passion and compassion for animals until the show called it quits a year later.

A reboot was launched in 2000, and Fowler didn’t miss a step, taking every opportunity to help humans feel more connected with the animals impacted by our choices and behaviors, positing: “What we have to do is ask ourselves, ‘What’s in it for me?’ Only then will we realize that the continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is

ultimately important to the quality of life of humans.”

Jim Fowler passed away in 2019 at age 89.

Today, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom is helmed by Peter Gros, the third host to bring the much beloved program to life. Gros initially joined the Wild Kingdom team as co-host to Jim Fowler, with his first episode being “Operation Alligator,” filmed in Louisia na in 1986.

After 38 years with Wild Kingdom , Gros has taken on a new adventure: the latest in the series, Protecting the Wild, premiered in January of this year on RFD-TV and digital channels. Gros hosts the program, which has brought in a team of expert voices to guest-host, including wildlife ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, Jeff “The Nature Guy” Ewelt, naturalist David Mizejewski, and wildlife advocate Beth Pratt.

In an interview with Omaha Magazine , Gros expressed his excitement and sanguine vision for the ser ies revival:

“I’m honored to be the host,” Gros said. “I thoroughly enjoyed being a host with Jim, but it gives me an opportunity to affect people’s attitude and sort of eliminate the gloom and doom aspect of so much of what I hear on the news about our planet, when in fact and I’m not saying we don’t have serious problems but we need to create hope for the next generation. There’s a long list of running evidence about endangered species that are actually doing better

“So the focus of the new series is to show that; to create hope for the next generation so problems don’t seem insu rmountable.”

For more information visit mutualofomaha. com/wild-kingdom/new -episodes

From left: Bud Kilnoski, Frank Trouba, J ack Wilhelmi

The World of Spins, Loops, and Barrel Rolls

the Art of Radio Control Airplanes

60+ Active living // story by Mike Whye // photography By

Bill Sitzmann // design by renee ludwick

Anyone who catches a conversation between Frank Trouba, Jack Wilhelmi, and Bud Kilnoski may start to believe that they’re some of the hottest pilots around. Their conversations are laced with references to historic military aircraft, including the B-25 and P-51 famous planes that were participants of the thrilling air races of the 1930s pleasure aircraft, biplanes, and open cockpit fuselages.

It’s true, the men have put their aircraft through countless tight turns, loops, rolls, barrel rolls, and high-speed passes mere feet above the runway. They have taught others how to let their aircraft drop into spins and swoop back into the sky just before hitting the ground.

However, Trouba, Wilhelmi, and Kilnoski aren’t daredevils they’re not even in the cockpits. Radio-transmitters in hand, they direct to-scale model airplanes skyward by flipping switches and pushing small joysticks that control the small aircraft’s speed, rudder, elevators, ailerons , and more.

Wilhelmi and Kilnoski began flying model planes in the 1950s; two thin, plastic wires streamed between a plastic u-shaped handle and a model airplane circling above. Each model was powered by a small gas engine that buzzed like an oversiz ed mosquito.

Trouba, meanwhile, started flying powered scaled-down aircraft a little d ifferently.

“I did free flight in high school,” he said of the scale aircraft that had no controls. “You let them go and hoped they stick around the area.”

Sometimes they went farther than planned, which called for the pilots to throttle a differe nt engine.

“One of the key equipment pieces in free flight is motorbikes to go into the country to find the airplane,” Trouba recalled. “I did that for a few years but after I got married I put the modeling aside for awhile.”

“I started [flying] control line with my dad when I was about 12,” recalled Wilhelmi, now 76. “I’ve had my hands on some kind of an airplane si nce then.”

Kilnoski, 81, similarly learned to fly control line aircraft on a field near his grandfather’s house in Council Bluffs, his home today. Eventually, as radio-controlled aircraft became available in the 1960s, he adopted the t echnology.

Trouba, 89, who lives in southwest Omaha, was prodded by his then 12-year-old son to take up RC flying. Kilnoski and Wilhelmi weren’t f ar behind.

“There really wasn’t any RC to begin with, not commercially,” said Kilnoski, who owned a craft store in downtown Council Bluffs. “The first guys doing radio control were building their own radio systems before they appeared commer cially.”

For many years, Kilnoski, Trouba, Wilhelmi, and many other RC enthusiasts, met once or twice a week to fly off a field near the juncture of Interstates 29 and 80 in Council Bluffs. Everyone took care not to fly over the traffic, but Kilnoski believes that the sight of a half-scale Piper similar to the real ones flown by law officers caused some motorists to mind their speed in the area.

Overall, the construction of most RC aircrafts has remained consistent. Many start as kits that come with instructions and precut pieces of balsa and plywood, a few plastic items for the engine cowling and canopy, plus a couple stiff metal wires and rubber wheels for landing gear. The wood was assembled to form a very lightweight framework for the fuselage and wings. Then, pieces of an equally lightweight durable plastic film are cut to fit over the openings; when heated, they shrink to create drum-tight coverings like the skin of a real airplane. Others, start from scratch.

“I did free flight in high school. You let them go and hoped they stick around the area.” -Frank Trouba

AThe first flyable model aircraft were powered by slingshot rubber bands before the advent of gas-powered engines in the 1940s. With the gas engines, pilots had to first spin the propellers with a finger for them to cough to life, hopefully without nicking any skin. Today, one can push a switch to turn on an electric motor, and they’re quieter than the gas engines.

“You can fly an electric into your neighbors’ backyard and they won’t hear it,” Kilnoski noted.

He said the days of the gas-powered engines are numbered, partly because the electric motors are becoming so popular that it’s expensive to find the right fuel. He used to sell a gallon of the special fuel used for the model airplane engines for $6.88 a gallon in his hobby store. Now, it’s about $28 a gallon, he said.

Models have come in various styles, colors and sizes. At first, they were rather small, something that could be carried in one hand. Now, they’re larger, averaging a quarter scale of the real thing.

“I like the smaller ones where you don’t need a mechanic to creep under the wings to work on the airplane,” Trouba said, who has built around several hundred scale aircraft. “What I didn’t build for myself, I built for others.”

For some years, Kilnoski would buy two of a model, give one to Trouba to build as an example of what the kit looked like when built, and then put the other kit up for sale in his hobby shop.

“I built the kits for free and he didn’t charge me for it,” Trouba recalled. “It was the best of b oth worlds.”

