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FROM THE EDITOR // LETTER BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN, MANAGING EDITOR
ASIA TO NIGERIA TO OMAHA spring issue brings communit y to light
T
he first quarter of this new year has come with trepidation. Many watched the events of Jan. 6 unfold on television with disbelief. In other countries, however, political upheaval is the norm, not the exception. The Nov. 8 general election in Myanmar retained state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and her National League for Democracy party won 395 of 476 available Parliament seats. Suu Kyi came to power through this post, specially created for her in 2015, and has ruled a land that has experienced political turbulence since becoming independent from the British Empire in the 1940s. We at Omaha Magazine had long planned an article about a local Karen refugee from Myanmar. The story took on greater currency on Feb. 1 when Suu Kyi and other top officials were detained, and the Myanmar military declared a state of emergency, bringing this country to the top of the news feeds. The March/April issue also brings a lot of fun Arts & Culture articles. I particularly loved the article about Omahan Chad Ward, a roadie who has raised money for unemployed music-industry professionals like him through his foundation Roadie Relief. Percussionist Dana Murray, of local ensemble Dojo Percussion, talks about playing with jazz legend Wynton Marsalis. Arts and culture continues into Sixty-Plus, where our active living article is about Dave Biehl, a retired veterinarian who now creates sculptures, including ones at Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and the Omaha Police Department. Those who enjoy our food sections will also find a little extra in Sixty-Plus, where we have an article about old-fashioned pies for people to make and eat. Some, such as sour-cream raisin, are found around the Midwest, while others, such as vinegar, are almost obscure these days. The food section itself spotlights Blue & Fly, a Chinese dining spot popular with Omahans, and an article on Drew Statz, the relatively new executive chef at Dante Pizzeria. The dining feature is about locally owned Le Peep. The issue also spotlights a couple of people in Omaha doing great business. Nic Bianchi, age 18, started a candle-making company three years ago and has products that can be found in area stores and online. Anchorwoman Serese Cole tells readers the story of her career from young reporter to beloved TV personality. Former UNO basketball player Tola Dada, who was born in Nigeria, tells us of his venture from the ball court to the hallways of Westside Community Schools. There’s a lot of great articles in this issue. I hope you enjoy reading them all. * 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.
MARCH/APRIL
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2021
TAB L E of CON T E N T S THE USUAL SUSPECTS 003 From the Editor
Asia to Nigeria to Omaha
006 Between the Lines 008 Calendar of Events 042 History
The Old Market
065 Obviously Omaha Omaha Dog Parks
085 Instagram 086 Explore! 088 Not Funny Deadlines
A R T S + C U LT U R E 014 Entertainment Chad Ward
016 Music
Dana Murray
020 Illustration
Tiana Conyers
022 Visual
Kenneth Bé
PE O P L E
030
F E AT U R E S
026 030 FINDING REFUGE IN OMAHA
CALLING DIBS ON CHILDHOOD LITERACY Omaha Program Wins National Book Foundation Award
The Karen Community’s Perseverance Through War, Displacement, and Pandemic
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
038 Gen O
Nic Bianchi
044 Sports
Tola Dada
066 Profile
Serese Cole
GIVING 048 Profile
LaVonya Goodwin
050 Calendar
34 trees have been reforested
due to the printing of our last round of publications.
Learn more at
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CHAD WARD HELPS HIS BRETHREN • ANCHOR SERESE COLE’S PATH • TOLA DADA GOES WE-SIDE • VETERINARIAN DAVE BIEHL’S ART
M A R C H / A P R I L 2021 | U.S. $4.95
“OMAHA IS MY HOME” Karen Refugees Flee Burma, Discover Warm Welcome , in Nebraska s Good Life
60PLUS IN OMAHA
016
A B O U T T HE COV ER Refugee Manger Baw moved from the subtropical climate of Myanmar to the cold of Nebraska to discover a warm welcome.
053 Active Living Dave Biehl
058 Profile
Jill McCormick
060 Nostalgia
Sour-cream Raisin, Mincemeat, and Other Odd Pies
062 Feature
Mark Kresl
064 Prime Time
Karen Richards
DINING 068 Review
Blue & Fly Asian Kitchen
074 Feature Le Peep
076 Profile
Drew Statz
078 Dining Guide
068
read online at omahamagazine.com
Between
THE LINES A LOOK AT FOUR OMAHA MAGAZINE TEAM MEMBERS
JACKIE FOX—Freelance Writer Fox is a retired media relations manager whose former lives include mental health worker and technology writer. She has written three nonfiction books—about computing in the pre-smart phone era, the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, and an awardwinning memoir about her experience with stage zero breast cancer. She is a published poet and a high-water mark was when her poem “MRI” was featured in Ted Kooser’s “American Life in Poetry” column. Her byline has appeared in Nebraska Life, Reader’s Digest, and trade magazines. She lives in the Omaha metro area with her husband Bruce and their latest generation of rescue cats.
DAWN GONZALES—Freelance Writer Gonzales has been writing stories since she was 5 years old, and her love of the written word led her to a career in marketing, public relations, and corporate communications that spans 30 years. She enjoys freelance writing and when not at her day job, you can find her volunteering in the community, reading for book club, or taking a walk with her dog through the neighborhood. Her latest passion is discovering and sharing, through social media, the unique and locally owned places that call Omaha home. Gonzales, an Omaha native, is married to her high school sweetheart and has raised two daughters.
DEREK JOY—Senior Graphic Designer Derek has had lots of Joy working at Omaha Magazine throughout the last 4.5 years. He loves designing layouts and illustrations for the magazines and books the company creates. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his wife Rachel, dog Viridia, and his two young boys—who have given Derek the chance to really work on his playdough and crayon-drawing skills. When not spending time with the family, Derek can be found doodling in sketchbooks and bleeping and blooping on his modular synthesizers. He also appreciates a good game of Magic the Gathering with friends. Derek’s art and music can be found on instagram @ddazzlur and @mount_zenith.
DOUG MEIGS—Freelance Writer Meigs is the managing editor of the official journal of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology, The Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology (JNIP), a peer-reviewed journal published by Springer based out of the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Meigs and JNIP’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Howard E. Gendelman, are working with faith leaders of the Omaha-based Tri-Faith Center to produce a collaborative manuscript exploring the pandemic’s impact on the faith community. Previously, Meigs was executive editor of Omaha Magazine (2016-2019).
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
MARCH/APRIL 2021 VOLUME 39 // ISSUE 1
On Sale Now!
On Sale Now!
EDITORIAL Managing Editor
DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN Senior Editor
TARA SPENCER Associate Editor
LINDA PERSIGEHL Contributing Writers
J.D. AVANT · MANGER BAW · LEO ADAM BIGA · TAMSEN BUTLER JACKIE FOX · ROBERT FRAASS · DAWN GONZALES PATRICK MAINELLI · SEAN McCARTHY · DOUG MEIGS NICHOLAS MOORE · KATY SPRATTE JOYCE · NIZ PROSKOCIL SEAN ROBINSON · KARA SCHWEISS · TIM TRUDELL DOUGLAS “OTIS TWELVE” WESSELMANN
CREATIVE Creative Director
MATT WIECZOREK
Feb. 26–March 21
Hawks Mainstage Theatre
March 19–April 11 Howard Drew Theatre
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DEREK JOY Graphic Designer II
MADY BESCH Contributing Photographers
JUSTIN BARNES · KEITH BINDER · COLIN CONCES SCOTT DRICKEY · JOSHUA FOO · WILLIAM HESS · SARAH LEMKE
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402.884.2000 Omaha Magazine Vol 39 Issue I, publishes monthly except February, April, August, November, December, totaling 8 issues by Omaha Magazine, LTD, 5921 S. 118 Circle, Omaha, NE 68137. Periodical postage at Omaha, NE, and additional offices and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omaha Magazine, 5921 S. 118 Circle, Omaha, NE 68137
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@joslynartmuseum MARCH/APRIL 2021
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» Exhibitions « AMPLIFY ARTS
Located at 1419 S. 13th St., Suite 103. Amplify
Arts promotes unity, innovation, and progress in the arts. Their shows are always by local artists, and they span ideas ranging from political to progressive. Admission: Free. 402.996-1092 –amplifyarts.org
ANDERSON O’BRIEN FINE ART GALLERY
Located at 3201 Farnam St., Suite 6109. New
works (sculptures, paintings, pottery, blown glass, jewelry, etc.) from Midwest regional artists are continuously on display. 402.884.0911. –aobfineart.com
GERALD R. FORD BIRTHSITE AND GARDENS
Located at 3202 Woolworth Ave. The ornate
Victorian house was one of the finest homes in Omaha. The three-story, fourteen-room house reflected the status of its wealthy occupants, the King family. 402.444.5955 –nebraskahistory.org/conserve/brthsite.htm
LANDLOCK GALLERY
Located at 4011 Farnam St. Th is is Omaha’s
newest art experience centered in the Blackstone District, and features artwork that encourages interaction by new and emerging local artists. –landlockgallery.com
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
MAPLE ST. CONSTRUCT
Located at 5912 Maple St. This Benson-area gallery
looks to bridge the discourse between artists from Los Angeles and the Midwest through local and West Coast exhibitions. 402.525.0330 –maplestconstruct.com
MALCOLM X BIRTHSITE
Located at 3448 Evans St. One of the most pivotal
figures in Civil Rights history was born in this North Omaha location, which includes stunning gardens and a greenhouse. 800.645.9287 –malcolmxfoundation.org
MODERN ARTS MIDTOWN Located at 3615 Dodge St.
Modern Arts Midtown has evolved from a tradition of museum style presentation to a studio-like mix of hanging and stacked art of inbound and outbound projects by artists: a “behind the scenes” approach to seeing more in an informal setting. MAM is highlighting new work by Jennifer Homan, Iggy Sumnik, Kat Moser, Teresa Schmidt and Steve Mueller. Viewing is available by appointment. 402.502.8737 –modernartsmidtown.com
PROJECT PROJECT
Located at 1818 Vinton St. Project Project is an experimental space that focuses on promoting and enhancing the experience of art, music, and lectures in the Omaha community. 402.680.6737. –projectprojectomaha.com
RBRG
Located at 1806 Vinton St. RBRG places an empha-
sis on fine art prints, and aims to encourage and support the growth and understanding of fine art prints and fine crafts as vital contemporary art forms. 402.496.4797. –rbrg.org
COMMUNITY
Through April 1 at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St. As
people have sheltered with their closest community, they discovered what it means to be removed from the outside world. Many depended on technology to connect with others. People found comfort and sometimes discomfort in their limited surroundings. This exhibit includes artwork by Watie White, Pamela Conyers-Hinson, and Therman Statom. Admission: Free. 402.341.3800. –thekaneko.org
REVISITING AMERICA: THE PRINTS OF CURRIER & IVES
Through April 11 at Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St. In 2016, Conagra Brands donated
nearly 600 Currier & Ives lithographs to Joslyn Art Museum. This exhibition sheds new light on the famous firm’s artistic and commercial practices, revealing the complex social relationships and surprising modernity of its lavish prints, which found their way into the homes of tens of thousands of Americans in the 19th century. Admission: $10 adults, free for students with ID, Joslyn members and children under 17. 402.342.3300. –joslyn.org
BUG SQUAD
Through April 11 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. In this immersive world of insects,
children will explore the science behind each bug’s unique abilities and traits while realizing their own superpowers. Families will encounter real bugs and huge animatronic bugs. 402.342.6164. –ocm.org
MUSEUM OF SHADOWS
BRITTNEY FOSTER & NANCY LEPO
recently voted one of the most haunted in the world. The museum houses over 3,000 verified haunted artifacts, donated from across the United States and multiple countries. Admission: $15. 402.885.7557 –museumofshadows.com
Foster and pen-and-ink pointillism artist Nancy Lepo are shown together in this exhibition. Admission: free. 402.595.2122. –artscouncil.nebraska.gov
Located at 1110 Douglas St. This museum was
Through April 16 at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Mixed-media/abstract artist Brittney
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OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR
INTIMATE ACTIONS
Through April 24 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. These three solo
exhibitions are centered on the theme of intimacy and how it enters into representations of the body, one’s connection to space and surroundings, and personal relationships. Joey Fauerso interweaves personal experiences in relation to our own humanity. Paul Mpagi Sepuya’s work is rooted in an atypical type of studio portraiture. Maria Antelman’s practice focuses on the human experience. 402.341.7130 –bemiscenter.org
THE NITTY GRITTY ON A STREETCAR CITY Through April 25 at General Crook House Museum, 5730 N. 30th St. The exhibit is about
Omaha’s streetcar system, operating from 1868 to 1955, and includes artifacts from the cars, a streetcar seat, replica uniforms, and route maps. 402.455-4990. –DouglasCoHistory.org
GUITAR—THE INSTRUMENT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD
Through April 25 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. More than 60 guitars and nearly 100
historical artifacts will be on display to immerse viewers in the heart of music. This exhibit allows people to experience the rush of the world’s most recognized musical instrument through the powerful lens of science. Visitors can play a Guinness Record-breaking 43.5 foot long guitar and discover how the selection of different materials and strings, fused with electromagnetism and amplification, create an elaborate device that has revolutionized music. Admission: $11 adults, $8 seniors (62+), $7 children (3-12), free for children under 2 and members. 402.444.5071. –durhammuseum.org
VIRTUAL TOUR
Ongoing online, created by Boystown Hall of History, 14100 Crawford St. Anyone can view
the sights of the iconic Boystown from the comfort of their own home. The Hall of History virtual tour includes stops such as Relics of the Past, Art and Symbolism, and The Dream Continues. Admission: free. 531-355-1111. –boystown.org
SPONTANEITY: 10 ABSTRACT PAINTERS FROM NEBRASKA
Beginning Feb. 28 at Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St. This exhibition features the work of
James Bockelman, Dan Howard, Jerry Jacoby, Diane Lounsberry-Williams, Ann Pape, Larry Roots, Mark Sabaliauskas, Nancy Teague, JK Thorsen, and Beverly Todd. Admission: free. 402.305.1510. –gallery1516.org
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
» Stage Performances « WHITNEY CUMMINGS
March 11-13 at Funny Bone, 17305 Davenport St, Suite 201. Whitney Cummings is a Los
Angeles-based comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director. Best known for creating and starring in the NBC series Whitney, she also co-created and co-wrote the Emmy-nominated CBS comedy series 2 Broke Girls. Tickets and times vary. 402.493.8036 –omaha.funnybone.com
DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!
March 19-April 25 at Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. It is hard being the pigeon. He never
gets to do anything. This music theater is appropriate for all ages. Tickets: $12 non-members, $10 members. Household streaming tickets are $30 each. Times vary. 402.345.4849. –rosetheater.org
FULLY COMMITTED
March 19-April 11 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Take a side-splitting look
at a day in the life of Sam, a struggling New York actor who works at the trendiest restaurant in the city. In between calls from social elites, celebrities, and everyday Joes who will stop at nothing to secure the hottest table, Sam hopes for an audition callback and to make it home for the holidays. Tickets and times vary. 402.553.0800. –omahaplayhouse.com
TIM DILLON
March 23-24 at Funny Bone, 17305 Davenport St., Suite 201. Tim Dillon is a stand-up
comedian, writer, and actor. He had two specials premiere in 2018, one on Comedy Central, the other on Netflix. He created and hosts Tim Dillon’s Real NYC Bus Tour. Tickets and times vary. 402.493.8036. –omaha.funnybone.com
TOM SEGURA
March 25-27 at Funny Bone, 17305 Davenport St., Suite 201. Actor/Comedian/Writer
Tom Segura is one of the biggest names in the comedy business. He recently performed to soldout audiences on his 100 city Take It Down Tour. He is best known for his Netflix specials Disgraceful (2018), Mostly Stories (2016), and Completely Normal (2014), and will be releasing his fourth Netflix special this spring. Paste Magazine described him as, “having a natural and capable storytelling ability, one that lifts his narratives out of average anecdote fare and plants them firmly in hilarious ground.” Tickets and times vary. 402.493.8036. –omaha.funnybone.com
CONSTELLATIONS
Starting March 30 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Marianne is a cosmologist,
keen on quantum theory and the idea that each of life’s infinite possibilities plays out in some parallel universe. Her chance encounter with Roland marks the beginning of a romance with countless outcomes. But when Marianne’s health begins to fail, the balance between destiny and free will begins to shift. Tickets and times vary. 402.553.0800. –omahaplayhouse.com
PHILADANCO!