Not long ago, the men banded together to build a half-scale model of an airplane called the Spacewalker to present to a friend in eastern Iowa who had flown the real thing in airshows. Detailed down to the instruments in the cockpit’s control panel, the model was the spitting image of the real low-wing, single-cockpit, red-and-yellow airplane designed to resemble an aircraft of the 1930s. Even at half scale, the RC model had a wingspan of 14 feet and the craft weighed 85 pounds.

To simulate jets, some modelers began using high speed fans to pull air through ducts to emulate jet engines. Recently, some models have appeared with scaled-down jet engines that actually burn fuel.

“They sound like real jet engines, and they smell like you’re at an airport,” Wilhelm i observed.

While a beginner’s prop job can cost below $100, which includes the engine and RC equipment, a jet-powered one can run up to nearly $10,000. Such models can reach speeds upwards of 470 mph.

When RC flying began, the controls were simple: turn left and right and fly up and down. Gradually, the electronic equipment has advanced what can be accomplished both in the air and on the ground. Some transmitters can operate jointly, so an instructor can take over for a nearby student in case trou ble arises.

“The hardest part is landing,” Wilhelmi conceded. “Because once you take off, you’re c ommitted.”

There are a lot of simulators now on computers said Jack, and a lot of young kids will get on them and practice. “It doesn’t take them long to solo.”.

Wilhelmi advised that RC beginners should learn by join ing a club.

Kilnoski cautions beginners who think they can buy an expensive kit and fly it without proper help fr om others.

“I think that’s a shame because it’s a great hobby and that’s a real poor way to get introduced to it,” he lamented.

For example, it’s simple to command a plane flying away to turn left or right. But when it’s coming at the pilot, suddenly things can get confused, as the direc tions flip.

Sometimes pilots of real aircraft think handling an RC plane is similar but it’s not. Kilnoski recalled how, every so often, a pilot from Offutt Air Base would visit his hobby store to buy an AC aircraft.

“I’d tell them I teach every Wednesday evening and they’d reply something like, ‘I’ve got 26,000 hours of flying a real plane’ and blah blah blah,” he recalled. “I’d tell them there’s a difference between flying a real airplane when you’re in the seat and standing on the ground with an RC t ransmitter.

“They’d go off and then they’d come back and ask, ‘Which night is it you teach?’”

For information about RC flying in the Omaha metro, visit omahawks.org, westernrcflyers.org and facebook.co m/cobrasrc.

“I started [flying] control line with my dad when I was about 12. I’ve had my hands on some kind of an airplane since then.” -Jack Wilhelmi

Crack the code; solve the murder; avert the alien invasion. These are just some of the challenges set forth by area escape rooms. No matter what impossible situation you have to fight your way out of, you and your nearest and dearest can put your gray matter to the test and see if you have what it takes to beat the clock.

1. MIND MELD ESCAPE ROOM

Westwood Plaza, 28199 S 125th St., Omaha mindmeldescaperooms.com

“Somewhat challenging,” “fairly hard,” and “hardest” are just some of the descriptors of the rooms waiting for escape enthusiasts in Westwood Plaza. Think you and yours have what it takes to defeat a rogue wrestler and defuse a bomb? Can you find an ancient artifact on a remote island before a greedy captain loses his patience? The clock is ticking! Open: Thursday—Friday 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday— Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

2. THE ESCAPE OMAHA

Aksarben Village, 6315 Center St., Omaha theescapeomaha.com

Puzzle lovers have four games to choose from with themes like undercover spy, extraterrestrials, mysterious crime scenes, and murderous mad scientists. All experiences are private, and teams of up to seven people have one hour to “unlock” the room. Forget trying to solve anything on your own; you have to work together to crack the clues. Expect plenty of high-energy, raucous screaming as the seconds tick down. Open: Wednesday—Thursday 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday—Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

3. ENTRAP ESCAPE ROOMS 7905 L St., Ralston entrapescaperooms.com

With only 60 minutes to win, every second counts when trying to crack cryptic clues. Whether stranded at an abandoned, vampireinfested castle, trying to pull off the perfect heist, investigating missing person cases, or attending a co-worker’s party at their mansion, you’ll be challenged, mystified, and sometimes bewildered by these enigmatic rooms. Open: Monday—Tuesday 4 to 9 p.m.; Wednesday—Thursday 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday 12—10:30 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

4. GET OUT OMAHA 501 S 13th St., Omaha getoutomaha.com

The current records for some of this escape room’s challenges stand at between 30 to 38 minutes. Think you can beat those numbers? Try your luck escaping from an enemy bunker, restoring a ruined reputation to save a beloved casino, averting an internet blackout, or escaping a villain in a hotel. Getting out is the ultimate goal in this downtown Omaha escape room. Open: Wednesday 3 to 10 p.m.; Thursday 3 to 10 p.m.; Friday 2 to 11 p.m.; Saturday 12 to 11 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m.

5. ESCAPE DE FACTO Westroads Mall, 10000 California St., Omaha escapedefacto.com

The Cafe de Pandora provides a unique approach to this genre of entertainment, and the business claims to boast the largest escape room in the country. More abstract, high-tech puzzles provide a true challenge for the clever and the curious, who must work through multiple rooms as well as a large game area to beat the clock. Requests for hints are almost always necessary, so don’t feel shy about asking for help. Open: Monday—Friday 4 to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday—Sunday 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

6. HOUSE OF CONUNDRUM 2564 Leavenworth St., Omaha houseofconundrum.com

Push yourself to the limits of reason and and test your skills at deduction at the escape room that offers eight different puzzles— some of which have room completion rates of only 1% without hints. Room themes run the gamut from Star Trek and Batman to medieval knights and Sherlock Holmes. Open: Monday—Thursday 12 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday 12 to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 1:30 to 9:30 p.m.

hover a bedofroastedcornpuree, roastedredpotato,crispybacon, and conft Brussel

Seasonalf s

micro greens.

sprouts topped with

DINING FEATURE

STORY BY CHASE MURPHY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED

A FOREIGN TASTE SERVES WINE,FOOD, AND WORLD CULTURE.

AForeign Taste is a story of connection, passion, family, and experience. This new fine dining establishment is the antithesis to the lockdown, and proved that by opening with their half-capacity soft launch in June 2020. COVID was arguably the most damaging, business-wise, to small, family-owned establishments as well as restaurants. A Foreign Taste checks both these classifiers, yet their food, service, wine, and expertise sustained them through the soft-opening, and they’ve been charming patrons since, following a steady and continuous uphill trajectory.