April 29 at Orpheum Theater Founded in 1970
by Joan Myers Brown, Philadanco is known for using the language of dance to explore Black history, social justice, and civil rights. Phildanco is recognized for its artistic integrity, superbly trained dancers and electrifying performances. Pieces from their performance will showcase works by Omaha native Ray Mercer. This performance is sponsored by Wiesman Development. Tickets vary. 7:30 p.m. with a special warmup in the lobby at 6:30 p.m. –o-pa.org
OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR
» Concerts « NEIL FRANCIS
March 5 at Barnato, 225 N. 170th St. The
30-year-old Chicago-based musician is bringing his mix of ’70s classic funk, with some soul and R&B thrown in, to Omaha. –barnatolounge.com
ALICIA OLATUJA INTUITION: SONGS FROM THE MINDS OF WOMEN
March 11 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Praised in The New York Times
as “a singer with a strong and luscious tone,” Alicia has shared the stage with Chaka Khan, Christian McBride, Billy Childs, and others. –o-pa.org
BIG WADE AND THE BLACK SWAN THEORY
March 13 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave. Lead
singer and pianist Lewade “BIG Wade” Milliner is joined by other legendary musicians in the making, creating and performing funk, R&B, soul, and jazz music. –jewellomaha.com
STYX
March 17 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St. Styx is
an American rock band from Chicago that formed in 1972. They are currently touring across the country, and they’re bringing their killer hard-rock performance to Omaha. –ralstonarena.com
AN EVENING WITH LOGAN MIZE AND JILL MARTIN
March 19 at Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Jill Martin and Logan Mize are country singers
who also happen to be married—to each other. They often perform onstage together, sometimes bringing their children out to harmonize as well. –waitingroomlounge.com
NUGZ AND TKO
RAUL MIDÓN
March 20 at Scott Recital Hall, 1200 Douglas St. Midón has collaborated with such heroes as
Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers, along with contributing to recordings by India.Arie, Queen Latifah, Snoop Dogg, and the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s She Hate Me. –o-pa.org
March 20 at Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Local rappers NugZ and TKO regularly perform together, even planning an annual combined birthday bash every year. Other performers to be announced.
NIKKI BOULAY WITH FRIENDS
–waitingroomlounge.com
Boulay is an Omaha native whose voice you likely heard on the radio as a DJ. She has also sang with several local bands, including Blue Moon Ghetto. –jewellomaha.com
SATSANG
DEVIN THE DUDE
Th is Montana-based quartet has headlined or shared the stage with the likes of Michael Franti & Spearhead, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Trevor Hall, Wookiefoot, and many more. –reverblounge.com
stage name Devin the Dude. The Houston hip-hop artist has been called “Rap’s best-kept secret” and “Your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper.” –waitingroomlounge.com
March 19 at Reverb Lounge, 6121 Military Ave.
March 26 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave.
March 27 at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Devin Copeland is better known by his
LEE BRICE
March 11 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St. Brice is
an American country music singer and songwriter. Besides his own material, he has co-written singles for artists like Garth Brooks, Adam Gregory, the Eli Young Band, and Tim McGraw. –ralstonarena.com
ANDRE VANDER VELDE BAND
March 12 at The Jewell, 1030 Capitol Ave.
Omaha artist Vander Velde blends the singer-songwriter acoustic soul stylings like those of Bill Withers and Amos Lee with the funk/R&B attitude of Prince and Otis Redding. –jewellomaha.com
MARCH/APRIL 2021
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OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR
» Family & More « FISH FRIES
Feb. 19 through March 26 in various locations.
Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 17, and while some people will abstain from eating meat on Fridays for religious reasons, others will eat fish simply because they enjoy it. Due to COVID-19, many places are going to drive-thru or to-go only, so call ahead. Many churches and community centers around Omaha will provide a fish (or meatless) dinner on Fridays during this time frame. Here are a few popular choices that draw crowds:
PETROCK
TREVOR HALL
the pinnacle of ’70s musical excellence, playing the best-known soft rock songs from that decade. Their popularity has resulted in nonstop capacity shows. –theslowdown.com
is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from South Carolina, playing music that mixes roots, folk, and reggae, with touches of electronic elements. –theslowdown.com
April 16 at Slowdown 729 N 14th St. This band is
THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND
April 16 at Orpheum Theater, 1200 Douglas St. The sons of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts,
Devon Allman, and Duane Betts, join forces to form the Allman Betts Band. They will be playing original music from their two recent albums, songs from their solo projects, and classic songs by The Allman Brothers Band, the legendary group founded by their fathers. Bless Your Heart is their sophomore album, released in August 2020. –o-pa.org
April 27 at Slowdown 729 N 14th St. Trevor Hall
GRUPO FIRME
April 30 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St. This group
is one of the hottest acts in the Latin music world. Discovered in 2013, they rose to fame thanks to social networks with their heartfelt lyrics. –ralstonarena.com
• All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church, 9012 Q St. 402-934-3688. allholyspirit.ne.goarch.org • American Legion No. 1, 7811 Davenport St., 402-392-0444. • American Legion No. 374, 13913 S Plaza, 402-895-1324. post374.org • Croation Cultural Society of Omaha, 8711 S. 36th St., 402-733-1018. • Mount Calvary Community Church, 5112 Ames Ave., 402-457-4216. mtcalvarycommunitychurch.org • Mary Our Queen Catholic Church (2019 Best of Omaha Winner), 3405 S. 118th St. 402-333-8662. maryourqueenchurch.com • Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 2124 S. 32nd Ave., 402-341-5604. ollomaha.com • St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church 602 Park Ave. 402-345-7103. stjohnsgreekorthodox.org • St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 5801 Oak Hills Drive, 402-895-0808. sjvomaha.org/ • St. Barnabas Catholic Church, 129 N. 40th St., 402-558-4633. saintbarnabas.net • St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Elkhorn (2019 Best of Omaha Winner), 20500 West Maple Road, Elkhorn. 402-289-4289. stpatselkhorn.org • St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, 16701 S St., 402-896-9675. stephen.org • St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 4804 Grover St., 402-556-1456. stmomaha.org • St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, 14330 Eagle Run Drive. 402-496-7988. svdpomaha.org • Tangier Shrine Center, 2823 S. 84th St., 402-392-0404. tangiershrine.com
TRIUMPH OF AG EXPO
March 3-4 at CHI Health Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. The area’s largest indoor short-line farm
show returns with the latest products, technology, supplies, and services available. 402.341.1500 –showofficeonline.com
FIRST FRIDAY AT THE BAR
March 6 in the Old Market. Each month Brownie
Bar Omaha features a new artist on their gallery wall. The March open art exhibit is for Jack Hooley. Visitors can purchase naked brownies for $2, and other art galleries around the Old Market will be open for perusing. –firstfridayoldmarket.com
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR
OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL IN-PERSON SCREENINGS
March 12-13 at Aksarben Theater, 2110 S 67th St. Omaha Film Festival is showing a small selec-
tion of local content on the big screen in a safe, socially distanced setting at Aksarben Cinema. The full festival will be virtual and runs from March 2-14. —omahafilmfestival.org
66TH ANNUAL WORLD OF WHEELS
March 12-14 at CHI Health Center, 455 N. 10th St. Vehicles from classic Cadillacs to hot rods will
be shown at this annual event, which allows local car owners to display their machines. Times vary. Tickets: $18 general admission, $6 children 6-12, free to children 5 and under. 402.341.1500. –chihealthcenteromaha.com
BOCKFEST
April 17 at the German American Society, 3717 S. 120th St. Bockfest is one of the area’s favor-
ite German celebrations. It features music, beer “poking” in the biergarten, brats, and pretzels. 1-7 p.m. Admission: free, but cash must be used for beer and food. 402.333.6615. –germanamericansociety.org
JUNKSTOCK
April 30-May 2 at Sycamore Farms, 1150 River Road Drive, Waterloo. Junkstock is one of the
premier junk, music, and food festivals around the country. This year the organizers are celebrating their 10th year of Junkstock. The event typically has 200+ vendors, 23+ food trucks, and all kinds of bands on the Junkstock stage playing throughout the weekend. 402.765.8651. –junkstock.com
Event times and details are correct as of presstime, but are subject to change. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many events are canceling and/or changing dates/time/ places as needed. Most venues base these decisions on direction by the Douglas County Health Department and Nebraska’s publication of guidance on canceling events and limiting the number of people in public gatherings. Omaha Magazine encourages readers to visit venues' websites and/or calling ahead before attending an event or visiting a museum.
OMAHA FASHION WEEK
March 25-27 at Omaha Design Center, 1502 Cuming St. Omaha Fashion Week is a glamorous
red carpet event for a good cause, showcasing the work of 65+ designers each year on the runway. OFW nurtures the youngest of fashion designers by providing mentoring, education opportunities, and a professional platform to showcase their work. 402.819.8792 –omahafashionweek.com
SPRING ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR
March 26-28 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St.
Over 500 artists and crafters from 30 states will showcase one-of-a-kind home decor, holiday gifts, unique handcrafted works, and more. In addition, there will be great entertainment, food, and beverages. Times vary. Admission: Adults $9; Seniors $8; Children under 10 are free.
NEBRASKA SCIENCE FESTIVAL
April 1-30 in various locations. Nebraska Science
festival may look a bit different this year, but it is back. Due to COVID-19, organizers have made a few changes for 2021. There will be no large keynote or expos. The event does include smaller speeches virtually, smaller in-person events outside, and lots of community-wide, outdoor science fun. The festival is designed to make science accessible, interactive, relevant and fun for kids and adults alike. 402-559-4319. –nescifest.com
MIDLANDS INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
April 8-11 at CHI Health Center, 455 N. 10th St. The 2021 Midlands International Auto Show
will feature all the newest cars, trucks, and SUVs. See, touch, and experience the automotive industry’s latest and greatest and talk with the product specialists. 402.341.1500. –chihealthcenteromaha.com
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A+C ENTERTAINMENT // STORY BY SEAN ROBINSON
HELPING THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
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SUPPORTING LIVE MUSIC EMPLOYEES AMID COVID-19
E
VERYONE REMEMBERS WHERE THEY WERE THE DAY LIVE MUSIC DIED. IT WAS MARCH 13, 2020, AND EVERYTHING—INCLUDING CONCERTS—SHUT DOWN AS COVID-19 PITTED HUMANITY AGAINST THE FIRST 21ST CENTURY PANDEMIC. FOR OMAHA’S CHAD WARD, AND NEARLY 12 MILLION OTHER ROADIES WORKING WORLDWIDE, NO CONCERTS MEANT NO MONEY.
Ward certainly remembers where he was mid-March 2020. He just got home from a two-month European tour with Slipknot. Serving as a backline tech for the heavy metal band, Ward was responsible for setting up the drums each show and was taking a break before another leg in southeast Asia.
Then came the body chills and fever. He was not tested for COVID-19 at the time, however, he said he is quite positive he had it. “My wife likes to say I was patient zero. I was very close to hospitalization,” Ward said. “My health has recovered but financially I haven’t. All my touring continues to be canceled.” Nearly a year later, auditoriums worldwide still sit empty. Millions of seats are untouched. Silence making its deafening crawl from front row to the nosebleeds—day after day, month after month. The entirety of the live music industry ceased to exist practically overnight, and that’s what motivated Ward to create Roadie Relief. The nonprofit asks for donations online, with a mission to provide financial aid to those in the live entertainment industry who lost their jobs because of the pandemic. As of last December, the organization had raised nearly $40,000 for roughly 115 roadies from all corners of the globe. “Very few people understand this is our career,” Ward said. “People plan for rainy days, but nobody planned for this. Everybody’s savings accounts are dwindling to nothing—so I had to help.” The solution isn’t as easy as applying for unemployment benefits either. Many live entertainment workers struggle to receive that support because states require them to first apply for jobs in their field. However, without tours and large events, there are no jobs to apply for. The idea for Roadie Relief was born in the most emblematic way possible for 2020—over a Zoom call. Ward was chatting with others in the industry about their financial frustrations and brainstormed the idea to start a GoFundMe page. In two weeks, the page made only $100. It was back to the virtual drawing board. That’s when Ward teamed up with Jane Donald, a tour manager located in Nashville. They met nearly a decade ago while working as production coordinators for the Foo Fighters. Ward served as the brains and industry connection for Roadie Relief while Donald handled all things administrative and design. Together, they launched a website and began getting the word out late last summer. “There’s been very little expense getting this off the ground because it’s all done remotely,” Donald said. “Every penny you’re seeing donated is divvied up and dished out. This is a true labor of love for the industry.” To collect funds, Roadie Relief does more than just ask for donations. Visitors can purchase merchandise, such as T-shirts or a cover of Faith No More’s song “We Care A Lot,” performed by members of bands from Run DMC, Korn, and others.
Artists and management teams further got involved by donating items to an online silent auction at the request of Ward. The first round of bidding included autographed memorabilia ranging from posters of artists such as Alice In Chains and The Weeknd to instruments from Foo Fighters, Papa Roach, and AWOLNATION. A replica of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar sold for $19,500 during a separate raffle. Sacha Dunable, a renowned guitar maker in Los Angeles, made the instrument following Van Halen’s death in October and began looking to donate it to a charity. A few of his road crew buddies suggested Ward’s newly formed nonprofit, and Dunable agreed it was the right fit. More than 780 tickets at $25 a pop were bought for the online raffle. “I was expecting we’d get maybe $2,000 to $3,000,” Dunable said. “A lot of people who work in the industry are friends I’ve known for decades at this point. I wanted to help them in some way.” Roadies in need of help can fill out an application on the nonprofit’s website, including details of previous work and references. “Whether you’ve been touring 20 years or three, everyone is going to get the same amount,” Ward said. “It’s like we’re an extended family. You live with these people for years on end. Then, all of a sudden, you don’t know when you’re ever going to see each other again.” Ward began his career as a roadie 27 years ago while working at Omaha’s now closed Sharkey’s Brewery & Grill. During a performance by 311, Ward was chosen to help the band on and off the stage, since he grew up with guitarist Tim Mahoney. The next day, he woke up on his couch to a life-changing phone call from lead vocalist Nick Hexum. The band wanted Ward to join them on tour. Since then, he has worked as a technician, tour carpenter, and production manager alongside acts as varied as Korn, Kelly Clarkson, and Drake. “I’ve seen so many amazing things around the world, but the roadie lifestyle isn’t drugs, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll. We work 18-hour days,” Ward said. “Being away from the wife and three kids is the biggest downfall. Still, the love of music makes it all worth it.” Ward knows that love will outlast the pandemic and someday stadiums will be full again, and the roar of the crowd will soon call him back. Until then, he hopes Roadie Relief helps dozens of event workers bridge the gap from now until showtime. “Think about every concert you’ve been to and walked away with a smile. It’s not the artist out there chalking the floor, changing the drumheads and fixing amps at 6 a.m. The roadies make it all happen,” Ward said. “This is about helping those who’ve helped you create those unforgettable music memories.” Visit roadierelief.org for more information.
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+ dana murray's influence reverberates in omaha
A+C MUSIC // STORY BY Sean McCarthy
Creative , e v i r D e v i s s u c r e P Vibes PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
i
n the late 2000s, guitarist Andrew Bailie, then of the band Jazzwholes, went to Mick’s (now The Sydney) in Benson to see percussionist Dana Murray play. Mere feet from Bailie was a musician who just a few years before had played for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. More than 10 years later, Bailie remembers the gig.
“To this day, it’s still the best drumming I’ve ever heard in my life,” Bailie said. Bailie and Murray struck up a friendship, but before the friendship came instruction. Though the two have different instrumental focuses, Murray thinks the overall fundamentals of musicianship remain the same: If you want to get to a level where you are good enough to play in the orchestra for a Broadway musical in New York (in Murray’s case, it was supporting The Who’s Tommy), a full commitment is needed. The first step: practice a minimum of five hours a day. No cutting corners.
radio in the ’70s—primarily Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles. His stepfather, Clyde Comer, who raised Murray since he was 10, got him interested in jazz, introducing Murray to Anita Baker and jazz icons such as George Howard, David Sanborn, and Najee. After graduating from Omaha South, Murray studied music performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1991. There, he said, most all of the students shared an intense devotion to be world-renowned for their craft.
“The long way is the shortcut,” Bailie said of Murray’s instruction.
“Being around other people as self-motivated as I was—was really liberating,” Murray said.
Growing up in South Omaha, Murray’s mother, Faye Comer, played gospel, R&B, James Brown, Teddy Pendergrass, and Motown. Murray had a transistor radio, where he listened to whatever was on AM
Opportunities to play soon took up most of his time. Murray likened his and his fellow students’ experience to college basketball players who have an opportunity to go to the NBA.
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“Most people you read about…most of those people that went to Berklee don’t actually graduate,” Murray said. “You get way too busy to keep wanting to go to school, especially if you’re a performance major.” Murray became roommates with saxophonist and gospel artist Richard D’Abreu Jr., who routinely was in contact with fabled jazz musician Max Roach. They went to the same church and would talk on the phone frequently. Murray would also occasionally talk to Roach, who recommended moving to New York, because that was the best place to make it as a jazz musician. But, he warned, “However good you are…you’re going to be at the bottom of the totem pole.” Murray met saxophonist Sherman Irby while playing in a band for Carnival Cruises. The two became roommates in New York, where they shared a 14-by-14 foot apartment at Tudor City in Midtown Manhattan, paying $1,400 a month for rent (in 1994 dollars). “If you’re trying to go there as a young musician, that’s the last place you want to be,” Murray said.
A+C MUSIC
peaking from his home in Warren, New Jersey, Irby remembered those first few months in New York. With a small, cramped place “right in front of the United Nations building,” they couldn’t practice in their apartment. Irby went down to the piers to practice, and Murray would practice using brushes. During this time, Irby said, Murray “had a confidence about himself that would never let him be swayed.”