Owner JT Agenor has taken himself and his daughter, Noelle Agenor, on an annual vacation for over 10 years. These trips generally consisted of picking a new country and spending two or three weeks immersing themselves in the culture. Experiences such as this change an individual in ways that are not always readily apparent. For JT, conversation and time spent shared with new, fascinating people over dinner and a glass of wine were the core moments that led to the opening of A Foreign Taste.

lowly, these annual vacations became more about traveling for wine rather than travel for a vacation,” Agenor reflected. “France, then South Africa, then Australia,” all to experience different wine, he added.

The three aforementioned locations were visited by JT in 2015, 2018, and 2019, respectively. He discovered the final spark of inspiration while in Australia in a tasting room, humbly set toward the back of his hotel’s lobby. JT observed the decorum and ambiance; a long wooden table accommodating 20 chairs, spacious yet intimate, inviting and hinting at an elevated wine experience.

“I wanted to mimic that tasting room. I wanted to bring that experience back to Omaha and share it with everyone,” JT stated. “I remember texting Noelle. I said, ‘I think we should do this.’”

That thought caught fire, and burst into passion. JT returned from Australia in May of 2019, and the doors to A Foreign Taste opened a mere 13 months later. He envisioned a distinctive tasting experience relative to Omaha, and Nebraska as a whole. JT was going to open a tasting room consisting only of foreign wines. His vision was to not only recreate the inspired setting he found in Australia, but to also incorporate all of the wonder, love, and connection he and his daughter experienced during their travels.

His motivation to bring a unique and elevated experience to the metro was tested, but he never faltered. Noelle continuously assisted in the search for the right location to set up shop. JT’s visioned required a small and intimate space, which at the time was rare, if not absent in West Omaha. Several months went by with JT and Noelle touring, researching, and analyzing prospective locations, but none could quite reflect the precise image JT had painted in his mind.

That was until Noelle discovered a promising spot and shared it her father. However, this time, the communication came attached with the idea of not just serving delicate appetizers, but serving full meals to accompany the wine. After all, meal pairings were central to JT’s expertise and certifications regarding fine wines.

“After finding this location, the idea I had for a tasting room almost instantly morphed into a full-blown restaurant,” JT said wit h a chuckle.

“The idea was still there originally,” Noelle added, in reference to small plates accompanying your typical wine tasting. “It just was not what we have now, not in this capacity. This takes the skill and help of a full kitchen staff.”

Cutting the ribbon in West Omaha was a carefully considered move, as there’s only one other authentic European bistro fine dining restaurant in the area. Typically, Omahans need to venture downtown for such cosmopolitan fare. JT intended for this specific dining experience to be more accessible for the ever-expanding community west of 90th Street.

“When a person goes to V. Mertz, Le Bouillon, or here, they are going to experience many of the same things. The plating, the presentation, the service, and even the dishes which are offered are all going to share some commonalties,” JT explained.

A Foreign Taste distinguishes itself, not only by its location, but with its concepts as well. The bistro offers selected dishes from various continents, regions, and countries specifically for their flavor profiles, authenticity, and most importantly, to match wine profiles. A Foreign Taste takes its patrons on a journey, a vacation, to several areas of the planet, and that destination is up to the customer.

“We’re trying to de-merge all our different travel experiences. Whether South Africa, Spain, Italy, Australia, the goal was to mirror those regions and bring them together,” JT said. “We’re importing the wine from those regions. It just makes sense to bring the food as well.”

The most defining and popular offering at A Foreign Taste is the master-crafted chef’s tasting menu. The menu exemplifies the founding principles of the restaurant, rocketing the patron to a different location with each subsequent dish a six-course meal spanning the globe. Diners can choose between the regular or the reserve wine list, and are presented with an explanation for the pairing alongside its regional and cultural history.

“There are interactive portions with the meal and fresh bread served throughout. We say it is a six-course meal, but generally it ends up being around eight or nine dishes,” Noelle said. “We present the food and then let you

enjoy it. We understand that not everyone is going to like every single dish, and we are ok with that reality. This truly is an eating experience. You’re going to talk about them with the group and sit and discuss the ideas and what you personally feel and think with each course.”

Executive Chef Gabriel Bowser works closely with JT on the chef’s tasting menu, which rotates every month and mirrors the flavors of each season. Together, they examine every detail of a new menu to make sure each dish and glass of wine are in perfect harmony. This attention to detail is another element which sets A Foreign Taste apart; their ingredients are all locally sourced, and every dish is made from scratch with a fine-tuned dining experience in mind. A Foreign Taste even churns their own butter and serves it alongside warm, artisan bread fresh from the oven.

Chef Bowser has been in the food industry since he was 16 years old. He matches JT’s passion and enthusiasm for wine and food. His drive and expertise are best summed up by the following accolades: he began his cooking career with fast food during high school; he studied under the tutelage of Clayton Chapman, a five-time James Beard nominee and chef at a three-star Michelin restaurant; and he is now the executive chef of a premiere fine dining restaurant, A Foreign Taste.

The final gift the restaurant brings to customers is a lack of urgency. Dinner at a restaurant is an event in Europe something to be shared and enjoyed with friends, family, and loved ones. A Foreign Taste brings this aspect of other cultures to their tables as well.

“We have no interest in flipping tables,” JT declared. “We want you to enjoy your evening with us. We never rush our customers out the door nor do we make them feel rushed. We intentionally leave you be to enjoy your meal, your drink, and your company.”

These philosophies of food, wine, and community permeate the establishment. A Foreign Taste has collected elements of dining culture from all around the globe, and consolidated them under one roof in West Omaha. For those who’ve traveled to Italy, France, Spain, South Africa, or Australia, and several other countries besides, they can visit them again or for the first time, at A Foreign Taste.

Visit aforeigntaste.com for more information.

WE’RE TRYING TO DE-MERGE ALL OUR DIFFERENT TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. WHETHER SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, ITALY, AUSTRALIA, THE GOAL WAS TO MIRROR THOSE REGIONS AND BRING THEM TOGETHER. WE’RE IMPORTING THE WINE FROM THOSE REGIONS. IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO BRING THE FOOD AS WELL. ” JT Agenor

Trout roulade

withsweetpotato, cucumber , andgarlic .