S
For the first few months, gigs were almost nonexistent for Murray. He spent most days trying to get acclimated to the speed of the city that never sleeps. He networked at Smalls Jazz Club and the celebrated, but now-shuttered, Bradley’s. Murray met most of the musicians he later played with at Smalls, where the younger musicians hung out. “His personality…everyone basically just loved being around him. He quickly was welcomed into the scene,” Irby said. “He was that kind of cat.” The staff at Smalls let him practice in their club for a few hours during the day. This meant putting his drum kit on a cart and pulling it onto a train. “It’s only weird until you see others doing it too. Then it becomes not so weird,” Murray said with a laugh. Murray’s first regular gig was at Smalls during their Sunday brunch, which eventually led to his first major break: a Monday after-hours gig at Smalls. “That was like prime time for jazz musicians,” Murray said. After the regular Smalls’ booking, gigs started to open up for Murray. He and Irby moved to Harlem, a far more celebrated artistic epicenter. Murray got so busy touring for musicians such as the late Jimmy Witherspoon that he was unable to play in the Broadway production of The Who’s Tommy. Eventually, he signed on to substitute gig for that musical.
When Murray got the call to play for Wynton Marsalis with the Lincoln Center Orchestra, he remembered times in Omaha where he would practice to Marsalis’ album Live at Blues Alley and imagine himself at that very gig in 1986. “When I got that call…it was almost like everything that I had done and worked for…now here’s your reward,” Murray said. “Now you’re able to actually do what you envisioned yourself doing at 16.”
“
To see one man change the scene and raise the bar as much as he did, it just gives you a lot of hope for the future for music and arts in the Midwest. -Andrew Bailie
”
In the late '90s and early 2000s, Murray continued to make a name for himself as a percussionist. He lived in Leeds for a year before moving back to Omaha in 2004 after gaining custody of his son, Aleek. He began teaching percussion at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and founded Dojo Percussion, an ensemble that featured high school and university musicians. Murray met his future wife, Deb, while he was focusing on Dojo Percussion. They
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bought a house in Papillion where he renovated the basement to become his recording studio. It was here Murray recorded his debut album, Negro Manifesto, which was released in 2018. Part of the album’s origin came by way of Murray browsing through a bunch of vinyl records at a downtown thrift store. He came across an old “educational” album put out by Pepsi called Adventures in Negro History. Released in the early ’60s, it was a well-intentioned but horribly patronizing account of achievements by African Americans. “When you start listening to it, it really lets you know where the psyche of the country was at the time,” Murray said. Murray aimed to create his own history with Negro Manifesto. “I’m going to talk about adventures in Negro history, but I’m going to keep it real,” Murray said. “I’m going to speak about it through my experiences.” The jazz publication DownBeat said the album Negro Manifesto “emits a nightmarish, cacophonous sensibility, marked by dank electronica textures.” The New York Times called it “a difficult, often rewarding collection that plays out something like an electroacoustic opera.” Murray said COVID-19 has not slowed his schedule. While unable to tour, he’s spent his time working on his follow-up album, which is slated to be released in late 2021. He’s also working on producing tracks for Bailie’s second album. Bailie said Murray’s work, both as a producer and musician, has played a tremendous role in elevating Omaha’s music profile. “To see one man change the scene and raise the bar as much as he did, it just gives you a lot of hope for the future for music and arts in the Midwest,” Bailie said. Visit danamurraymusic.com for more information.
e c a p S g n i Makto e v i r h T A+C ILLUSTRATION
ion t a t n e s e r p e s r e y n o Radical R C a n ia T f o t r A e in th
Story by Patrick Mainelli Photography by Bill Sitzmann Design by Derek Joy
Omaha artist Tiana Conyers believes there is something radical in creating space for all voices. “Black people have dealt with blatant systemic racism, police brutality, and other things far more egregious. For us to be able to celebrate ourselves and make space for ourselves—not only is that our right, but that should be invited and accepted, at the very least for ourselves.” Conyers’ work, digital illustrations primarily, is a bold assertion of the power in representation. Her graphic figures—Black, queer, fat (a term she specifically embraces)—occupy visual space in an art world conditioned through centuries of Western art history to appreciate a specific definition of Anglocentric beauty. “To me, it’s just really amazing and inspiring—taking this space back for Black people. This space that wasn’t created for us, and was so often created against us,” she said. Conyers has achieved a prolific career as a young artist in Omaha. Steeped in the // 20 //
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cultures of Manga, anime, and internet fan communities from a young age, Conyers’ digital style has evolved in harmony with the growth of social media. “I started drawing very young and in order for me to get my work seen, the only option was the internet,” she said. “There was no art gallery that would have been interested in me—some 13-year-old at Monroe Middle School.” Today, Conyers describes her work as “depicting fat bodies which, in EuroAmerican societies, are often deemed unworthy of respect and rarely make the subject of art.” Conyers’ bristles at the now-common phrase “body-positivity,” feeling that the movement has been largely co-opted by advocates with less-than sincere motives. Instead, she prefers the more radical phrase “fat liberation.” “This has definitely stemmed from me not being represented and wanting to see myself...in art and different spaces,” she said. “I’m not seeing people like [me]—not
seeing fat Black people, or queer Black people. When I was younger...I definitely avoided myself as a subject matter. I felt like ‘I don’t fit in here; I don’t exist in these spaces so why even try?’ But now...I want to see myself more. I deserve to. Other people do, too.” Conyers’ work made a dramatic appearance in a new venue in the summer of 2020. Her “We Thrive in Middle Spaces” project—produced through the support of The Union for Contemporary Art and the Omaha Community Foundation—brought her work to five billboards across North Omaha. The billboards featured portraits of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) people of color from Omaha. In her artist statement, Conyers noted, “Middle spaces refer to the parts of our identities that overlap. My identity as a Black person and my identity as a queer person overlap—or more specifically, intersect—and better define my experience.”
To me, it’s just really amazing and inspiring—taking this space back for Black people. This space that wasn’t created for us, and was so often created against us.” ers Tiana Cony
Before production of the billboards, Conyers spent several weeks selecting, researching, and interviewing her five subjects, each of whom represented a broad range of ages and identities. Among the group was genderqueer performer and member of the Indigenous Havasupai and Diné tribes, Mr. Little Cat. “I found it sentimental and a special touch how she incorporated things in the portrait of myself,” Little Cat said of the process. In each of the portraits, Conyers worked to build a well-rounded character study of the subjects, including telling details of their individual identities. “Seeing my two tribes flags next to me, I felt prideful,” Little Cat added. “I instantly knew I made my people proud. I made my family proud. When I saw the final product…I wanted to scream at every detail.” It was this attention to the small particulars of identity—the subtle signifiers that illuminated the real people behind these often generalized groups—that drove the project.
Conyers’ also wrote, “LGBTQIA2S+ people are often defined solely by our queer identities, BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and people of color], in particular, are often forced to make the impossible choice of choosing which identity comes first.” “When I read Tiana’s statement about this project,” Little Cat noted, “I said to myself ‘I always said that!’...Being Indigenous and queer, I always felt like I had to pull hard for one identity more than the other.” The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. “I even had a stranger in public ask me ‘Are you the person on that billboard?’ I felt seen and represented at the utmost for someone like me—someone who is Indigenous and queer,” Little Cat said. In addition to her art and being a fulltime studio art major at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Conyers has worked for years as a teaching artist with The Union for Contemporary Art.
for reaching young artists. “Tiana’s presence has had a positive impact on the youth. Their passion, skills, and confidence in creating art, specifically drawing, grew under Tiana’s guidance and mentorship,” she said. “It has been wonderful to see Tiana’s talent and reach as an artist continue to grow beyond The Union. I have so much love and respect for this young, fierce, and incredibly talented human being.” Conyers is eager to branch out to new mediums and creative challenges. “I would like to work on a comic,” she said. “I feel like the university is kind of slowly pushing me in that direction. I also want to see my online store grow larger and get the word out about that. You know, help fund a college student through these tough times..” Visit tianaconyersart.com.com for more information.
Jacquline Smith, Youth Studios Manager at The Union, speaks highly of Conyers’ talent MARCH/APRIL 2021
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STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
A+C Visual
Behind The Story Kenneth Bé The Conscientious Conservator
K
enneth Bé has the distinction of being Nebraska’s only paintings conservator. Since 2008, he’s plied his expertise at the regional Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center in Omaha, treating works on just about any imaginable surface.
He fi lled a similar role at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where, he said, “I worked on nothing but the best of the best from one of the best collections in the United States.” After getting laid off in 2005 due to downsizing, he found opportunity here in Omaha. In assuming the then-newly created endowed position, he got carte blanche to outfit the lab to his specs. As a Yale undergrad, he studied geology and art history. His earth sciences interest was influenced by his father, who studied microscopic ocean sediment fossils as global climate change markers. The field of art conservation swayed Bé when an art teacher placed a framed watercolor by Anthony van Dyck in his lap. “I became very attracted to the idea of being a trained conservator who could do close physical examinations of works and have some impact on them,” he said. He feels obliged “to not only preserve works for the future, but help restore or bring pieces closer back to their original appearance or intent.” ►
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“Every work we receive comes to us in a certain condition that is the sum total of its history ranging from perfect to highly compromised by all kinds of things.” Kenneth Bé
// A+C VISUAL //
T he New York state native learned his field’s painstaking techniques at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts. The serene Bé’s appreciation for art and history reflects a yearning for the “quieter, more focused world of the past” versus today’s white noise. His parents were from the Indonesian island of Java, but were of Chinese ancestry. He feels the deep well of his cultural heritage. Paralleling his art history enthusiasm is an interest in Renaissance and Baroque music. Just as he’s steeped in “the pigments, varnishes, and old materials of paintings from the past,” he revels “in the sounds, textures, and spirit of music of the past,” particularly Renaissance lute music. A lute player himself, Bé sometimes performs with early music instrumentalists and singers, and owns a library of facsimiles of early music manuscripts. In addition, Bé plays guitar and the viola de gamba, or viol, and his life partner is also an early flute player. Whereas there is a social aspect to his music passion, he said, “in conservation I’m a little bit more of a loner.” He said both his music avocation and art conservation, “get to understanding a period” in the way literature and architecture do. Just as he gives new life to early music, he makes worn artifacts new again. When conserving a painting, he said, the idea is to “do as little as possible.” “When you have to do a reconstruction of a missing part or color or section of a painting, you have to use restorative skills.” He may spend days preparing the back of a painting before ever touching the front. It’s all about respecting the integrity of the work.
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HE MAY SPEND DAYS PREPARING THE BACK OF A PAINTING BEFORE EVER TOUCHING THE FRONT. IT ’S ALL ABOUT RESPECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE WORK. Conservation’s meticulous skill set “requires a knowledge of chemistry, physics, and biology.” “It uses knowledge of the history of materials and how they were used to make art,” he said. “It also uses hand skills akin to what one would develop in a studio. You need a lot of patience to do repetitive procedures and gestures. You have to pay attention to the minutiae of things.” The reward is “you can get sometimes quite magnificent, startling end results when you do things the right way.” There’s a story behind every work he examines. “Every work we receive comes to us (from museums, galleries, collectors) in a certain condition that is the sum total of its history—ranging from perfect to highly compromised by all kinds of things,” Bé said. Mishandling, vandalism, and even well-meaning but ill-fated attempts of previous art conservators can also play a role. “Each piece has moved from place to place, owner to owner, until it arrives in my lab.” Just as paintings take different journeys, the problems they present vary and, he said, “they can be very interesting,” such as one painting whose center was worn away by an errant vacuum. One satisfying project involved a 1948 mural by then-Joslyn Art Museum director Eugene Kingman, created for the New York Times headquarters. Kingman completed the work at Joslyn, and its cartographic depiction of the Western Hemisphere greeted Times’ staff and visitors for decades until it was taken down. A local interest group arranged for its return to Omaha, where Bé removed the grime. It now hangs in the W. Dale Clark Library lobby. He cleaned “deeply discolored” varnish from the 1899 Thomas Moran painting “The Pearl of Venice” as an educational outreach in a gallery at Joslyn, where it resides in their permanent collection. “Th at was a fi rst,” said Bé , who enjoys explaining his work to the public. Last winter he shared his livelihood with a statewide audience for an NET “Nebraska Stories” segment, taking viewers through the phases of cleaning and restoring the 1888 painting “The First Homestead” by Gusto Strohm.
Most works he treats come from the metro. He’s also retained clients from back East. “They have stuck with me, so they still come to me with work,” he said. He sometimes travels to treat things, including a painted opera theater curtain in Kearney, Nebraska, various paintings in the Hallmark Art Collection in Kansas City, Missouri, a church altar mural in Kansas, and works at the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln. Sheldon registrar Stacey Walsh said his calm, considered demeanor when assessing a work’s stability can allay fears it’s too far gone for display or travel. She said his trained eye sees just what needs care, and his trusted hand makes repair or treatment without leaving a trace. The Joslyn also defers to Bé’s expertise. “Kenneth has been a terrific resource for the museum,” said executive director and CEO Jack Becker. Bé conserves select Joslyn works or assesses their travel-worthiness. Bé estimates he’s completed 1,200 projects during his Omaha tenure. Typically, he juggles 40 to 60 projects in different stages. “Unfortunately, the work flow is a little down right now,” he said, due to pandemic disruptions. “I would love to have more work.” It’s vital his lab and the adjacent paper and objects labs stay busy, since the Ford Center depends on the revenue their projects generate. Bé unwinds by sampling the area arts scene. He also indulges a love for flying kites. Not just any kites, but giant, vividly colored dragon kites. A large open field off Abbott Drive is his go-to site. He’s also participated in Kite Flight, a Callaway, Nebraska, festival that attracts aficionados from around the U.S. and world, known for its wind currents and eclectic entries. “It’s a very special place,” he said. Omaha has become home for this cosmopolitan conservator. “I’ve made some close friendships since I’ve been out here,” he said. “It’s been a good life.” Visit history.nebraska.gov/conservation-center for more information.
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DIBS CaLLING
ON CHILDHOOD LITERaCY OMAHA PROGRAM WINS NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION AWARD FEATURE // STORY BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
THE STUDENT-LED TECHNOLOGY THAT ENABLES STUDENTS TO CHECK OUT BOOKS ABOUT GRIZZLY BEARS OR BELOVED CHARACTER RAMONA QUIMBY IS WHAT ATTRACTED THE JUDGES FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION.
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David Orrick
P
FEATURE // CALLING DIBS
UNK-ROCK ICON PATTI SMITH AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING NOVELIST JESMYN WARD CAN BOAST ONE THING IN COMMON WITH OMAHAN DAVID ORRICK—AN AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION. SMITH WON THE 2010 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN NONFICTION, WARD WON THE 2017 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION, AND ORRICK WON THE 2020 INNOVATIONS IN READING PRIZE FOR HIS ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAM DELIVERING INFINITE BOOK SHELVES FOR KIDS.
“Access is first and foremost when working to ensure that all young people have an opportunity to become lifelong readers,” Lisa Lucas, executive director of the National Book Foundation, said in a press release. “DIBS for Kids’ creative technological approach to meeting young people where they are and ensuring access to physical books for home use helps to remind how important it is that reading is not seen as a separate, siloed school activity, but also as a meaningful, joyful part of our everyday lives.” Orrick, a former first-grade teacher, created the program DIBS for Kids after seeing a need for increased literacy rates in his classroom. An architect by degree, he pursued his passion for education in 2008, a couple of years after graduating from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as a volunteer for Teach for America in New Orleans. The committed educator not only taught, he visited the homes of his students, who often lived in poverty, and he made each of his 29 students take home a book to read each night. “I think there’s a lot of individuals who have seen all the research about education being the great equalizer,” Orrick said. “If you have a student reading proficiently by the end of third grade, that kid is at a great advantage…Basic literacy skills is one of the hardest things for teachers to develop without support. I learned early on that one great way is to have the students have really great reading experiences at night.” He put hours into the program, keeping track of books going in and out of his classroom, making sure students left with a book in their hands, visiting students’ homes, and other details. His efforts resulted in increased literacy.
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“I had a student named Raul in my first-grade classroom, and he had a brother in the same school. Through my home visits, not only were they reading every night, by the end of the year, Raul was reading above grade level,” Orrick said, mentioning that a sibling who had not read much at an earlier age struggled in school. “His older brother remained at the same reading level, in fact, they had to hold him back a year. There was no difference but that the education system caught Raul earlier and not the brother.” The program worked, but it was so exhausting that Orrick began to brainstorm how to get students to read on a nightly basis with less hand-holding. Following his two-year term with Teach for America, he came back to Omaha in 2011, and that’s when his technical mind ignited. He spent six weeks designing a take-home reading project that would help teachers without asking them to take on more work, then presented the idea to the principal at Fontenelle Forest Elementary, where his mother worked. One first-grade classroom agreed to try the program. Orrick raised funds to equip elementary classrooms with high-interest, leveled books that students get to take home every night. Later that year, a teacher stopped him as he was delivering books and said “I want to get in on your program.” In 2012, all 13 first-grade classrooms participated in the program. Three years later, Adams Elementary Schools had gotten wind of this program that was increasing reading skills and students’ interest in reading, and wanted in on the action. The Literacy Project has stated that 61% of students living in poverty don’t have a single age-appropriate book in their home. DIBS’ goal is to get into all 46 elementary schools in the Omaha Public Schools district that have a poverty rate of over 70%. As of the 2020-2021 school year, they were in 13 schools. The early program involved Orrick sitting in a classroom and filling in a spreadsheet while students stood in line to check out a book they had chosen from a tote bin full of books in a variety of reading levels. By the time Adams Elementary began participating, the program had expanded to put more control into the hands of students. “We had a lot of whiteboarding sessions about how can we make this more fun for kids, how can we make it easier for teachers,” Orrick said. The answer came in the form of a computer program.
Orrick found the answer in web-based QR technology. Each classroom has two computers that the teacher logs in to. The first computer shows a camera to which the students hold up the QR code in order to check in the books. The check-in triggers their student dashboards, which shows them how many books they’ve read, and, more importantly to the students, how many badges they have earned. The badges are simple for kids age 6 to 8 to recognize, such as a pineapple or a Dewey DIBS with a superhero cape. The students then shop for a new book in the provided book bins. The second computer shows each students personal avatar, again, simple shapes such as a square, with their first name and last name and their initials. Once they click on their name, it triggers the camera, which scans the QR code on the book, and they are done. The QR codes are labeled to help ensure the students are reading at the appropriate level. The students are encouraged to read wherever they have time and space—to their parents as they are preparing supper, to the family dog while everyone else is watching TV, or perhaps in the car on the way from school to an activity. One person who volunteered to help with this program at the start of DIBS' partnership with Adams Elementary saw the effect of DIBS on her daughter’s reading habits. “Slowly I realized this was something exciting for her. She had something new and different every day that I didn’t pick out or buy for her,” said Marie Kovar. Kovar’s own background as a bilingual psychologist proved helpful to Orrick, as the program is in some schools with high levels of bilingual students. She became the director of school support in 2017. Each classroom is supplied with a set of 212 books, which is the maximum amount of books that can fit into the totes. The books cover a range of popular fiction and nonfiction popular with youngsters such as sharks or gems and rocks. Every four weeks, the teachers switch bins, giving their students 212 new books to discover. Each student takes home an average of about 80 books per school year. “Marie has done a lot over the last couple of years to make sure there’s a high-interest level in the books,” said Orrick. “We’re constantly looking at how we can bring diversity to the bins. That’s a difficult one to accomplish because that percentage has not been the norm.” Kovar routinely stops into the classrooms and makes sure the program is running smoothly and the teachers have what they need. Sometimes a QR code is torn or ripped off the book by a toddler sibling; sometimes a book is lost; most of the time, the program is running well.
Kovar’s work frees Orrick to continue product development and fundraising. The program takes about $15,000 per school to start, and Orrick’s passion for his organization has led to several partnerships and grants, from the local Sherwood Foundation to the regional Francis Family Foundation. While the students are encouraged to read books that are tailored to their reading level Monday through Thursday, they become especially excited for Free Choice Friday. Students can choose any book from the bin, regardless of reading level, that day. “I love how it’s transformed how so many students look at reading,” said third-grade teacher Jessica Bosiljevac of Hartman Elementary. “They get excited about DIBS, too. Especially on Fridays. In third grade, they do a better job of thinking ‘I read about this, I’d like to know more.’ So if they learned about bears, they might choose a book about grizzly bears, even if it isn’t in their reading level.” The student-led technology that enables students to check out books about grizzly bears or beloved character Ramona Quimby is what attracted the judges for the National Book Foundation. The Innovations in Reading Prize is an annual $10,000 prize given to an individual or organization that has developed an innovative project that creates and sustains a lifelong love of reading. Orrick and the team at DIBS found out in spring 2020 that they had been awarded the prize over nearly 100 other applicants. Normally the prize is presented at a ceremony in New York City, but in 2020 the presentation was canceled. DIBS plans to put the money towards a $35,000 external evaluation to compare students reading levels without DIBS and with DIBS. The other $25,000 came from the Omaha Community Foundation. This work will enable children in area schools to continue calling DIBS on books. Visit dibsforkids.org for more information.
DIBS’ GOAL IS TO GET INTO ALL 46 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT THAT HAVE A POVERTY RATE OF OVER 70%. AS OF THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, THEY WERE IN 13 SCHOOLS.
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FEATURE // Story by Manger Baw and Doug Meigs
FINDING REFUGE IN OMAHA THE KAREN COMMUNITY’S PERSEVERANCE THROUGH WAR, DISPLACEMENT, AND PANDEMIC
Photography by Bill Sitzmann // Design by Matt Wieczorek
TO ESCAPE THE WORLD'S LONGEST-RUNNING CIVIL WAR, SOME 150,000—MOSTLY KAREN—REFUGEES FLED FROM BURMA INTO THAILAND. MORE THAN 76,000 RESETTLED IN THE U.S., WITH 8,000 NOW LIVING IN NEBRASKA.
Note: This story alternates between first-person testimony from Manger Baw (in italics) and third-person reportage from Doug Meigs.
“Run! Run! Run!” the villagers
screamed as my father ran, holding me tight, protecting me from bullets. That is my first memory. I was a baby. Militants backed by the Burmese government attacked our refugee camp with guns and bombs. The cozy bamboo hut that my father built turned to ash as the village burned. When I close my eyes, I can still see the flames.
The Associated Press reported, “For Burmese refugees, nowhere to hide” (Jan. 30, 1997). A two-day assault by marauding guerillas of a rival faction, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, left thousands seeking shelter on the roadside or f leeing into the jungle: “At least 7,000 men, women, and children were homeless following raids on three refugee camps.” The militants returned in March 1998, a third assault on the camp in only three years.
FAMILIAR STORY, UNFAMILIAR PLACE So began the life story of Manger Baw, a child of diaspora born into Huay Kalok refugee camp in western Thailand near the Myanmar/Burma border. Her parents were civilians, Baw said, displaced by decades of armed conflict in the jungle highlands of their ancestral homeland. Hers is a story familiar to the growing community of Karen refugees who have resettled in Nebraska. While local Karen (pronounced Kah-Ren, emphasis on the second syllable) have endured recurring trauma and hardship—civil war; displacement as refugees; overseas resettlement; evacuation from condemned apartments in Omaha; and, most recently, heightened COVID-19 exposure risk due to the community’s large number of “essential workers” in meatpacking jobs—their perseverance in the face of adversity is the common thread that unites their community in “The Good Life” they have worked so hard to attain.
Baw narrates this story of Karen perseverance through her first-person account, alternating with third-person passages that feature interviews, historical context, and original reporting.
As the refugee camp burned, Dad took our family to the Buddhist temple for safety. All of the houses were destroyed, and we had nowhere to live. Then, the Thai government ordered us to move to an uninhabited place. The new camp was named Umpiem Mai, located on a hill. It was rainy, foggy, and cold. Two people died the day we arrived. My parents cut back the long grasses to clear land for our new bamboo house. For the first week, we only ate cabbage and rice, and we slept under a tarp. Everyone was struggling, but we helped one another as best as we could. Dad built our house near a stream, and he kept a vegetable garden with flowers and mango trees. Every morning, I would wake up and help my parents with gardening. As a child, I did not understand hardship or worry. All I knew was eating, playing, and sleeping. Within the fenced refugee camp, I helped my father sell fruits and vegetables from our garden. Eventually, I came to realize that the tall wire fence surrounding us was for containment as much as safety. It was my childhood home, but it was also like a prison. Resources were scarce, and life was hard. With the Burmese military dictatorship’s campaign against Karen freedom fighters ongoing, and the continuing persecution of ethnic minority groups across the border, those of us living in the Thai refugee camps were not allowed to leave— not even for work. After surviving the Burmese military, we found new oppressors in Thailand—corrupt police. Once, when I was still a baby, my father went outside the camp for work. Thai police captured him; they wanted guns in exchange for his release. “We don’t have any guns!” my mother pleaded. The camp leader countered with walkie-talkies in order to make a deal. The police got the gear. Dad came home.
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FEATURE // Finding Refuge
The Karen, one of Burma’s largest ethnic minorities, were displaced by historic and ongoing armed conflict along the nation’s southwestern border. But the Karen are not the only victims of oppression by the central government. In recent years, various United Nations agencies have also accused Burma of genocide and “ethnic cleansing” of Muslim Rohingya people in the country’s northwestern Rakhine State. At Umpiem Mai in Thailand, across the border from southwestern Burma’s Karen State, Baw’s family lived in close proximity with some 15,000 other displaced people. Roughly 80% of the camp’s population was Karen, along with Mon, Burman, and other indigenous ethnic groups, according to The Border Consortium—a nonprofit NGO whose website describes itself as the “main provider of food, shelter and other forms of support to approximately 87,000 refugees from Burma/Myanmar living in nine camps in western Thailand.” Thai refugee camps began appearing in 1984 as temporary shelters for Karen and others displaced by the Burmese military junta’s aggressive expansion into parts of the country previously controlled by indigenous ethnic groups.
IN 2005 THE MYANMAR REFUGEE POPULATION PEAKED AT ROUGHLY 150,000 REFUGEES; WHILE THE MAJORITY WERE KAREN, THIS ALSO INCLUDED A LARGE NUMBER OF OTHER ETHNIC MINORITIES. -MAXIMILLIAN MORCH
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By 1992, there were 31 camps in Thailand near the border with Burma. More and more refugees poured over the border. They self-organized and negotiated settlement permissions with the Thai government. Camp consolidations followed (often in response to cross-border attacks, as was the impetus for Umpiem Mai). Maximillian Morch, the communications and reports manager for The Border Consortium, explained the geopolitical context in an email from his office in Bangkok, Thailand. Today, Morch said, the Thai camps fall under the oversight of Thailand’s Ministry of Interior “with refugees responsible for camp administration and delivery of services through refugee camp committees, with The Border Consortium alongside international NGOs and local partners, providing aid and technical assistance.” “Over 76,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand have been resettled in the United States alone since 2005, the majority of whom were Karen,” Morch said. Karen refugee resettlement communities have emerged around the world—in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavian countries. Meanwhile, some 60,000 displaced Karen still live in refugee camps near the Thai-Burmese border, with approximately 5 million Karen people residing in Burma. The year 2005 was a milestone for Karen refugees. “In 2005 the Myanmar refugee population peaked at roughly 150,000 refugees; while the majority were Karen, this also included a large number of other ethnic minorities,” Morch said, adding that the camp where Baw’s family lived, Umpiem Mai, reached its peak population of 19,000. It was also an important year for Nebraska’s Karen community. Tha Ther Moo, the president of the Karen Society of Nebraska’s Omaha chapter, said Karen refugees began resettling in Nebraska around 2005. Moo arrived in Omaha during March 2009. He said more than 5,000 Karen people now live in Omaha, with more than 8,000 Karen statewide in Nebraska.
The organization’s founder and former chair, Rev. Saw Khu, initiated The Karen Society of Nebraska in 2006 while working with Lutheran Family Services, Inc. The society’s current executive director, Pa Naw Dee, moved to the U.S. in 2008 and is listed as a co-founder on the society’s website. Their mission: “to help refugees and immigrants from Burma to build and sustain a high quality of life and to achieve self-sufficiency in the state of Nebraska.” Demographic data suggest that Omaha's Karen community more than doubled between 2010 and 2015. “While there was no specific category for Burmese in 2000, the 2010 Census showed those listing Burmese as their specific Asian race at 1,720 in the Omaha metro,” said David Drozd, research coordinator of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research. “Now we have survey-based data to give us figures before the 2020 Census results are released, and surveying centered on the 2016 calendar year shows 4,421 Burmese in the metro area. So, that’s more than 2.5 times higher than just six years prior in 2010.”
Omaha. Where is that? 8,000 miles away, on the opposite side of the world? I had never heard of the place that would eventually become my home. After first resettling in Las Vegas, and then relocating to Omaha, I learned that my new home, “The Gateway to the West,” was named after the Umonhon people, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, whose name translates to “Up Stream” or “Against the Current.” I like these names: “Omaha” and “Nebraska.” The words of place resonate with Karen historical meaning, too. Maybe this is coincidence; I think it’s providence. In ancient times—2,760 years ago, according to our traditional lunar calendar—a Karen grandfather crossed over a great river of sand to find the high rolling hills and lush tropical jungles of Kawlah, the county that preceded the Burmese occupation of our native landscape. Historically, we have lived geographically upstream along the Salween River—the waterway that has sustained our people for generations. Like the Umonhon, our fight against currents of oppression is a struggle familiar to indigenous people all around the world.
I appreciate that my adoptive state of Nebraska’s name is rooted in an indigenous name for the Platte River, the “Flat Water,” the great braided river of sandbars that stretches from the state’s western to eastern borders—reminding me of the primordial milestone, the great river of sand, that we Karen of Nebraska have again crossed in finding our way to this land. My father talked about the U.S. as a land of great opportunity. From behind our fenced enclosure, anywhere in America seemed like a dreamland. Here, nestled in the river valleys of the Missouri, Platte, and Elkhorn, this unique Northern Plains landscape is surprisingly comfortable for a hilltribe people from tropical highlands—it feels like home. In Karen script, I would write it like this:
“Omaha is my home.”
Since 1976, the Karen National Union and Karen National Liberation Army have called for an autonomous state within Burma rather than outright independence. Ethnic Karen factions joined students, monks, and others throughout the country in a failed uprising to implement democratic reforms in 1988. The Burmese military junta’s retribution was swift and fierce, accelerating the exodus of Karen people into Thailand. In 1989, the central government changed Burma’s name to Myanmar (many countries around the world did not recognize the change due to the perceived illegitimacy of the nation’s oppressive military rule). This name change coincided with the revision of Karen State to “Kayin State.” Baw describes the name change to “Kayin” as “just another effort to wipe us out,” part of the government’s ongoing “Burmanization” campaign to eradicate her people’s cultural history indigenous to the geographical landscape.
Conflicts driving the Karen refugee exodus did not arise spontaneously; rather, they emerged as a legacy of British imperial conquest that began long ago.
In response to insurgents, the Burmese military dug into the Karen-occupied highlands. Decades of ensuing human rights abuses include “forced labor, village burnings, arbitrary taxation, rape, and extrajudicial killings” (according to World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian nonprofit based in the U.S.).
The British East India Company invaded Burma in the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826). During Burma’s colonial era, the British overlords encouraged class hierarchies based on ethnic and religious divisions to solidify their rule. Karen were given preferential treatment, positions of privilege over the nation’s majority ethnic groups, and many Karen converted to Christianity.
The Karen Peace Support Network, the largest network of Karen civil society organizations in Burma, reported Burmese military artillery shelling of villages in northern Karen State that displaced more than 3,700 villagers and killed a village chief on Jan. 12, 2021. The following day—Jan. 13—was the Karen New Year, the traditional close to the rice harvest.
British rule ended in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II and Japanese occupation. The world’s longest ongoing civil war began the following year, continuing through the Burmese military junta’s asserting dominance over the nation in a 1962 coup.
Despite appearances of national democratic reforms since 2008, Burma’s military once again seized power with a coup on Feb. 1, 2021—the military alleged (unsubstantiated) voter fraud and established a one-year state of emergency—after army-backed politicians suffered landslide losses in nationwide parliamentary elections. “It’s crazy,” Baw said as she followed the unfolding news coverage from Omaha. “It’s going to get worse for those in the city; it’s been worse for those in the jungle.”
Traditionally, Karen are simple agricultural people. We just want to raise our pigs, catch fish, garden, and live in peace. As a kid from the refugee camp, my knowledge of our traditions came from my parents and elders in the community. Survival was embedded in these lessons. We were taught to always eat quickly and not to talk during meals, because, “ in the jungle, the enemy could come for you at any time.” The camp was safer, but we had to be ready to run. This caution from elders is ingrained in the Karen collective consciousness. Now, our refugee communities are scattered around the world—often resettled in urban areas—but the internet and social media have helped those of us in the diaspora (especially the younger generation) stay in contact with our traditional roots. When we talk about the diaspora of Karen refugees, and when we say a person is “Karen,” realize that our community is diverse. There are two primary Karen languages, and many different regional dialects, each very different. Some Karen follow traditional religious practices, others are Buddhist, and many Karen are Christian—like my family. The creation of a modern Karen identity is informed by the diaspora and organizations like the Karen Society of Nebraska (of which I am a member). In Umpiem Mai, we mostly spoke S’gaw and Pwo Karen languages; the same is true for our community in Nebraska.
The Minneapolis metro was an early U.S. hotspot for Karen resettlement at the dawn of the new millennium, as the Twin Cities were already a major destination for Hmong refugees (a different group of displaced Southeast Asian refugees from the highlands of neighboring Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam who had aligned with American interests during the Vietnam War). Hmong and Karen are culturally distinct but similar in their experiences of displacement, relocation, and resilient adaptation to the American Midwest.
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FEATURE // Finding Refuge
Eventually, Nebraska emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing destinations of Karen refugee resettlement. Aside from Omaha, there are growing Nebraskan Karen communities in Lincoln and Madison—both towns also have Karen Society of Nebraska chapters. These communities’ growing populations work predominantly in the region’s historic food-processing industry. Jobs in meatpacking offer good salaries with minimal English language skills needed. With the onset of the global pandemic of COVID-19, concentration of Karen labor in the regional meatpacking industry translated to heightened risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus as it began spreading among these “essential workers.” The Karen community’s experiences during the pandemic represent just another level of trauma on top of layers of generational trauma. A series of investigations by ProPublica in 2020 revealed widespread mismanagement of virus exposure risks in Midwestern meatpacking plants as the industry became a hotbed for COVID-19 transmission and associated mortalities early in the pandemic. Twenty percent of Nebraska’s cases were coming from meatpacking labor during the summer of 2020. Nebraska state senator Tony Vargas—who represents District 7 in South Omaha, and whose father died of COVID-19—shared the grim statistics in a Jan. 14, 2021, Washington Post op-ed titled, “Nebraska meatpackers breathe for hours through blood-soaked masks. This can’t keep happening.”. On Feb. 1, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis launched a formal investigation following reports that “nearly 54,000 workers at 569 meatpacking plants in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 270 have died.”