THROUGH T H E G R AP E V I N E

To me, a sommelier is essentially a wine steward, someone that helps teach people around them about the wide world of wine—about quality levels and tradition.”

- Sara Wiebold

SOMMELIER SARA WIEBOLD RAISES A GLASS, EXCITING P OSSIBILITIES FOR N EBRASKA WINE

Today, the word ‘symposium’ calls to mind conference rooms, poster boards, and the presentation of research typically by sober academics, if not, by those who can hold their liquor quietly. But to the greatest minds of ancient Athens, a symposium was an epicurean affair, the ingredients of a dialectic worth its thesis requiring: music, dance, discourse, and most importantly, wine, as made famous by Plato’s tipsy treatise on love, Symposium . In fact, the word symposium translates to “to drink together” from Attic Greek.

While fashion trends, art styles, dogma, and forms of government change with the centuries, Western civilization moves by a steady pulse; an aorta flowing red with wine. Whether over stems of crystal, goblets of brass, or the ceramic kylix of antiquity, wine spills into nearly every era and epoch. Dionysus, the Olympian demigod of wine and festivity, cuts a striking profile a crown of laurels and grapes adorn him, sparkling from the lapel of certified sommelier Sara Wiebold.

“To me, a sommelier is essentially a wine steward, someone that helps teach people around them about the wide world of wine about quality levels and tradition,” Wiebold said. “It’s so steeped in history and geography, and that’s how we taste. People call it a ‘parlor trick’ to smell a wine and go ‘oh, this is pinot noir and it’s from here.’ It’s knowing climate, terroir, winemaking style…there’s a lot of tradition.”

In truth, what appears to the uninitiated as magic is the result of a monastic reverence for viniculture the minute intricacies of cultivating grapes and making wine and the focused, yet multifaceted, expertise of its disciples. For sommeliers of Wiebold’s constitution, the science of wine is equal to custom not only for her continuing education, but her vision of a Nebraska AVA (American Viticultural Area) designation.

“I’m in the Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Association, the NWGGA […] I’m part of their wine quality advancement and sweetness scale committee, and we’re trying to build consumer trust by coming up with a statewide sweetness scale for a couple different grapes,” Wiebold explained. “Here in Nebraska, we do a lot of fruit wines, and non-vinifera, or hybrid French grapes. On a chemistry/molecular level, a lot of the tannin acid structure that makes wine age-able and keeps wine alive in the bottle falls below optimal levels, so they’re not a complex as some of your traditional vinifera [grapes] but they get better every year.”

Wiebold is counted among Nebraska’s viniculture vanguard, laying the foundation for the state’s burgeoning terroir (the unique natural environment wherein a particular wine is produced) through grape vetting, vineyard stewardship, and tireless enthusiasm for the region’s uncorked potential. More than zeal alone, her optimism is tempered by years of experience.

“It was the same in Missouri when I was there,” Wiebold said, reflecting on her time managing 801 Fish in St. Louis, a fine dining cousin of Omaha’s 801 Chophouse focused on seafood and a 2017 Wine Spectator ‘Best of Award of Excellence’ wine list she curated.

“I had Missouri grapes on my wine list, and each year I would have more guests asking for them which was shocking at the time but it’s part of the reason I know Nebraska wines can continue getting better in quality.

“We’re still on the first generation of winemakers in Nebraska, and in the next five to 10 years we’ll see a jump in quality as a new generation joins in.”

Wiebold was born and raised in Omaha, and it was at the local 801 Chophouse that she initially developed a taste for hospitality in 2015. Encouraged by early success and co workers, Weibold took the introductory sommelier course and exam proctored by the North American branch of The Court of Master Sommeliers, mostly out of curiosity and for the challenge to

her initial surprise, she passed. A new passion was born, and Wiebold sat for and passed the Court’s certified sommelier examination in 2017, a much greater commitment and feat that substantially bolstered her influence over 801 Fish’s wine list. Today, she’s the beverage manager and onsite sommelier at the Arbor Day Foundation’s Lied Lodge and adjoining Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City. Still, Weibold’s return to Omaha was paved with uncertainty, especially since she was packing for two.

“I was pregnant, and it was COVID, and all hospitality was very bleak…” she reflected. “Yeah, you’re super pregnant, you’re sober, and you’re like ‘wow, I don’t even know if I’m going to have a job anymore.’”

Thankfully, Wiebold, with fiancé Brandon Ginsburg, stuck the landing. Their two daughters, Scarlett, 4, and Marlowe, 2, are sources of inspiration albeit, demanding ones at times for Wiebold, 33, as she eyes the green pin of an advanced, or level III, sommelier. Acheiving this level opens the door to the penultimate stage: Master Sommelier, numbering 168 individuals in the Americas and just 25 women among their ranks.

“I got accepted into the advanced course in 2019, was one of only 160 that got accepted that year across the country,” she said. “You have to take that course before you can apply to take the theory exam […] They don’t want you to fail, but it has a notoriously low pass rate.”

Of the Advanced Sommelier Diploma Examination’s three sections theory, tasting, and practical service theory is considered the most difficult. The exam is connected to a rather dire statistic: a 25% average pass rate. At time of writing, Wiebold is preparing to take the exam’s theory portion on April 17, 2023.

“Always stay humble,” Wiebold urged, toward finding success in one’s career. “Always be hungry to learn. Don’t put someone down because they don’t know something you know. Seek things out for yourself.

“It seems hard to get into, but really, you just start taking those first steps and [then] it’s easy to get addicted to it all.”

Visit

FRIED TILAPIA

O h , M ai T hai!

Omaha

Southeast Asian Restaurant

a Perennial Favorite

Even on a Sunday at two o’clock in the afternoon, Mai Thai in Aksarben Village is packed. Little wonder the restaurant delivers some of the most consistently delicious Thai food in the city. Situated across from Stinson Park, the restaurant is one of Omaha’s most vaunted Southeast Asian dining establishments. Mai Thai is well regarded for its broad assortment of Thai cuisine and contemporary interior; high ceilings, walls wrapped in calming blues and grays, and a massive, burnished gold elephant mural that dominates its northern wall. It’s a bit of East meets West, and perfect for a casual lunch or more upscale dinner.