LEARNING STRENGTH FROM WEAKNESS For Baw’s father, the prospect of migrating to the U.S. remained an unattainable dream. Their family spent more than a decade stuck in Umpiem Mai before relocating without him.
My father had brown eyes, dark hair, a long nose, small eyes, and a big bottom lip— just like me. Mom said we look just alike. I remember staying up late with him, telling jokes, enjoying being the youngest of four kids and the only daughter. I’ ll never forget the day Dad trusted me to take a 2,000 baht donation to the camp’s Christian Bible school. I was 12 years old, and it seemed like a fortune. I had never before held so much money—the equivalent of $60 U.S. dollars in Thai currency. But the day was rainy, and I wanted to play. The Bible school money fell from my pocket, lost, somewhere on the muddy road. When I realized, I panicked and tried to find it. No luck. Deep fear and anxiety set in. Although disappointed in myself, I did not shed a tear. I could not lie to my father, and I had no way to replace the money. I came home and told my parents. Surprisingly, Dad did not get mad. Instead, he said, “Learn from your mistake and study your weakness.” I stood there, stunned. I was shocked because he still believed in me even when I failed. The next day, he handed me another 2,000 baht to donate to the Bible school. Another chance. Dad always taught me to help the poor and the sick—even from our own position of poverty in the camp. While he raised me to be Christian, he did not go to church; instead, he would go to the hospital and comfort the ill. But by March 2009, he got sick himself. He developed a terrible cough and he had to go a hospital in the Thai city of Mae Sot outside the camp.
Doctors couldn’t determine the cause of illness. Then a few months later, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The disease was contagious, so they isolated him from us. They took him to another camp where only people with active tuberculosis lived. Dad had to go and live there for treatment. Behind the fences of Umpiem Mai, I missed him terribly. Sometimes when I called him on the phone, I could hear his cough. It broke my heart. He wrote notes in a diary that detailed how many pills he took and how often. He got weaker and weaker. He took the medicine but had difficulty breathing. Then my mother had to go care for him. I stayed home with my older brother for a while. When Dad did not get better, and Mom could not come home, I went to live with a neighbor. One morning, after going down to get water from the garden, someone called me into the house. Softly, he told me that my father had passed away. I pretended to not believe him, but I knew it was the truth. Later, my mother said the doctor had given my father the wrong medicine. A cousin who spoke Thai told us he was misdiagnosed—that his true disease was lung cancer. Sadly, everything was too late. My cousin wanted to sue the hospital, but Mom said, “No.” We didn’t have access to a lawyer, and she had made up her mind. Besides, we really didn’t know where to begin. We were refugees. What could we have done?
With resettlement through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Baw fulfilled her father’s dream. In February 2011. She traveled with her mother and an older brother—her other two brothers were already in the U.S. and Australia, respectively. When she first arrived in the U.S., descending over the Las Vegas metro at night, Baw couldn’t believe her eyes as the city lights stretched deep into the desert horizon. The urban sprawl illuminated the unfamiliar desert geography as if stretching into eternity.
WHEN BAW ENROLLED AT BENSON HIGH SCHOOL, SHE WAS SURPRISED TO DISCOVER SEVERAL KAREN CLASSMATES WHO HAD SPENT THEIR CHILDHOOD IN OTHER REFUGEE CAMPS ALONG THE THAI-BURMA BORDER. // 34 //
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From Las Vegas, her brother went to Kentucky, then to Omaha. In Nebraska, he discovered a welcoming community, supportive faith-based organizations of various denominations, and ample job opportunities. Baw and her mother followed in 2012. That same year, the Burmese government signed a ceasefire with the Karen National Union; however, government-sanctioned persecution of Karen and other ethnic minorities continued in Burma’s Karen State. When Baw enrolled at Benson High School, she was surprised to discover several Karen classmates who had spent their childhood in other refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. After graduating, Baw attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a recipient of a Susan T. Buffett Scholarship Award, and she stayed active in Karen community—volunteering and mentoring local Karen youth. In her senior year at UNO, as president of the Karen Student Association, she learned that the City of Omaha had condemned the Yale Park Apartments. Five hundred Omaha-Karen people were suddenly homeless. She and fellow Karen students went to offer their support—and translate—for displaced families and a local nonprofit, Restoring Dignity, which had helped to file housing complaints that prompted the city to close the apartments. The Omaha World-Herald reported: “Inspectors found gas leaks, bedbug infestations, leaky ceilings and mold and eventually cited [landlord Kay] Anderson with a total of 1,962 code violations after conducting a mass inspection of the 100unit complex on Sept. 20, 2018.”
I learned the news from a group chat. People were like, “What is happening?!?” The social workers came out, and journalists came out, but our people still had to go to work. Several of my friends lived over there, too. We worried: What are people going to eat? Where are they going to sleep? The Karen Student Association was concerned, and we wanted to help. We found out they were being taken to temporary shelters inside Adams Park and Columbus Park Community Centers.
I was like, “Whoa, this is just like another refugee camp! There was even one lady who had just given birth to a baby a few days before being evacuated to the gymnasium. It brought up a lot of bad memories. We have all gone through this before, and then it was happening again. It took several months for everyone to find new housing. Some stayed in hotels or motels; others moved in with friends or relatives while waiting.
Life regained normalcy. One year after the “evacuation,” World-Herald reporter Erin Duffy went on a tour of the large apartment complex. She observed repairs ongoing, and members of the Omaha-Karen community were again tenants. Today, the apartments remain popular with the local Karen community, Baw said, due to affordability and convenience of living in close proximity for practicality—carpooling to regional food-processing jobs. In 2019, Baw graduated from UNO with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, minoring in sociology, and she traveled to Burma for the first time on a month-long exchange trip sponsored by the Karen Society of Nebraska. She and two other Nebraska grads from the Karen community stayed at a school in the jungle, where they worked with local 7th through 12th graders. Baw wrote on her personal blog: “I am very passionate about youth and education in Karen State, Myanmar. I am hoping I can advocate for my people through writing and social media. My ultimate mission is to empower and equip youth with leadership and communication skills which will help them to respond to the ever-changing needs of the community.” After returning to the U.S., Baw joined AmeriCorps. She worked as a college coach for low-income students entering UNO and Metropolitan Community College. She concluded the service year working from home as pandemic lockdowns took effect. Meanwhile, her mother and brother—in the same household—continued to work in local food-processing plants.
Pandemic anxieties grew with the spread of the novel coronavirus. By the summer of 2020, COVID-19 was spreading rapidly in the meatpacking workforce. Baw remembers feeling scared when her mom and brother would go to their food-processing jobs, carpooling with others as is common for Omaha-Karen commuters. “Mom, are they really taking care of you,” Baw said she asked. Her mother dismissed the worries, “Oh, I see a lot of hand sanitizer around,” she told the worried daughter. The pandemic dragged on, and the factory gave her mother an oversized t-shirt with a special message: “My work feeds the nation.” Baw’s mother was beaming with pride when she brought it home. “She couldn’t read it, so I translated for her,” the daughter said. “She was so happy to have received this appreciation.” Three people from Omaha’s Karen community died from COVID-19 in 2020, according to the Karen Society of Nebraska, which reported a total of eight Karen deaths statewide due to the pandemic. Karen-specific COVID-19 ethnic data was not available from state or county health departments to corroborate the numbers.
Racism is real. And there is concern in the Karen community that we could be seen as responsible for the pandemic because some people might see our faces and think we look Chinese, that we are somehow responsible for the so-called “Chinese virus” that is hurting our community, too. This is a fear for many Asian people. Over the summer, a Hmong colleague in AmeriCorps—who was based in Minneapolis—told me his grandmother was attacked by two kids because they thought she was Chinese. When I heard that, I was like,“Yo, I have to be careful!”
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FEATURE // Finding Refuge
In a Jan. 25 email from the Douglas County Health Department, senior epidemiologist Dr. Anne O’Keefe explained that food-processing plant labor falls into “Tier II of Phase 1B” of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination prioritization. “With the addition of age 65+ and people with underlying conditions, the timeline for this tier is a little uncertain right now. But at this point we are thinking sometime in March through May,” O’Keefe said.
@OmahaMagazine
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As the pandemic stretched on, Baw admitted she was not sure if her family members would consent to vaccination. “They might not, unless it’s required. Then, of course, they would do it,” she said, adding that many in the Karen community are skeptical of vaccines. Some older people might prefer holistic health remedies. And there is also timeline uncertainty for vaccine availability to “essential” meatpacking labor—including members of Baw’s family and household. Outreach to the Karen community to communicate public health messaging has been an active interest of the Douglas County Health Department and its various community partners (including federally qualified health centers that work with refugee communities). Public health posters and instructions on the department’s website are available translated into Karen, Spanish, Arabic, and several other languages. Nationwide, communities of color have suffered disparate adverse health outcomes from COVID-19. State and county health departments are urging support for vaccination throughout the entire community. Vaccines for COVID-19 will be available to all Nebraskans, regardless of country of origin or immigration status. It’s important for everyone to get vaccinated if they can, O’Keefe said, because that’s the only way that society will be able to get back to normal. In the final days of 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, estimated that 70-80 percent of Americans would need to be vaccinated for a “dramatic decrease” in caseload and attainment of herd immunity—that’s roughly 230 million Americans.
As the first opportunity to be vaccinated approached for Baw’s family members, her father’s words lingered in her mind: “Learn from your mistake and study your weakness.” The weakness here is bigger than any one person—a global pandemic that has killed more than 2,000 Nebraskans, half a million in the U.S., and 2 million worldwide. While the death toll continues to rise, part of the solution comes down to individual choice—the decision to be vaccinated, or not. “We will try to encourage people to get a vaccine as soon as it is ready,” said Moo, the Karen Society of Nebraska chapter president in Omaha. “Doctors in Omaha have given us information to circulate within the community, and we are sharing this.” The Karen Society of Nebraska has also posted pandemic-related public service announcements on its website and Facebook. Although hesitant at first, Baw said she plans to get vaccinated when she becomes eligible. But even when she is inoculated against the disease, whenever that may be, she knows that her own immunity is not enough. In addition to wearing a face mask, social distancing, and frequent hand-washing, she looks to a higher power for support. She prays to God to protect her loved ones from the ongoing pandemic. She prays for her family. She prays for her fellow Nebraskans. And she prays for the future of Karen all around the world— especially those facing continued oppression by the Burmese military.
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BRIGHT NIC BIANCHI POURS HIS HEART INTO CANDLE-MAKING
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
T
GEN O // STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS
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BIANCHI CANDLE CO. FOUNDER AND CEO NIC BIANCHI RUNS A FULL-TIME BUSINESS, AND, LIKE OTHER ENTREPRENEURS, HE HAS TO FIND A WORK/ LIFE BALANCE. UNLIKE OTHER ENTREPRENEURS, HE’S FINISHING HIS LAST SEMESTER OF HIGH SCHOOL. BIANCHI, NOW 18, STARTED HIS HANDPOURED CANDLE BUSINESS WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD.
Bianchi’s mom, Nicole, said she and husband Dave saw a glimpse of the entrepreneur their son would become when he designed a business logo at age 7. “He created this out of construction paper. He pasted it on the outside of his bedroom door as if this were going to be his upcoming business,” she said. “For his 12th birthday, I had a graphic designer turn it into an actual logo.” Bianchi had already launched his first retail venture, selling trinkets and toys to his elementary-school classmates at recess. He presented a seed investment proposal to his folks, put together a catalog (“with a logo, of course,” his mother said) and hired a couple of classmates as sales representatives. The endeavor didn’t integrate his skills as craftsman, though, so Bianchi tried his hand at woodworking and leather goods before finding his niche in hand-poured, all-natural soy wax and soy wax-blend candles. Candlemaking plays to his natural aptitudes, he said. “There’s a lot of math and science that goes into candles, shockingly, from the ratios for the scent to wax, to what kind of wick burns all around the radius of it, to how hot will the candle get before the jar cracks or bursts, to the chemical makeup of the label to make sure it won’t catch fire or burn,” he said. “There’s a lot of these little details that customers will never know in their daily lives but as a manufacturer it’s very smart to add those things in as little details to make your candle that much more special.” “He nitpicks—‘Nic-picks’—about the little details,” Blue Pomegranate Gallery owner Sondra Gerber said. She met Bianchi and his mother at craft fair-type events where Bianchi was selling his candles and was impressed at his polished communication skills and product knowledge. She was surprised to discover that he was 15 years old at the time. “He knocked my socks off.” At his first craft fair he sold 165 candles in one day. “I’m impressed with his creativity and his eye for detail and how he’s always moving and creating and problem-solving,” she said. Gerber also said she’s enjoyed watching Bianchi’s business, which has moved from the family garage to manufacturing space with several employees in downtown Papillion, evolve and grow. “He has so much room for expansion for this.”
I SEE HIM BUILDING BUSINESSES AND SIMULTANEOUSLY BUILDING A FOUNDATION THAT WILL SOMEHOW BENEFIT THE WORLD…I THINK HE’S DESTINED FOR GREAT THINGS AND I CAN’T WAIT TO WATCH HIS FUTURE UNFOLD. -NICOLE BIANCHI
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GEN O // STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS
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IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU, ‘YOU CAN’T DO IT,’ THAT SHOULD INSPIRE YOU TO DO IT THAT MUCH MORE. ENTREPRENEURS NEED TO KNOW THEY NEED TO KEEP GETTING BACK UP NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY.
-NIC BIANCHI
”
The company’s candles are available for sale on his company website and at nearly 20 locations, from Omaha-area Hy-Vees to a store in Pitkin, Colorado. In 2017, Bianchi introduced a line of candles with themes such as bravery, gratitude, and perseverance that now also includes a “hero” series paying tribute to health care workers, first responders, and members of the military. Bianchi, whose father is a detective with the Omaha Police Department, also created a “Kerrie-On” candle in 2015 for the late OPD officer Kerrie Orozco. Sales of that candle exceeded $1,000, with Bianchi selling 125 candles in about 12 hours. “The ‘Yes You Candle’ line stands for the stance to inspire in yourself and others around you,” he said, adding that the hero candles support corresponding nonprofits. Bianchi Candle Co. candles are made without dyes, so they are all white. The family name not only fittingly means “white,” Bianchi said, it also connects to generations of artisans in Grondola, Italy. “We learned a lot about the heritage of our direct family,” Bianchi said. “It’s a big artisanship family and everything they do is by hand.”
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Celebrating 20 Years in Business!
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Running a full-time business as a teenager hasn’t been without its sacrifices, Bianchi said. He has given up sports (in junior high he played basketball and competed in track and field) and other extracurricular activities at Papillion-La Vista South. He also had some naysayers at the beginning.
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“If people are going to tell you, ‘you can’t do it,’ that should inspire you to do it that much more,” he said. “Entrepreneurs need to know they need to keep getting back up no matter what people say.” Being a business owner has allowed him to meet interesting people, see new places, and learn useful things, Bianchi emphasized. “This is what I want to do, and this is a choice. It’s not taking away from [typical teenage] activities but replacing them.” “We never pushed him,” Nicole said. “Nic drives it, and we weigh in and sprinkle in our perspective and try to help guide along the way.” Bianchi is still working out the details of his post-graduation life. “Right now, my main idea is to keep the company going, hopefully make it big enough to step back and have someone else run the day-to-day,” he said. “I really want to open up other companies and a nonprofit to help bring environmental awareness to a lot of people.” “I don’t think he’s going to run a candle business for the rest of his life. This is a stepping stone to something much greater,” Bianchi agreed. “I see him building businesses and simultaneously building a foundation that will somehow benefit the world…I think he’s destined for great things and I can’t wait to watch his future unfold.” Visit bianchicandleco.com for more information.
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HISTORY
The Old Market in 1900, Howard Street looking west from 10th Street.
50 Y E A RS WA SN’ T T HE BEGINNING
t
he Old Market marked 50 years as an entertainment district in 2020.
Long before it became a popular place to eat, shop, and live, the area was a hub where produce was sold. Warehouses were replaced by the current trendy shops and restaurants; before that (1850s-1870s), the area was mostly residential.
The Old Market’s first big challenge arose in the late 1800s when city officials in Omaha decided they wanted to build a Market House, a large building where vendors could sell produce directly to consumers at Capitol Avenue from North 12th to North 14th avenues. These market houses were common in larger cities at this time—and as Omaha’s population grew (Nebraska’s population // 42 //
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doubled from 1880-1890) many people wanted to mimic larger cities—but opponents said the existence of the Market House would threaten the Old Market’s status as a hub for produce distribution. Old Market vendors, led by landowner Dr. Samuel D. Mercer, banded together to oppose this Market House, which was built in 1903. Mercer owned many buildings in the downtown area, including a building that was then used as a marketplace. Many vendors refused to sell at the Market House and it wasn’t the public hit officials had anticipated, closing within a year. In 1907, the building was repurposed for use by the Nebraska National Guard and by 1909 was used by the zoo as a place to house some animals in the winter months. The structure was demolished in 1910.
STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE DURHAM’S KMTV/BOSTWICK-FROHARDT COLLECTION // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
Throughout this time, Omaha continued to build, and the district where the markets sat continued to be a mainstay of the city. Dr. Nelson Mercer, Samuel’s son, continued developing the area in the 1870s. The area saw vibrancy until the 1950s, when changes to the grocery industry brought the market to a halt. The area began to decline, but in the 1960s, the Mercer family—which owned many buildings in the Old Market—set out to transform it into an entertainment district. The first retail shop opened in 1967. By 1968, Roger DuRand owned a head shop at 1106 Jackson St. The French Cafe (now Le Bouillon) opened in 1969. Many people were critical of the transformation and thought it was strange. One move that was particularly regarded as strange was the making of the photographic, much-loved Passageway. In 1973, Nelson Mercer’s nephew, Nicholas Bonham-Carter, had an idea as he looked at the building the family owned on the northeast corner of 11th and Howard. To the east of that building was another Mercer-owned property with an alley running between them. Bonham-Carter excavated the alley below grade and opened both buildings’ basements, paving the floors with brick salvaged from the old road to Fort Calhoun. The resulting passageway was roofed over and shops built on balconies on both sides from the basement level to the top floors. In January 1979, paperwork was filed to nominate the Old Market for a designation as a historical district with the National Park Service. A handwritten addition to the typed application listed the Old Market to be, “bounded by 13th, Farnam, 10th and Jackson St.” The application further states the boundaries were ”chosen to maintain uniformity. Demolition in blocks to the north, west, and south has destroyed the integrity of those areas.” The application also noted that east of the Old Market “there is a potential historic district of 20th century jobbing houses” which was to be “nominated at a future date.” That district, known as Jobbers Canyon, was packed with warehouses and was described as “canyon-like created by the massive brick jobbing houses” in the nomination form to the National Park Service. The area joined the ranks of designated historic districts in 1986 but had a large portion of the buildings torn down in 1989 for the construction of Conagra’s campus, a move that garnered national attention as Jobbers Canyon became the first whole district to be demolished since the national preservation act was passed in 1966, Though Jobbers Canyon’s designation as a historic district didn’t save it from demolition, the Old Market boasts some buildings that have withstood the test of time.
OMAHA FIRE STATION NO. 1 Originally constructed in 1904 for the cost of $30,000, the building in which Upstream Brewing Co. now resides was once Omaha Fire Station No. 1. The ground floor consisted of stables and stalls for the horses of the fire squad. The second floor housed the sleeping quarters and recreational space for the firefighters.
Despite a fire that damaged the roof in 1917, the building remained the city’s firehouse until the 1940s. It changed hands a few times, acting as a warehouse and garage until 1972 when the top two floors were put to use as a community theater aptly named the Firehouse Dinner Theater. Fire then damaged the stage in 1975 due to an arsonist, but the building survived. The theater closed in 1991, and four years later the building was purchased by Brian Magee, who opened the Upstream Brewing Co. WINDSOR SQUARE APARTMENTS
The Windsor Hotel once held the distinction of being the oldest operating hotel in the Old Market. Built in 1885, the retail spaces of the hotel once hosted “saloons, barber shops, pawnbrokers, and cafes,” according to the nomination form designating the Old Market as a historical district. The hotel closed in 1979, which was the same year the request for historical district designation was made. Despite several renovations throughout its years in operation that compromised the original architectural features that made it historically significant, the building is still considered an important part of the Old Market’s past. The building reopened as apartments in 1985. The south side of the building features a lion fountain that was installed around 1994 as a memorial to the building owner’s grandson, who passed away at a young age. THE OLD MERCER BLOCK
Built in 1890, the Mercer Hotel building only served as a hotel for approximately 10 years. In 1900, the building was renovated into warehouse space. The exterior details remained mostly intact despite the radical change in use, from hotel to candy warehouse to a printing company to a furniture warehouse. The French Café opened on the block in 1969 and is largely credited as the catalyst that revitalized the building. M’s Pub followed in 1973. In early 2016, an explosion and fire ripped through the building, caused by a gas leak. M’s Pub reopened late 2017. The Old Market—and the businesses located there—have a history of overcoming obstacles while evolving and thriving. It’s an entertainment district with the dichotomy of being rich in history while maintaining its status as one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the state. Visit oldmarket.com for more information.
The Old Market’s first big challenge arose in the late 1800s when city officials in Omaha decided they wanted to build a Market House, a large building where vendors could sell produce directly to consumers at Capitol Avenue from North 12th to North 14th Avenues. MARCH/APRIL 2021
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
TO LA DA DA
Encouraging Diversity & Inclusion in District 66 Tola Dada once started every basketball game at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, scoring in double figures 11 times. He had a career high of 21 points against Northern Colorado. These days, Dada is less often found courtside, and more often found WE-SIDE. There’s a myth permeating Omaha that Tola Dada would like to dispel. The assistant principal at Westside High School knows many people living outside District 66—which includes schools such as Westbrook Elementary, Westside Middle School, and Westside High School—tend to assume every parent in the area is affluent and the district lacks diversity. It’s a misconception Dada once believed himself. “One thing that surprised me, is Westside High is more diverse than I thought,” Dada said, recalling his initial days at the high school. “There’s still the perception that Westside is 95% white and everybody’s parents make $200,000 a year, and that’s not true.” The Nigerian-born educator joined the staff at Westside after leaving Bellevue East in 2019. Working as a biology and science teacher, basketball coach, and dean of students over his six-year stint at Bellevue East, Dada enjoyed a diverse atmosphere where students got along regardless of race or how much someone’s parents made per year.
Shifts from Courtside to WE-SIDE
The atmosphere reminded him of fond memories playing UNO basketball and winning a conference championship in 2004 with a diverse group of teammates.
His experience with, and interest in, people in all parts of the education system was a factor in his being hired at Westside. As with basketball, building relationships with his team of students and staff is a priority, and that has led to him being a top-notch educator.
“Tola is an outstanding leader and educator, and an incredible asset to the Westside team,” said Mike Lucas, Ed.D., superintendent of Westside Community Schools. “We hired Tola because of his exceptional skill set, experience, and proven impact he has on students and coworkers.”
SPORTS
Story by J.D. Avant
Dada was pleased to find a similar feeling of diversity at Westside when he joined as one of the district’s first Black administrators. Westside Principal Jay Opperman points towards demographic and statistical profiles to highlight the community’s progression. “Westside is a community and school district that has seen significant change,” Opperman said, noting the area’s demographic transformation over the past 15 to 20 years. A look at Westside Community Schools Demographic and Statistical Profile for 2019-2020 highlights these changes, including an increased population of nonwhite students, students qualifying for special education services, and those qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. “We are a much better representation of Omaha and what the city truly is,” Opperman said. Events such as local protests and the murder of James Scurlock stirred district leadership and the board of education to take a close look at their policies. They want to make sure every student is treated with dignity, support, and love. On June 15, the district passed a resolution in which they pledged to renew some community advisory groups, press harder to decrease bias, and seek remedies to problems. This is why District 66 created the WE-SIDE Community Council. An acronym for Welcoming Equity Support Inclusion Dignity for Everyone, the council was formed to achieve district goals for equity and respect no matter a student’s background. The initial council is small, consisting of custodial members, behavior interventionists, and in-school representatives such as Dada. In the future, they plan to expand and incorporate student groups along with teachers and community envoys.
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SPORTS
Savor the experience
“Tola, Ericka, Gary— they just talked, they shared stories about interactions they’ve had and things they’ve experienced being Black in America, in Omaha, and at Westside.” -Brandi Paul Ericka Payton is the principal at Westside High School—West Campus and a member of the WE-SIDE Community Council. She commends district leadership for its commitment and willingness to acknowledge sensitive issues and face them head-on.
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“Since we weren’t in session, we couldn’t see how the George Floyd incident firsthand impacted the school,” Payton said. “We did see how it impacted the city of Omaha with the protests and things going on. It was an eye-opener for stakeholders in the district.” As the first female Black administrator in the region, Payton has taken a special interest in the council’s initiatives. Her biggest goal for the council’s first year is for people to acknowledge and recognize their biases. “Some may feel this work doesn’t apply to them because they have Black friends or they feel they treat everyone the same,” Payton said. “Bringing a lot of implicit biases people have to the forefront will help start doing the work to make changes.
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“We can’t pretend they’re not feeling that way,” she continued. “We can’t pretend like people all over the country didn’t see a white police officer with his knee on the neck of a Black man killed in the streets of Minnesota. We can’t pretend our young ladies don’t feel like they could’ve been Breonna Taylor, in their beds sleeping and not waking up because police went into the wrong house.”
Dada thinks conversations about race and police brutality with his children will carry on to his students at school.
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“It’s challenging,” he admitted, “hard to know what’s too much and what’s too little. You just explain the best that you can.” Fortunately, the WE-SIDE council was built to help teachers and administrators in the district tackle these tough issues. The foundation of their goals will include diversifying staff to gain a variety of perspectives and making sure the curriculum is covering a range of cultures. “The WE-SIDE Community Forums were extremely powerful events,” said Brandi Paul, director of Communications & Engagement for Westside Community Schools. “These were opportunities to hear personal experiences from the men and women we work with every day. Tola, Ericka, Gary [Gould]—they just talked, they shared stories about interactions they’ve had and things they’ve experienced being Black in America, in Omaha, and at Westside. Their candidness and vulnerability allowed us all perspective I don’t think we would’ve had otherwise. I left that meeting with new perspective that I believe and hope will help me, and all of us, better serve all of the learners and families we work with every day.”
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“One thing that I think is important is more diversity in honors and advanced classes,” Dada said. “When you walk into an AP government or chemistry class you want to see representations of all backgrounds.”
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Opperman applauds the efforts of every member of the council, especially his colleague, Dada. “I greatly appreciate Tola’s ability to connect with all students,” he said. “When we started school last year, his perspective growing up as a Black man in Omaha was good for me, my team, and our school. We want great people and we want them to reflect the city of Omaha and Westside. Tola Dada does that.” Visit westside66.org for more information.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
To Strong Families and V ibrant Businesses
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
GIVING PROFILE // STORY BY DAWN GONZALES
LaVonya Goodwin Cleans Up North 24th Street
A
PERSON CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT A NEIGHBORHOOD BY SPENDING SOME TIME PICKING UP TRASH DURING A COMMUNITY CLEANUP DAY. ACCORDING TO LAVONYA GOODWIN, ONE LEARNS ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
She spoke from experience, as she has organized multiple cleanup days over the last few years, specifically along and near North 24th Street, right in the heart of her North Omaha neighborhood. Cleanup days so are successful they have ignited major change among residents and business owners who want something better. Goodwin, an Omaha native, has strong ties to North Omaha, especially North 24th Street. Her father-in-law, Dan Goodwin Sr., operated the longest running barbershop in Nebraska, Goodwin’s Spencer Street Barbershop. Now, Dan Goodwin Jr. continues the legacy of the shop, owning the building and a home nearby. LaVonya is acutely familiar with all that goes on near the neighborhood and its vibrant and storied history that stretches back before the race riots of the 1960s. “If we think we are fighting race now, what were our great-grandparents fighting back then?” Goodwin asked. “There has been an us-against-them mentality. Lack of trust, a racially charged environment, and violence in the streets. It makes it hard to communicate when there is all this going on and it is hard to communicate it in a racially charged [year].” Goodwin said that the environment of 2020 brought up all the past realities of race and still has people wondering if we believed a lie about America being past the racial biases and inequities, specifically on North 24th Street. “You can’t sweep the reality under the rug. You still have to motivate people for a new day,” Goodwin said. Her motivation comes from a vision she has for making her community better. To not only engage those who live and work near North 24th Street, but to get the City of Omaha involved. The neighborhood cleanups that Goodwin established while leading the Global Leadership Group, a local nonprofit established to “restore North 24th Street to a place where strong families live, vibrant businesses thrive, and beautiful neighborhoods grow” was the spark needed for change. Cleaning up was just the start. It would take many conversations and enough people who wanted to be included in the action of creating a more vibrant neighborhood to make a change for the better. “In 2018 we realized there was a need for a business improvement district,” Goodwin said. “It is amazing what you learn about a community by picking up trash. You can’t walk along the sidewalks because they are original brick sidewalks, never concrete. People with disabilities were maneuvering in the street because it was safer to do that than navigate the uneven bricks which were laid decades ago.” She said that there are many commercial property owners and a strong rental population in the area. The business district would give the group what was needed to help repair infrastructure and improve aesthetic. By February 2019, she and her group of volunteers had invited everyone in the area, with about 70 people who wanted the idea to move forward. Goodwin began with an interim board of 11 community members who were committed to the process, and on June 2, 2020, the group received approval from the City of Omaha for the creation of the North 24th Street Business Improvement District. This is one of only six in Omaha.
Goodwin explained that there is a bureaucratic process to establish a business improvement district, and she makes it clear that it is not a neighborhood association, not a business association—it is established by state statute with the board being appointed by the mayor and approved by city council. This BID (business improvement district) is the first of its kind for North Omaha. Consisting primarily of commercial property, the district is bounded by Meredith and Cuming streets from 22nd to 25th streets. Chris Rodgers, Douglas County Commissioner representing District 3, has known Goodwin since summer 1992 when the two worked as college interns at the Omaha World-Herald. “LaVonya has the organizational skills and the know-how to get it done,” Rodgers said. “The time was right for this business improvement district to happen and she has the work ethic and authenticity to have it all come together.” Rodgers also said that with her commitment and family ties in the North Omaha community, Goodwin has the support from business owners to help make it successful. Three part-time groundskeepers were hired and started in August to assist with litter control. Goodwin wants results that people can see immediately, and she is working to ensure there is visible progress. Vacant lots have been cleaned up, the Global Leadership Group has purchased some of these, and a community garden has produced food and friendships among those tending it. “Now we are getting our arms around it. We will soon launch a streetscape plan that will be like the Benson BID and will include a $1.3 million landscaping and street plan,” Goodwin said with excitement. As a city councilman, Rodgers said it is his job to make sure the corridor is strong. “North 24th Street is powerful in its symbolism. It is the heart of North Omaha and you can just feel the momentum growing,” he added. Goodwin said the end goal is economic development of this once thriving business district. “The riots were the beginning of the decline. I want to see multiple businesses return to the area…a pharmacy, grocery stores, doctors, dentists, movie theaters, making it more attractive to residents and businesses.”
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GIVING
CALENDAR MARCH/APRIL 2 0 2 1
FEATURED EVENT
April 14 (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
2021 Virtual Author Luncheon, featuring Dan Harris completelykids.org
Completely KIDS and Creighton University School of Dentistry Program for Ignatian Mindfulness host this year’s luncheon, presented by Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. Virtual keynote speaker is Dan Harris, award-winning ABC News Anchor and No. 1 New York Times best-selling author of 10% Happier.