My three dining companions and I ordered an assortment of dishes from the wide-ranging menu to gauge what the kitchen was capable of. For appetizers, we started with the crab Rangoon and coconut shrimp and attempted to order the grilled chicken satay, Dining Companion 1’s favorite. Unfortunately, they were out, a problem that seems to happen regularly a curious reoccurrence for a popular menu item made from a basic, readily available ingredient. We also learned that Mai Thai no longer carries their fresh spring rolls, which was the second hiccup on the appetizer front. The spring rolls offered a nice alternative to the appetizer list, otherwise heavy on the fried breading, so fingers crossed they bring those back at some point in the future and sort out their ongoing chicken satay shortage.

Supply issues aside, portions came out perfect for starters just enough for each person to sample without overindulging. The egg rolls, stuffed with sautéed cabbage and carrots, were fried to a rich golden brown and paired perfectly with the sweet chili sauce. The puffed crab Rangoon dumplings were even more lightly fried, with a delicate crunch on the outside that gave way to a pillowy cream cheese center specked with flakes of crab and slivers of scallion. The coconut shrimp emerged as the table favorite; the battered shrimp coating provided a satisfying backdrop for the coconut flakes, punctuating the succulent shrimp. A sweet dipping sauce with a hint of heat made this appetizer both sought (and fought) after. Next time, we all agreed, we’d go for a double order.

For our main courses, we went far and wide around the menu in an attempt to sample as much as possible. Dining Companion 1 opted for the basil beef with a mild spice level of two. (The kitchen can control the heat in every dish, with diners asked to rank how spicy they’d like their meals based on a one-to-five scale.) Stirfried with lightly sautéed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms, the tender beef nestled in a delicate sauce was accompanied by a generous mound of white rice. The abundant use of basil leaves throughout the dish provided a fragrant boost that elevated the umami flavor of the beef.

Dining Companion 2 ordered the Saigon pork chop. Although Mai Thai focuses on cuisine from Thailand, it also offers a smattering of Vietnamese cuisine, and this garnered raves from everyone who savored a bite. Grilled to caramelized perfection, two meaty pork chops, marinated in garlic, honey, and lemongrass, had a melt-in-your mouth texture. The fried egg on top gave the pork just the right balance of jammy creaminess against the charred edges. It was a good sign when Dining Companion 2 glanced quickly at everyone, apologized, and picked the chops up with his fingers so he could eat the remainder of his pork like spare ribs.

Dining Companion 3 tried the crispy chicken, which lived up to its name. Slightly larger than bite-size, the morsels of chicken were coated in a batter that provided a satisfying crunch before giving way to tender meat. Made to a spice level 5, the heat elevated the dish and brought alive sweet slivers of onions, shredded basil, and green and red bell peppers. This is an addictive dish, and even when full, it was a real challenge to stop nibbling as the evening waned.

For my entree, I settled on the fried tilapia with chili fish sauce. Next to the pork chops, this was the most impressive meal in terms of presentation: an entire fish glistening with crispy scallions. The dish required a bit of work to remove the meat from the bones, but was well worth the effort. Flaky and delicate, the pan-fried fish burst with flavor against a tangy, zippy sauce composed of chilies, garlic, and f ish sauce.

Since Pad Thai is one of Thailand’s most famous and familiar dishes, we ordered a plate with chicken to share. The noodles, stir fried with scrambled eggs, were evenly coated with a velvety peanut sauce. Topped with bean sprouts and coarsely chopped peanuts, there’s a reason this is a star menu item. Dining Companion 2 added a dash of soy sauce to his plate, while I squeezed lime juice from the provided wedges for an added punch of tartness. Even with four people, we still ended up with ampl e leftovers.

Throughout our meal, we received friendly, solicitous service without feeling rushed. We were given plenty of time to study the menu, and drinks were immediately refilled. There is a reason Mai Thai remains a perennial favorite with Omahans, both for dine-in and take-out service alike, and this meal underscored why. Let’s just hope the owners revisit the decision to remove favorites such as spring rolls from the menu and that they make sure that popular items like the chicken satay are actually available when ordered.

Visit maithaiomaha.com for more information.

MANGO CRAB RANGOON

AMERICAN

BARREL & VINE- $$

1311 South 203rd St., Omaha, NE 68130 - 402.504.1777

Barrel and Vine’s restaurant is an elevated food experience that is made from scratch daily with love in our kitchen. Our menu combines a mixture of Chef driven creative dishes, crave-able comfort meals and premium Nebraska steaks. Barrel & Vine also doubles as a live music venue and offers a rooftop bar, outdoor patio with firepits, and dozens of high end bourbons, scotch, and over 100 wine selections. Come check out an experience that is like nothing else in Nebraska. Open 7 days a week. —bvomaha.com

DJ’S DUGOUT SPORTS BAR - $

Seven Metro Area Locations:

Bellevue - 10308 S. 23rd St.

- 402.292.9096

Miracle Hills - 777 N. 114th St. - 402.498.8855

Downtown - 1003 Capitol Ave. - 402.763.9974

Aksarben - 2102 S. 67th St. - 402.933.3533

Millard - 17666 Welch Plaza - 402.933.8844

Elkhorn - 19020 Evans St. - 402.315.1985

Plattsmouth - 2405 Oak Hill Rd. - 402.298.4166

Voted Omaha’s #1 Sports Bar, DJ’s Dugout is locally and Vietnam Veteran owned. DJ’s Dugout features delicious burgers, wings, wraps, salads, sandwiches and an impressive drink menu. Plus, DJ’s has huge media walls full of HD TVs and projector screens. Catch all the action at DJ’s seven Omaha-area locations.

Dig In... At The Dugout! —djsdugout.com

DINING GUIDE

JAMS- $$

7814 Dodge St. - 402.399.8300

17070 Wright Plz, Ste. 100 - 402.810.9600

1101 Harney St. in the OldMarket - 402.614.9333

Jams is an Omaha restaurant legacy, an “American Grill” that offers a melting pot of different styles and varieties. The dishes are made with high-quality ingredients that pair well with award-winning wines or creative cocktails. —jamseats.com

LE PEEP - $

69th & Pacific - 402.933.2776

177th and Center St. - 402.934.9914

156th St. & W. Dodge Rd. - 402.408.1728

120th and Blondo St. - 402.991.8222

Le Peep puts a wholesome perspective on your favorite neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot. Fresh. Simple. Elegant. Inviting. We put the emphasis on people, both patrons and staff. We focus on providing each of our guests the fresh food and friendly service that they have come to expect. Open daily 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. —lepeepomaha.co m

STELLA’S - $

106 S. Galvin Road, Bellevue - 402.291.6088

Since 1936, we’ve been making our world-famous Stella’s hamburgers the same way. The family secrets have been handed down to each owner, ensuring that your burger is the same 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

T ED AND WALLY’S - $ 1120 Jackson St. - 402.341.5827

Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites, plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday. Noon-10 p.m.