Through March THE UN-GATHERING Benefitting: CUES supported schools Location: Various —cuesschools.org
March 7 (11 a.m.) VIRTUAL WALK AND ROLL FOR DISABILITIES Benefiting: Meyer Foundation for Disabilities Location: Oak View Mall —mfdisabilities.org
March 27 (6:30-9 p.m.) BOURBON AND BLUEGRASS Benefiting: Omaha Community Playhouse Location: Omaha Community Playhouse —omahaplayhouse.com/
March 4 (7 p.m.) CELEBRITY CHEF 2021: CURTIS STONE Benefitting: Food Bank for the Heartland Location: Live-Streamed Culinary Demonstration —foodbankheartland.org
March 9 (11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.) HEROES IN THE HEARTLAND LUNCHEON Benefiting: American Red Cross Location: Hilton Downtown —redcross.org/neia
March 5 (7:30-8:30 p.m.) NOURISHING HUNGRY BODIES AND SOULS VOICES OF CREATIVITY Benefiting: Table Grace Location: Online —tablegracecafe.com
March 14 (6-10 p.m.) MERCY HERITAGE DINNER Benefitting: CHI Health Location: Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs —chihealth.com
March 27 (4-10 p.m.) THE BIG BASH Benefiting: Big Brothers Big Sisters Location: Online —bbbsomaha.org —nightofknights.org/
March
March 6 (7 a.m.) VIRTUAL: HEAT THE STREETS Benefiting: Local Energy Assistance Programs Location: Online —heatthestreetsomaha.org
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March 21 (6 p.m.) CELEBRATION OF SPIRIT DINNER Benefiting: Notre Dame Sisters Location: Online —notredamesisters.org
March 28 HUG A HORSE Benefiting: Urban Acres Horse Rescue Location: Urban Acres Horse Rescue —facebook.com/UrbanAcresRescue March 31 to April 11 (Virtual) FESTA DEL LEONE Benefiting: Roncalli Catholic High School Location: Online —roncallicatholic.org
// GIVING CALENDAR // April 1 (6:30-9 p.m.) ASSURE WOMEN'S CENTER IMAGINE BANQUET Benefiting: Assure Women’s Center Location: CHI Health Center —firststeptolife.com April 4 (5-9 p.m.) HEART OF CAMP GALA Benefiting: Carol Joy Holling Camp Location: La Vista Conference Center —cjhcenter.org/gala
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April 6 (all day) FIRST TUESDAY EAT Benefiting: Society of St. Vincent de Paul Location: Various —svdpomaha.com April 7 (10:30 a.m.) ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF OMAHA STYLE SHOW Benefitting: ALO Location: Champion's Run —alomaha.org April 8 (6-9 p.m.) COMEDY FOR CHANGE Benefiting: Set Me Free Project Location: A View on State —setmefreeproject.net/comedy April 9 (5-10 p.m.) RELAY FOR LIFE OF CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY Benefiting: American Cancer Society Location: Kiewit Fitness Center —cancer.org April 10 Virtual MOUNTOPOLY! Benefitting: Mount Michael Benedictine School Location: Online April 11 (5:30-9 p.m.) ROCK THE NEST TRIVIA NIGHT Benefiting: Central High School Location: Online —chsfomaha.org April 12-18 (times vary) KICKS FOR A CURE ANNUAL SOCCER EXHIBITION Benefiting: Kicks for a Cure Location: varies —kicksforacure.org April 14 (12-1 p.m.) SPEAKING OF CHILDREN LUNCHEON WITH DIANA NYAD Benefiting: Ending Child Abuse Location: Online —projectharmony.com/events/ speaking-of-children/
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
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// GIVING CALENDAR // April 14 (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) 2021 AUTHOR LUNCHEON, FEATURING DAN HARRIS Benefiting: Completely Kids Location: Online —completelykids.org April 15 (6-9 p.m.) OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME Benefiting: Greater Omaha Chamber Location: Holland Performing Arts Center —omahachamber.org/bhof April 15 (7-p.m.) VIRTUAL CIRCLE OF DREAMS Benefiting: St. Augustine Indian Mission Location: Online —staugustinemission.org April 16 (7-8 a.m.) COMMUNITY BREAKFAST Benefiting: Bellevue Public Schools Foundation Location: Lied Activity Center —bellevuepublicschoolsfoundation.org April 17 Virtual COMEDY AND CUISINE Benefiting: St. Cecilia Cathedral School Location: Online —stcecilia.net April 17 (5-10 p.m.) KICKS FOR A CURE ANNUAL DINNER Benefiting: Kicks for a Cure Location: Marriott Downtown —kicksforacure.org
April 18 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) ANNUAL SPRING LUNCHEON Benefiting: Santa Monica House Location: Scott Conference Center —santamonicahouse.org
April 24 (5-8 p.m.) BASH 2021 Benefiting: Creighton Prep Location: Heider Center at Creighton Prep —creightonprep.creighton.edu
April 18 (6 p.m.) BARRISTER’S BALL Benefiting: Nebraska Lawyers Foundation programs Location: Embassy Suites, La Vista —nevlp.org
April 25 (9 a.m.-noon) NEBRASKA LYMPHOMA WALK Benefiting: Lymphoma Research Foundation Location: Mahoney State Park —lymphoma.org
April
18
April 18 (5:30-10 p.m.) SIXTH ANNUAL PINK RIBBON AFFAIR Benefiting: Susan G. Komen Foundation Location: Hilton Omaha —komennebraska.org
April 25 (5-11 p.m.) BLUE JEANS & DREAMS Benefiting: Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy Location: HETRA barn —hetra.org
April 21-24 (Virtual) CLAUSSEN-LEAHY MAVERICK RUN Benefiting: UNO Athletics Location: Online —omavs.com
April 25 (6-9 p.m.) BLACK TIE & TAILS Benefiting: Nebraska Humane Society Location: Omaha Marriott at the Capitol District —nehumanesociety.org
April 22 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) INSPIRING: GUILD SPRING LUNCHEON Benefiting: Lauritzen Gardens Location: Lauritzen Gardens —lauritzengardens.org April 22 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) CAN DO LUNCHEON Benefiting: Kids Can Location: Marriott at Capitol District —kidscan.org
April 17 (5:30 p.m.) 25 YEARS - MENTORING THE 100 WAY Benefiting: 100 Black Men of Omaha Location: Hilton Omaha —100blackmenomaha.org
April 22-24 Virtual OMAHA ARTVENTURE SILENT AUCTION AND RECEPTION Benefiting: Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska Location: Online —girlscoutsnebraska.org
April 17 (5:30-9 p.m.) CIRCLE OF DREAMS Benefiting: St. Augustine Mission School Location: Champions Run —staugustinemission.org
April 23 (noon) TABLE ART 2020 Benefiting: Omaha Symphony Guild Location: Champions Run —omahasymphony.org
April 17 NIGHT OF CELEBRATION Benefiting: CHI Location: —chihealth.org
April 23 (7 p.m.) GUNS & HOSES Benefiting: First Responders Foundation Location: Baxter Arena —firstrespondersomaha.org
April 17 (6-10 p.m.) HOPE BREWS Benefiting: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Location: Founders One-Nine —cff.org/Nebraska
April 24, 25, 30 (times vary) BOWL FOR KIDS' SAKE Benefiting: Big Brothers Big Sisters Location: TBD —bbbsomaha.org
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April 26 (3 p.m.) POPS AND PIE Benefiting: Intergenerational Orchestra of Omaha Location: Christ Community Church —igoomaha.org
April
25
April 27 (Virtual) BOOSTER 2020 BANQUET FEATURING ANTHONY ROBLES Benefiting: Boys Town Location: Online —boystown.org April 29 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) FUSION 2020 FEATURING CINDY LEVY Benefiting: Nebraska Medicine Guild Location: Omaha Design Center —nebraskamed.com/about-us/guild Event times and details may change.
Visit omahamagazine.com for complete listings. Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.
60 OMAHA s u l p
Mar./Apr. 2021
Dave Biehl
Fred A. Bosselman, founder of Bosselman Travel Centers, asked Dave to create a monumentsized sculpture of the Martin brothers, two boys who escaped an Indian attack on horseback near the current Doniphan, Nebraska, in 1864.
60+ ACTIVE LIVING // STORY BY JACKIE FOX // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
Sculpting Casts on Cats to Casting Cat Sculptures Retired Veterinarian Uses Anatomy Knowledge as Artist lthough some people live straightforward lives, working as a scientist and retaining scientifically minded hobbies in retirement, Dave Biehl, 70, is enjoying a successful third act as a self-taught bronze sculptor in Elkhorn. Dave’s childhood dream was to be a veterinarian. He achieved that dream, and practiced veterinary medicine for 39 years. While running his Hastings practice, he found it difficult to get all the supplies he needed. So, Dave and his wife, Cindy, pioneered an online veterinary supply store in 1996. It was intended to be a catalog, until Dave attended a presentation about the then-nascent internet. He sat near a computer expert who helped him launch an online business—his second job. That “right place, right time” karma and pioneering spirit resurfaced in 2003, when Dave decided to take up bronze sculpting. He and Cindy were traveling to Estes Park, Colorado, and their route took them through Loveland, which was having its annual Sculpture in the Park show. Dave was fascinated by a demonstration of clay modeling as the first step in bronze sculpting. When they left, he told Cindy, “I can do that.” Dave often sculpts animals, aided by his knowledge of animal anatomy. He’s a stickler for correct proportions, which he said people really notice with horses. “No one knows if you get something wrong on a bear, but people spot mistakes on a horse right away.” Dave’s first sculpture was a grizzly bear and her cub escaping a forest fire. His second was a little boy sneaking behind a mare to rope her foal. He called it “Catching Trouble.” Dave said, “That’s the first sculpture people got excited about.” ►
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In Omaha, Dave’s work includes a large sculpture of Dr. Lee Simmons and his wife Marie with a baby gorilla, which stands near the north entrance of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. ave’s first commissioned sculpture was in 2009, when the Burwell Rodeo tapped him to create a bareback bronc and rider. His next commission became widely known. Fred A. Bosselman, founder of Bosselman Travel Centers, asked Dave to create a monument-sized sculpture of the Martin brothers, two boys who escaped a Native American attack on horseback near what is now Doniphan, Nebraska, in 1864. Bosselman was a veterinary client of Dave’s as well as a friend. He knew Dave was a sculptor and had seen several of his smaller pieces. One night after the two played a round of golf, he asked Dave if he knew the Martin brothers story. “I did and that led us to an agreement written on a napkin to do a life-size bronze,” Dave said. “Fred took a chance on me because I had never done one.” The seven-and-a half-foot tall result, called “A Narrow Escape,” was installed in Bosselman’s yard. “People gave Fred a hard time because only he got to see it, so he bought four more,” Dave said. They are displayed at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Hastings Museum, Kearney Archway, and Bosselman Energy on Highway 281. Dave did so much research on the Martin brothers he told Cindy someone should write a book. She replied, “No one knows more about it than you.” In 2013, he published The Martin Brothers through Prairie Muse Books Inc. He also learned there is no instant gratification in sculpting. Large sculptures may take anywhere from several months to more than a year. “The Martin brothers took about a year and it felt like forever,” Dave said. Once the sculpture was installed in central Nebraska, his phone started ringing off the hook and other commissions followed. He’s since learned to break large works into smaller deadlines. Dave’s first love is still bronze. His largest-ever work, called “We Stayed,” is a pioneer family. Suggested by philanthropist Rhonda Seacrest for the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, it includes a father at a plow, a mother hanging laundry, and three children. The specific location // 56 //
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and timeline are yet to be announced, but the plan is for the sculptures to be installed this spring and dedicated in June or July in western Nebraska. Seacrest approached the foundation about having a sculpture to commemorate people who settled in Nebraska, and members suggested she meet with Dave. “We were on the same page from the get-go,” Dave said. “We share an interest in history, and she said I don’t care so much about people who traveled through Nebraska territory to get to the West Coast—my people stayed.” Dave responded, “My people stayed too.” Seacrest coined the name “We Stayed” for the sculptures. After the meeting, Dave approached artist Casey Marsh to sketch his sculpture vision, which he then shared with Seacrest, who loved it, Dave said. Marsh’s sketch serves more as a rendering than a blueprint. “After getting started on a project I don’t really follow drawings or pictures and that’s what happened here,” Dave said. “I made subtle changes to enhance the feeling and emotion.” One involved changing one of the girls from crouching by the laundry basket to standing and handing her mother a clothespin. Dave likes to nickname anonymous figures and in this case he named the family after his and Cindy’s ancestors. The father, Anton, and the barefoot boy, Joseph, are named after Cindy’s great-grandfathers who homesteaded in Butler County. The mother, Anna, and the sisters, Esther and Elizabeth, are named after Dave’s grandmother and great-grandmother, who settled in Dawson County. When installed, the sculptures will be placed in a roughly 90-foot semicircle with a sidewalk and a bench for viewing and reflection. Dave also created storylines to go with each piece. For example, when you walk up to the six-foot-three Anton at his plow, you’ll learn the importance of having two good horses and that he’s plowing sod a foot wide and four inches thick that he will later cut into pieces for the family’s sod house. “I like trying to put myself in their place and time,” Dave said. “In the end my goal is to create something that provides an emotional response and helps people understand what these incredibly tough people endured.”
In Omaha, Dave’s work includes a large sculpture of Dr. Lee Simmons and his wife, Marie, with a baby gorilla, which stands near the north entrance of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. A sculpture of Marine Corps Lance Corporal Miguel Keith, who was awarded the Medal of Honor after he was killed in combat in Vietnam at age 18, resides at his namesake park. More than 60 of Dave’s 75-plus sculptures were commissioned. One that was not is of Kobus, a Belgian Malinois K-9 officer killed in the line of duty in 2016. “I started sculpting Kobus because it was the right thing to do,” Dave said. An anonymous donor provided funding, and the sculpture is on display at the Omaha Police Department Canine Training Center. Dave is a resident artist at Old Towne Elkhorn’s Main Street Studios and Art Gallery, which opened in 2016. When the Biehls retired to Elkhorn in 2015, their realtor was a family friend of gallery owner Tyler Curnes. She put Dave in touch with Curnes, who was rehabbing the historic building to make it galleryready. “Dave actually designed his own space in the building,” Curnes said. He calls Dave a great fit, not only for his talent but “because he’s personable and more than willing to help someone understand how bronze sculpting works.” Dave was so taken by working with glass that he purchased a small kiln from Curnes and keeps it in his home studio, a converted garage. “He wanted to experiment with melting glass and has used the kiln a lot,” Cindy said. “He made several clocks this winter, which he calls his COVID clock collection.” Cindy has taken up glass art, creating pendants and other small pieces she sells as fundraisers for PEO, a philanthropy organization that helps women through scholarships and grants. Like Dave, she has an eye for possibilities. “I saw a friend wearing a glass pendant and I really liked it,” she said. “And we had a lot of small leftover glass pieces from Dave’s art that could be put to good use.” Dave enjoys his third act because it combines his creative talents with his love of nature and history. “I like working with my hands and bringing something to life. Sculpture lets me tell stories future generations can enjoy.”
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60+ PROFILE // STORY BY J.D. AVANT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
A Bald-Faced Story Jill McCormick & a Lifetime of Horseplay
H
ORSES ARE SOME OF HUMANKIND’S
oldest domesticated animals. According to National Geographic, they were originally tamed as beasts of burden around 4,000 years ago by Asian wanderers, and people’s views and feelings towards the equine species have since evolved.
Loving owners such as Jill (DeMontigny) McCormick cherish the animals for more than their function. She considers them part of her extended family and appreciates their beauty and unparalleled athleticism. McCormick’s seven-plus acres, located off of 120th and Giles streets, is home to a mixture of horses, donkeys, and mules. Her family has always appreciated steeds, dating back to her father’s days as a rodeo rider. “Dad probably rode rodeo in the ’50s,” McCormick said. “He met my mother in Ralston...and had a pen down the tracks where he broke and traded horses. He stopped riding rodeo when he started working for Burlington Railroad.” Her father, Jim DeMontigny, may have stopped riding rodeo while working for the railroad company, but he never stopped loving horses. McCormick recalled DeMontigny trading, training, and rehabilitating broken steeds until his passing in February 2018. One of his most memorable animals was a beautiful bald-faced horse he rode in parades around town. “Dad really went out of his way to name things,” McCormick said when trying to recall the animal’s handle. “So, his name was probably Bald-face. They’re considered bald-faced if the white goes behind their eyes and behind their muzzle. Best horse you ever saw.” She remembered the horse was striking to look at, with a chestnut-colored coat, white legs, black legs, and a splash of white covering his face. While the horse’s name was unassuming, McCormick referenced her late father’s Native American heritage as justification for the moniker. “That’s what Natives did,” she said. “That’s how they named things. Whatever they were, that was the name. Dad was a registered Chippewa Indian from the Turtle Mountain reservation in North Dakota.” // 58 //
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Bald-faced horses are prized in Native American culture, including the rare “Medicine Hat” with its mostly white body and colored patch on top of its head and ears. Native legends claim these unique animals held magical powers that protected both horse and rider. McCormick claimed her father’s bald-face was equally beautiful and unpredictable, showing a different personality any time someone mounted him. Her father rode his prized steed in parades around town wearing a full headdress and authentic Native American riding gear. McCormick remembered DeMontigny always wanted a black bald-faced horse. He even wrote a poem to one of her sons professing his desire. “The last line of the poem was about something he wanted for his birthday and rhymed with ‘a black horse with a bald-face of course,’” she recalled. McCormick’s own love of horses evolved as she grew up. Since her father constantly acquired injured and unbroken animals, the horse pen in the back of their house was always full. He would rehab and break them before reselling them, and she admits being afraid of horses until she was nearly a teenager. “I was scared because my dad always had the wild ones,” she said. Around age 12, McCormick worked up the courage to ride at a horse show. She then started riding horses with organizations holding rodeo events at arenas around the Midwest. She experienced nationwide success with one of the oldest youth-centered rodeo organizations, National Little Britches Rodeo Association, culminating with the top prize at the final competition in 1979. Her former teammate, Kevin Gale, remembers the day his longtime friend won her title. “I’ll never forget in Huron, South Dakota, when she won her Little Britches National Championship in Pole Bending,” Gale recalled. “I ended up fourth in bareback riding. She and I celebrated together.”
Based in South Dakota, Gale recalls watching the tournament broadcast a few months after the event. “Guys came to our house and watched it on TV. It was pretty cool,” Gale said. The families have remained close throughout the years, a testament to how long rodeo friendships last. “When you get to be 60 years old, the number of really good friends you can count on one hand gets to be difficult. Jill and Mike are probably on the first two fingers,” Gale said. McCormick attended Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas, where she was a walk-on member of the rodeo team and met her husband, Mike. The couple moved to La Vista on the first saturday in May, also known as Kentucky Derby Day, in 1983. Her father found the former dairy farm that the couple live on to this day while maintaining train signals nearby. The couple started Haunted Hollow in 1999. The McCormicks worked hard to support their two sons and a collection of animals, including horses. Their horse pen, coined “The Arena,” was used to teach horseback riding for local 4H horse programs. The couple acquired DeMontigny’s coveted bald-faced black horse after he passed in 2018. McCormick named her gelding J.D. to honor her father, but the purchase also included a mare they named Honey. “I really didn’t want her, but the seller wanted to get rid of both of them and I wanted the bald-face,” she said. Mares are notoriously bad-tempered when in heat, and within a month Honey triggered a tragic accident, leaving J.D. with a serious hip injury. McCormick’s beloved gelding’s leg was broken up high, and she was forced to put him down shortly after. Hopefully, old Jim DeMontigny is looking after his daughter’s steed in the afterlife.
Bald-faced horses are prized in Native American culture, including the rare “Medicine Hat” with its mostly white body and colored patch on top of its head and ears. Native legends claim these unique animals held magical powers that protected both horse and rider.