—tedandwallys.com

VARSITY SPORTS CAFE - $$

Ralston - 9735 Q St. - 402.339.1944

Bellevue - 3504 Samson Way - 402.932.1944

Millard - 14529 F St. - 402.505.6660

Ralston, Bellevue and Millard. We are truly grateful to have been welcomed into each of these communities and welcome you in for good food, a cold drink and a comfy seat to enjoy the sport of your choosing! Determined to bring only the freshest ingredients, homemade dough and our specialty sauces to the table, we have worked hard to perfect our craft for you. Our goal is to bring the best food service to the area and show the best sports events that you want to see. Pick up and Delivery availalble. Please check website for hours of operation.

—varsityromancoinpizza.com

ITALIAN

PASTA AMORE - $$

11027 Prairie Brook Rd. - 402.391.2585

Pastas are made fresh daily, including tortellini, fettuccine, and capellini. Daily specials and menu items include a variety of fresh seafood and regional Italian dishes, such as linguini amore and calamari steak, penne Florentine, gnocchi, spaghetti puttanesca, and osso buco. Filet mignon is also offered for those who appreciate nationally renowned Nebraska beef. To complement your dining experience, the restaurant offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Be sure to leave room for homemade desserts, like the tiramisu and cannoli. Monday-Thursday 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 p.m. Reservations recommended.

—pastaamore.co m

S PEZIA - $$$

3125 S. 72nd St. - 402.391.2950

Choose Spezia for lunch or dinner, where you’ll find a casual elegance that’s perfect for business guests, get-togethers, or any special occasion. Exceptional food, wine, and service, with a delectable menu: fresh seafood, certified Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads, Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, and fresh salmon daily. Enjoy a full bar, Italian and California wines, Anniversary/ Lovers’ Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and woodfired 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. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m. —fernandosomaha.co m

DINING GUIDE Omaha

LA MESA - $$

158th St. and W. Maple Rd.

- 402.557.6130

156th and Q streets

- 402.763.2555

110th St. and W. Maple Rd.

- 402.496.1101

Fort Crook Rd. and Hwy 370

- 402.733.8754

84th St. and Tara Plaza

- 402.593.0983

Lake Manawa Exit

- 712.256.2762

Enjoy awesome appetizers, excellent enchilada’s, fabulous fajitas, seafood specialties, mouthwatering margaritas and much more at La Mesa! Come see why La Mesa has been voted Best of Omaha’s 20 Years in a Row! Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. lamesaomaha.co m

R OMEO’S MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA - $

90th and Blondo streets

- 402.391.8870

146th St. and W. Center Rd.

- 402.330.4160

96th and L streets

- 402.331.5656

Galvin and Avery roads

- 402.292.2028

29th and Farnam steets

- 402.346.1110

Romeo’s is your friendly, family Mexican food and pizza restaurant. We take real pride in serving our guests generous portions of the freshest, most flavorful dishes made with the finest ingredients available. Zesty seasonings and the freshest ingredients combine to ensure the ultimate in flavor. Our savory taco meat is prepared every morning at each location. Make sure to try our chimichangas; they’re the best in town.

—romeosomaha.com

SPECIAL DINING

CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE - $ 3578 Farnam St.

- 402.345.1708

Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia—Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best Reuben sandwich, we are a Midtown beer-lover’s destination.

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.midnight. Closed Sunday. —beercornerusa.co m

GREEK ISLANDS - $

3821 Center St. - 402.346.1528

Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. We are well-known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater and can accommodate a party for 65 guests. Carry-out and delivery available. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. —greekislandsomaha.co m

ZEN COFFEE COMPANY - $ West - 132nd and Center Downtown - 25th and Farnam One Pacific Place - Drive Thru Kiosk next to Trader Joes

Zen features over 50 popular drink options including Butter Beer, Honey Bee, Lavender Lady and Sunshine Daydream. Choose from hot or iced lattes, blenders, fruit smoothies and teas! Grab a flight or double cup to try the seasonal features! Delicious pastries and toasts made in house daily. —zencoffeecompany.com

STEAKHOUSES

CASCIO’S - $$

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

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.co m

T HE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$

2121 S. 73rd St. - 402-391-7440

Famous for the original Whiskey Steak. Truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Rare...and very well done. Open Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Dinner nightly at 5 p.m. —droverrestaurant.com

come and

explore.

LET’S PLAN A ROAD TRIP!

NEBRASKA

FEATHERED FRIENDS AT ARBOR LODGE

May 2—11 at the Arbor Lodge State Historic Park in Nebraska City. Bird Day was designed as a special celebration for school children to learn more about birds as part of their nature study. While serving as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, J. Sterling Morton helped promote the two observances together. Delve into this now-forgotten holiday, learn about birds, and participate in a feathered friends scavenger hunt throughout the 52-room Arbor Lodge Mansion. —arbordayfarm.org/events/

JUNKSTOCK May 5—7 at Sycamore Farms in Waterloo. Features 200+ junk and vintage vendors and artisans from our own backyard and all over the country, live music, food trucks, and a free Kids Village. Pet friendly and children 12 and under are free! Junkstock is the place to be for vintage finds, unique antiques, handmade artisan food, and goods, and one-of-a-kind repurposed relics. The three-day curated vintage, junk, and artisan festival that celebrates all things rusty, dusty, and timeless is at the charming century-old Sycamore Farms. —junkstock.com

JURASSIC QUEST May 12—14 at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln. Jurassic Quest is the ONLY place where your family can experience! The largest and most realistic dinosaur exhibit on tour, featuring true-todetail (and size!) dinosaurs, including a 60-foot-long, sky-scraping Spinosaurus, our 80-foot-long Apatosaurus, and our gigantic to scale Tyrannosaurus. —jurassicquest.com

MYSTERY AT THE MANSION – SIN CITY

May 13 at the Arbor Lodge Mansion in Nebraska City. It has been a year since the Paramount Casino at Arbor Lodge Mansion has been under the ownership of Bobby Flynn, and he’s throwing a party to remember. Invited guests include high rollers, politicians, a showgirl, casino dealers and staff, cocktail waitresses, and Elvis himself! Stakes are high, and there is no limit to what can happen. Whose secrets will be exposed? Who will be the victim of murder? Be prepared for a sinister evening in a city known for its secrets and scandals. —arbordayfarm.org/events/

RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES May 16 at the Heartland Events Center, Grand Island. Performing songs from Abbey Road and the Rooftop Concert LIVE, in addition to all your favorites hits. This mind blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is the next best thing to seeing the Beatles. Experience the worlds’ most iconic band and get back to where you once belonged! —visitgrandisland.com

WHISKEY ACADEMY: WHISKEY HISTORY

May 17 at the Slideshow, Lincoln. Focusing on whiskey in the new world, the colonies, and the role it played in the Revolutionary War and American independence, followed by exploiting the Whiskey Rebellion, the Whiskey Ring and ending with the Civil War. Learn how whiskey is intricately intermingled in all of these historical events and, of course, enjoy some whiskey’s along the way! Led by host and instructor, Kip Givens, who is a Master Whiskey Taster, Certified Bourbon Professional and whiskey author. —sideshowspirits.com

DAYTRIPS IN NEBRASKA, IOWA, KANSAS, AND MISSOURI

COMPILED BY Damian Ingersoll

NEBRASKA JUNKATHON May 26—27

In Sargent. Vendors come together for a festival of antiques, food, and more. —facebook.com/junkathonfleamarket

BROWNVILLE FLEA MARKET

May 28—30 in Brownville. More than 300 vendors participate in the spring flea market, held annually during Memorial Day weekend, and more than 200 vendors participate in the fall market. —brownvillehistoricalsociety.org

IOWA

THE VALLEY JUNCTION FARMERS MARKET/MUSIC IN THE JUNCTION

May 28-30

May 4—September 28 at Valley Junction, Des Moines. Home to over 80 weekly vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, plants and flowers, arts and crafts, and prepared foods. Join your friends and neighbors from 4-8pm. Special performances events are scheduled throughout the season. —valleyjunction.com

part in a jury process where all entries are eligible to receive awards and cash prizes. There is also live music, food vendors, kids art activities, and more. —waverlychamber.com

MAIFEST May 6—7 at the Amana Colonies. Dancers, food trucks, and a parade will bring German traditions to this celebration. —amanacolonies.com

IGIRLS’ NIGHT OUT May 4 in Cedar Falls. Get your girls together hit the town for a Girls’ Night Out in downtown Cedar Falls. Enjoy a fun evening of shopping, dining, and making memories in the Cedar Falls Downtown District. The downtown merchants pull out all the stops with great discounts, awesome deals, free samples, prize drawings, and more. —cedarfallstourism.org

ART WALK May 6 at Kohlmann Park, Downtown Waverly. This year marks its 18th anniversary, where artists from the tristate area come to Kohlmann Park to sell their works of media, ranging from: basketry, jewelry, pottery, photography, painting, and more. Artists’ booths line the winding sidewalk with a perfect view of the Cedar River, making a stroll through the park a pleasant way to view and purchase the artists’ creations. During the day, a panel of local art professionals take

DOWNTOWN SHOW AND SHINE May 7 at the Downtown District in Cedar Falls. Take a stroll down Main Street and view a showcase of amazing cars and motorcycles. —cedarfallstourism.org

May 06

SPRING GARDEN Festival May 13 at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden in Des Moines. Shop more than 350 plant varieties hand selected by Botanical Garden horticulturists including unique and tried-and-true varieties grown at the garden. Don’t miss gently used garden and plant themed items like planters, garden tools, décor, and much more. Horticulture staff and volunteers will be onsite for the event. —dmbotanicalgarden.com

82ND ORANGE CITY TULIP FESTIVAL

May 17—20 in Orange City. Celebrate Cutch heritage with beautiful tulips, dances in traditional Dutch clothing, daily parades, old-country foods, and more. —octulipfestival.com

CELEBRASIAN May 26-27 at Western Gateway Park, Des Moines. Experience over a dozen Asian Villages where attendees can delight all five of senses from the authentic asian food, educational activities, to live cultural entertainment. Each year the festival unites the different Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities in Iowa. Since its inception, CelebrAsian has become one of the year’s most anticipated events. Don’t miss out on the largest Asian American event in Iowa, showcasing cultural exhibits, history, food, performance artists, sports, martial arts, and family-friendly activities.

—iowaasianalliance.com

FARMERS MARKET IN THE PARK

May 27 at Arnolds Amusement Park, Okoboji. 40-plus seasonal vendors, a handful of day vendors, live music and yoga with The Studio Yoga and Barre, and more. —vacationokoboji.com

KANSAS

CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL May 6 in Liberal. On the weekend closest to May 5th, a Cinco De Mayo festival is held. The event actually begins on Saturday with the crowning of the Cinco De Mayo Queen and entertainment which is often a professional folkloric ballet team from Chihuahua, Mexico. The group specializes in different traditional styles of Mexican folk dancing which showcase culture, heritage and traditions. Sunday’s events begin with a parade and then later, the festival which includes introduction of the queen, a jalapeno eating contest, entertainment, music, food and much more! —travelks.com

3RD ANNUAL KITE FLY May 13 in Lindsborg. Meet at Coronado Heights, just northwest of Lindsborg and for some good oldfashioned kite flying. Attendees can purchase a kit on the spot and make their own kite to fly. There will be a limited supply of kite kits available. Additionally, Wings of the Wind Kites & Toys will be displaying a variety of kites with flying demonstrations. —travelks.com

2023 ABBYVILLE FRONTIER DAYS

RODEO & BBQ May 18 in Abbyville. The Abbyville Rodeo is much more than just rodeo.  On Friday night, kids attend the rodeo for free. Saturday starts with the Rodeo Parade at 10:30am, followed by Ham & Bean/ Chicken Noodle Dinner at 11:30. The afternoon is filled with family activities. BBQ Meal from 5:00-7:30pm with rodeo following at 8:00pm. —travelks.com

LAWRENCE BUSKER FESTIVAL May 26 in Lawrence. The 16th Annual Busker Festival is a once-a-year-getweird-weekend guests will find unusual entertainment all over historic downtown Lawrence. Attendees are encouraged to

celebrate the comeback with a roster of street performers from all around the world. Magicians, jugglers, musicians, acrobats, and more will perform. It’s a full-on festival with food, libations, and fun around every corner. The Lawrence Busker Festival is the area’s largest gathering of street performers in the area. Visitors can expect family fun with some of the most talented freaks, geeks, artists and musicians around. —lawrencebuskerfest.com/

MISSOURI

May 13

THE DERBY PARTY May 6 in Kansas. Festivities on the historic grounds will include live music by Boogie Nights KC, southern food bites, and NA cocktails provided by Kansas City labels such as Union Horse Distilling Co., Lifted Spirits, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Bourgmont Vineyard & Winery, Boulevard Brewing Company, PH Coffee, and Daily Culture. Dessert by Poppy’s Ice Cream & Coffee House, on-the-spot photo booth by Picwood; yard games, fun surprises by Worlds of Fun, and so much more. The party celebrates best-dressed and best-hat competitions with special guest judges. Suggested Attire: 70’s summer camp to 70’s sophisticated chic celebrating a decade of individuality and expression. —visitkc.com

HARRY’S HAY DAYS PARADE & FESTI-

VAL May 6 in Grandview. To kick-off the day’s celebration, there will be a parade down Main Street at 9am. Following the parade is a day full of festivities. Main Street will be lined with a variety of vendors for food, crafts, drinks, and much more! There will be fun activities and games for all ages, as well as live music and other entertainment throughout the day. —visitkc.com

LENEXA ART FAIR May 13 in Lenexa. The Lenexa Art Fair is the perfect outing for art enthusiasts and jazz lovers. This one-day, outdoor, juried art fair features about 50 fine artists from the region, live jazz throughout the day, children’s art activities, food trucks, wine, craft beer and fine spirits tastings. —visitkc.com

WELCOME TO LINCOLN!

Lincoln has earned a reputation as one of the Midwest’s most beloved cities. Home to fine culinary and artistic treasures; a budding live music scene; breathtaking parks, golf courses and trails; a passionate following of numerous sports; and a friendly Midwestern attitude, Lincoln offers the exhilaration of a big city and the serenity of the countryside, all in one place. Lincoln is host to many sporting events, concerts, attractions and museums that capture the unique interests from all over the world and offers literally hundreds of choices of where to eat, sleep, work, shop, relax and play. With over 131 miles of trails for biking, running, walking and exploring, you can see all parts of this unique city and experience for yourself what makes Lincoln a popular destination for travelers.

Plan your exciting visit today by visiting lincoln.org.

Canoes, kayaks, tubes… AND CATTLE TANKS.

COUNTRY ROOTS FEST KC May 13 at Legends Fields in Kansas. Bust out those boots, KC! Don’t miss the all-new Country Roots Fest— enjoy live performances from country music sensations. —inkansascity.com

May 13

TWISTED FLYING FESTIVAL: HOT AIR BALLOON GLOW, LIVE MUSIC, & INFLATABLES May 27 in Lawrence. Enjoy an evening of live music, family fire pits, handcrafted wines, draft hard ciders, and hot air balloons twinkling into the night sky. —zmtwistedwines.com

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

Sure, there are a million ways to get down a river. It just so happens that out here we use cattle tanks. It may not be the most conventional choice, but that’s what makes it genius. That, and the fact that they have room for everyone and a giant cooler.

A leisurely mosey down the river; paddling optional. 800-955-4528 | BuffaloBillsAdventures.com

That’s why float trips down the Platte River with Dusty Trails get Buffalo Bill’s Buffalo of Approval.

THE LAST OF ME

Did you know that yeast, a living organism, is neither an animal or a plant? Yes, one of the most useful of single-cell living things, is in a strange middle ground that stretches from tasty to toxic. Yeast is a fungus.

This is a really scary fact, especially if you watched The Last of Us on HBO. You know, that mini-series where an infectious fungus kills off 80% of the human race after unleashing a zombie plague of mushroom monsters that, in one episode, turns my hometown of Kansas City into a post-apocalyptic hell hole comparable to today’s Tallahassee, Florida, where anything that reproduces asexually can cause widespread panic. Fear of fungi could be the next big Culture War issue. Mark my words.

After all, fungus can be very scary. For one thing yeast produces kombucha, that brownish tea that you see at Whole Foods, or on the kitchen counter of those worrisome old hippies who just moved in next door from Oregon, who own a car that plugs into a 220 outlet in their garage replete with a bumper sticker that says, “Don’t Honk if You Hate Noise Pollution.”

If you like beer, wine, or bread, you may have been exposed to dangerous levels of yeast. It’s just true even real root beer needs yeast to exist. So, be a little careful if you visit an A&W restaurant, though, it must be said, the burgers are delish though safer without the bun.

Yes, fungi related to yeast could turn us all into mindless murdering automatons as in The Last of Us. If that happens, we will all wish we had run off to Bora Bora to live as a beachcomber like we’d half planned to do back early in the 21st century when the kids all needed orthodontic braces and new smart phones. We all know that zombies can’t sail, so the South Pacific should be safe, assuming the fungus doesn’t have access to Expedia.

But back to baking bread. It’s my latest passion. The whole process is, in my mind, an adventure.

I mean all you need is flour, water, salt, and a bit of “not animal, not plant life-form.” Mix it all together, careful not to be bitten, let it rise, knock it down, let it rise, knock it down. Let it rise, then pop it into an oven and bake it until it is crusty perfection.

“Where’s the adventure in that,” you ask?

Well, if you’re using a cast iron Dutch oven preheated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit in a kitchen full of curious dogs, anything can happen. Burnt noses, burnt fingers, etcetera, etcetera…etc. etc.…then it’s off to the vet or the ER, and who knows who you might run into out there in the wild. Kombucha freaks, siding salesmen, Florida politicians, or former prom dates.

Some of them might already be infected by the zombie fungus. All of this popped into my head when I was measuring out yeast for a rustic Italian boule. Yeast, my favorite fungi except for Shitakes. Meanwhile, the oven timer is dinging. Pass the butter.

Otis Twelve hosts the radio program Morning Classics with Otis Twelve on 90.7 KVNO, weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. Visit kvno.org for more information.

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