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60+ NOSTALGIA // STORY BY TIM TRUDELL // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
Pastry, Fillings, Toppings Sour Cream Raisin, Mincemeat, and Other Odd Pies
J
oel Williamsen recalls the taste of his Grandma Pribnow’s apple pie. It’s a taste that he hasn’t found recreated in modern times, partly because of one now-rarely used ingredient. Lard made her pies much better, he said.
Williamsen said, “The addition of lard is something you don’t get in today’s pies.” Several people observe March 14 (3/14) as National Pi Day—3.14 is the ratio of the circumference of any circle to the diameter of that circle. While math whizzes and internet browsers like to encourage people to eat pastry on Pi Day, there are actually two National Pie Days, Dec. 1 and Jan. 23. The latter has been recognized as the traditional National Pie Day. No one is quite sure about the origin of the Dec. 1 celebration, according to the National Day Calendar team. They continue to research its history. There are technically 1,500 national days recognizing some type of pie. When many people think of pies, they think of apple or cherry. Among the younger crowd, it’s a good guess than many have never eaten a true mincemeat pie, and cannot fathom the idea of the state pie of Nebraska’s eastern neighbor—sour cream raisin, a dessert that has its own exhibition category at the Iowa State Fair. Other odd-sounding dessert pies include vinegar pie, a custard pie made with apple cider vinegar to mimic the tart taste of lemons or apples, and white potato pie. This is a pie made from white potatoes that was once popular in Maryland. Those last two are sometimes referred to as desperation pies, as they make use of cheap, sometimes unusual ingredients to provide a bit of sweetness during hard times. Also in that category are Southern classics such as buttermilk chess pie, which requires basic ingredients such as butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and buttermilk. During the Great Depression, some bakers made water pie, which has a filling made from water, flour, sugar, and butter.
Another thrifty option was Ritz Mock Apple Pie. Promoted by Nabisco, the recipe consists of crumbled Ritz crackers combined with lemon-sugar syrup, sprinkled with cinnamon topped with chunks of butter and covered in a pie crust. The end result reportedly tasted like apple pie. Mincemeat, featuring fruit and meat, particularly ground beef, was once a staple dating back nearly 1,000 years. Mince pies were a way of preserving meat without salting it. People started enhancing their mince pies with spices such as cloves and nutmeg as these commodities made their way from the Middle East to Europe. Then, as fruit became more plentiful during the 17th century, cooks started mixing fruit into the ingredients to create what we know as mincemeat pies.
“Those were our parents’ pies, and the names never really registered with the baby boomers.” -Dan Bosselman Some grandparents have reflected warmly on shoofly pie. A common breakfast dish with the Pennsylvania Dutch in the late 1800s, shoofly pie resembled a crumb cake, featuring molasses. While some people may occasionally make it, shoofly pie seems to be more of a memory today. While some pies of yesteryear fail to maintain a prominent role at the dessert table, strawberry-rhubarb, considered nostalgic in some circles, remains popular. “[Mincemeat, shoofly, etc.] were our parents’ pies, and the names never really registered with the baby boomers,” said Dan Bosselman, longtime owner of Farmhouse Café and Bakery. “But, strawberry-rhubarb—I think it’s something that parents passed on. Like apple, peach, cherry. Those are the basics.”
Bosselman knows a thing or two about making pies, as he and his team of five bakers put in long hours to create some of the most popular pies in Omaha. The bakery produces up to 72 pies a week. Holiday orders skyrocket their production, with the bakery handling 1,400 pie orders for Thanksgiving, the main ones being standards such as apple, pumpkin, and pecan. While caramel apple and strawberry-rhubarb are the favorites among Farmhouse customers, Bosselman has made his version of mincemeat pie. “Mincemeat is one of my favorites,” he said. “A traditional mincemeat. If you tell people what’s in a traditional mincemeat, they look at you like you’re crazy. But, by the time you take the ground beef, and you add the apples, raisins, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and then throw in a cup of bourbon or brandy, I’m sorry, but that’s a meal and a cocktail all at once.” While Bosselman’s café ranks high with the fruit pie lovers, across town at Harold’s Koffee House, it’s the cream pies, including the aforementioned sour cream raisin, that score with customers. Coconut cream pie is the most popular dessert at the restaurant, said Nancy Bohnenkamp, a co-owner with her son, Matt. Lemon meringue also resonates with diners, she said. Their top-selling fruit pie is Dutch apple, with its crumbly streusel topping. Regardless of the type, pie seems to be an American tradition, Bohnenkamp said. “In a place like this, I think it’s the small-town feel,” she said. “People just seem to like a piece of homemade pie.” Visit farmhousecafe.com and haroldskoffeehouse.com for more information.
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The high-level executive retreated from 20 years of corporate life in locales such as Pittsburgh, Dallas, Memphis, and suburban New York City, having meet-and-greets and meals with superstars such as basketball’s Michael Jordan and David Robinson, and baseball’s Ryne Sandberg.
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60+ FEATURE // STORY BY ROBERT FRAASS // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
A
S E R V A N T ’ S
H E A R T
Mark Kresl Creates Pictures & Musicians he life change began simply enough— Mark Kresl decided about 15 years ago to start a new hobby of photography. “Like I typically do, I got way into it,” he recalled. He peppers his description of what followed as a “chain of events” emblematic of his “charmed life” that led him from a career as a big city sales and marketing executive who rubbed elbows with sports celebrities to a leading figure in Omaha’s nonprofit, arts, and charitablegiving communities. To understand how he got here, it helps to understand what associates call his selfless empathy and outgoing passion for helping others—along with that time he persuaded a movie director to let him shoot photos on his Omaha set. Lovely Stills With camera in hand, Kresl saw young people gathered one Saturday morning at the cemetery near his home. Curious and suspicious, he approached the group, who told him they were shooting a movie. It turned out to be the production of Omahan Nik Fackler’s 2008 movie, “Lovely, Still.” He received permission to shoot photos of the production and offered the crew copies of the digital files. Soon, they were asking him to photograph most scenes. That led to a oneline part as “Rufus” in a scene with the lead actors, Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. “What a thrill that was,” Kresl exclaimed. Through word of mouth, other gigs followed: a spectacular photo of downtown New Year’s Eve fireworks bought by First National Bank of Omaha was followed by a request from Creighton to photograph its renovated soccer field. Recovering Photos The hobby took off. There was profitable photography for a modeling agency and his studio in NoDo’s Hot Shops. But Kresl found his passion—and eventually a new career path—following a visit to the Madonna Rehabilitation Center in Lincoln.
“My best friend’s 5-year-old son had a traumatic brain injury,” Kresl said. “I went to visit and got a tour. It moved me unbelievably to see all of these people with strokes, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries, and see them recovering in rehab.” As he drove back to Omaha, his thoughts revolved around the question “what could I do?” He found his answer. “Well, I couldn’t write a big check,” he said. “The camera gave me a vehicle to give something unusual of value. No nonprofit is going to keep its doors opened or closed because of a donation I made or didn’t make.” Kresl soon struck upon an inspired idea—he would take “glamour shots” of patients going through recovery by enlisting beauty college hair designers and makeup artists to get them ready to be photographed. All digital files were provided free of charge, including one 8x10 print. Fridays were set aside for shots with extended family members. “People would be incredulous that everything was free,” said Tammy Rudder, Madonna’s specialist for marketing, media, and public relations. “Patients could forget about rehabbing for a while and do something fun and uplifting for themselves.” The project lasted four years, and Kresl has mulled a similar project for Madonna’s nursing home after the COVID-19 era passes. Volunteerism from the Heart His Madonna experience nurtured Kresl’s desire to help out nonprofits of all kinds with his photography skills. He said he has provided free photography for nearly 30 local nonprofits, including Merrymakers, Team Jack, the Nebraska Humane Society, the Durham Museum, and the Git-R-Done Foundation established by Dan Whitney (AKA “Larry the Cable Guy.”) “I wouldn’t say no to most,” he said. Cancer charities, such as Team Jack, hold a special place in Kresl’s heart. His work was to honor his wife’s best friend’s
battle. Then his spouse, Paula, contracted gall bladder cancer herself, passing away in August 2019. “This last year has been a lot quieter for me. I’ve been more of a caretaker than a caregiver.” Kresl’s good works have extended beyond photography. Besides his role on Madonna’s Board of Trustees, he has served on executive boards for the Omaha Film Festival and the Cathedral Arts Program, furthering his experience in music and the arts. He remains as treasurer for the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards. His work inspired him to make a career change. Beginning in 2014, it would be working in the nonprofit sector from here on out. From Photos to Music The high-level executive retreated from 20 years of corporate life in locales such as Pittsburgh, Dallas, Memphis, and suburban New York City, having meetand-greets and meals with superstars such as basketball’s Michael Jordan and David Robinson, and baseball’s Ryne Sandberg. But he tired of the travel and came back to his native Omaha 20 years ago. He eventually transitioned his career to nonprofit development. He ended his private business to work as director of marketing and development for Midwest Geriatrics until one of his two daughters spotted a want ad that she thought would trigger his interest: director of development for the Omaha Conservatory of Music. “She saw it and knows I am a music nut,” he said, although he didn’t start playing an instrument (the piano) until two years ago. “I applied on a Sunday and accepted an offer that Thursday.” His three-year tenure has been a rousing success, according to Ruth Meints, the Conservatory’s executive director. Because it is easy for Kresl to see the picture, whether that means through the lens of a camera or that of a nonprofit’s vision.
MARCH/APRIL 2021 • 60 PLUS
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60+ e Prim e T im KAREN RICHARDS // 64 STORY BY NICHOLAS MOORE PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN
Imagine a sophisticated dinner party. Crystal and fresh flowers sit on the table, guests politely chat in between sips of wine, and ambient music purrs in the background. The most elegant fixtures of the room, however, aren’t the fine china or exotic spices, they’re the subtle scent of Eclat d’Arpège perfume and the clipped South African accent following the hostess as she makes her rounds. Indeed, Karen Richards is the most elegant fixture in most rooms. When she and her husband, Alan, moved their two young boys to Omaha in 1997 from Johannesburg, South Africa, it wasn’t the first time Karen would have to reinvent herself. Fortunately, “I have such a huge variety of interests, I will never be bored,” she exclaimed, “not in a creation of cats!” That must be a South African figure of speech… With an artist’s eye, Karen’s first impressions of America was how casual everyone dressed. “When we arrived, the kids at the boys’ school said I dressed like a ‘rich lady’ but I was just wearing clothes that I would normally wear back in South Africa.” Although she gradually conceded to the norms of American informality, as a designer, she maintains that “what’s important about style is that your behavior is elevated when you’re wearing something smart.”
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60 PLUS • MARCH/APRIL 2021
OBVIOUSLY OMAHA // STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER // PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTED
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OMAHA DOG PARKS
FUN FOR VERY GOOD BOYS AND GIRLS
The Omaha area has no shortage of dog parks where four-legged friends can enjoy exploring and socializing with other canines, which can help lead to decreased troublesome behavior (in the dog at least) and an overall better life for human and hound. There are more places than ever for dog parents to take their fur-babies for quality outdoors time. Man’s best friend is sure to find some fun at one of these six area dog parks:
01. BEARDMORE FREEDOM DOG PARK
410 Fort Crook Road North
Nestled between Beardmore Subaru and a residential neighborhood in Bellevue, this dog park is maintained by Beardmore and is accessible to the public. Two fenced-in areas of 150 feet by 150 feet are open on an alternating basis, giving one area the ability to “rest” while the other area is open for use. This park is usually clean and in good repair. It’s important to note, however, that the fences surrounding the parks are only 4-foot high, so dogs may be able to escape the confines of the park easily if they’re jumpers. 02. CHALCO HILLS OFF-LEASH AREA
8901 S. 154th St.
The Chalco Hills off-leash area boasts ample room for dogs to explore, with trails and shady trees. Benches and picnic tables make this an ideal spot for families to bring the entire family—dogs included. Humans will also appreciate the restrooms provided, since not all dog parks have services for people. 03. DEWEY DOG PARK
550 Turner Blvd.
This Midtown favorite consists of two parks with one for smaller breeds. The splash pad area gives dogs a spot to cool down and play in hotter weather. The turf and concrete help keep the dog park mud-free and the regulars are said to be friendly and chatty. This park has lots of water and shade.
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04. HANSCOM DOG PARK
1701 S. 32nd Ave.
Hanscom Park’s dog park is located near the interstate, making it popular among drivers traveling with dogs. The park has some hills that offer varying terrain for dogs to explore. There are three fenced-in areas to accommodate different sizes of dogs and plenty of room for running and exploring.
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05. HEFFLINGER DOG PARK
North 112th Street and West Maple Road
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Dogs that love rolling around in the dirt will have a great time at this dog park with a reputation for being muddy, especially after rain. They will enjoy the three spacious fenced-in areas with lots of room for running and dog agility equipment for play and exploring. Humans will appreciate the ample parking but might lament the lack of shade in the summer.
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06. WALNUT CREEK OFF-LEASH AREA
11601 S. 96th St.
Walnut Creek Recreation Area offers dogs the opportunity to do some swimming in Walnut Creek Lake. The off-leash area is fenced on three sides, allowing dogs access to the water. And while there is a rinse-off area available for dogs that indulge in lake swimming, there aren’t towels provided so bring your own. Parking is convenient and there are plenty of scenic walking trails nearby (dogs must be leashed when on these trails). Take care in warmer weather as ticks are common at the lake.
MARCH/APRIL
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PROFILE // STORY BY KATY SPRATTE JOYCE
Becoming the First
Serese Cole Forges Ahead
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
“i
would have sworn to you that I was going to be a teacher,” said an amused Serese Cole, longtime Nebraska broadcast journalist and current morning show anchor at Omaha’s KMTV Channel 3. Her parents were both passionate educators in her hometown of Kansas City, and “I would even teach my teddy bears,” the anchor said.
When Cole was a sophomore in high school, her English teacher encouraged her to join the school newspaper. Her first article was about a writing center, not a thrilling subject matter, but it enchanted the budding journalist nonetheless. During the remainder of her years at Hickman Mills High School, she enjoyed tackling subjects that made her peers talk. She also served as an editor of the paper in her senior year. That experience lead her to attend Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. Cole said, “I wanted to attend a historically black college with a good journalism program, and they also happened to pay for my tuition with a big scholarship.” After years of being one of the only students of color in her elementary and high schools, she was ready to experience being the majority. She graduated with honors with a journalism degree, initially focusing on print, then on broadcast. That led Cole to her first professional job in Wilmington, North Carolina. There, she tackled hard news stories and fine-tuned her skills, especially reporting. She remembers feeling devastation when covering her first hurricane. Equally devastating was Cole’s first time reporting on a murder. The victim was a 16-year-old boy, and she was tasked with interviewing the parents. Leading with her natural empathy, Cole scored a discussion with them a few days later. She said discovering how to approach people for an interview in times of emotion was one of her biggest lessons learned during her year in North Carolina.
A serendipitous offer from a hometown station moved Cole back to the Midwest. Those years in Kansas City included the final two years she spent with her sister Beth, who was suffering from breast cancer. Three years earlier, then-29-yearold Beth was told she had five years to live, a fact Beth only told her husband. “Even then, she was being a big sister and protecting me,” Cole said. Beth died almost exactly five years after being diagnosed. Cole said this experience influenced her to help raise awareness of breast cancer, especially in young African American women, and to encourage women to be fierce advocates for their own health. She now sits on the Susan G. Komen advisory board in Omaha. Cole had set a professional goal to be an anchor. She first achieved that goal with a position at KOLN/KGIN in Lincoln, where she was the city’s first African American anchor. She spent the next decade in Lincoln, where she met and married her husband, Todd. Their two sons, Jordan and Tyler, were born in the state capital. In fact, Todd proposed to her on live TV. She started as a morning show anchor, and eventually worked the prime evening time slot. With two young children and a hectic schedule, the anchor began to re-think her priorities. “Lincoln was big for my career, but I truly believe in God’s timing,” Cole said. One son was about to start kindergarten, her husband was from Omaha and commuted there daily, and the couple had family in Nebraska’s biggest city. Cole took a position on a morning show at WOWT, which left
plenty of time for Zumba workouts, attending her sons’ sports games, and enjoying the sunshine on walks in her La Vista neighborhood. Professionally, it was a great fit and smooth transition, as her general manager in Lincoln was married to the WOWT counterpoint. She calls that change one of the best decisions she made. Cole spent eight years with WOWT, until contract negotiations unexpectedly went south. She said the station offered her a contract, then reneged and went in a different direction. They offered the fan favorite (one of her viewers even named her daughter after the anchor) a lesser contract and position. While she considered this offer, she declined. As she told Omaha Magazine, “In my heart of hearts, I just knew I could not do it. I knew I was better than the demotion.” A week after her last signoff on WOWT, Omaha’s two other major stations, KETV and KMTV, reached out and said they could not believe she was available. She ended up landing at KMTV as part of a revamp of the morning show and KMTV’s first all-female on-air talent team (with Jennifer Griswald, Courtney Johns, and Maya Saenz). KMTV Vice President and General Manager Larry Forsgren said, “We are excited to have Serese on the KMTV team. The viewers truly connect to her, and she has a great connection with them through her many followers on social media. Having Serese Cole and Jenny Griswold gives us the most authentically passionate morning news team in Omaha.” He added, “When looking for new [anchors] the goal is to hire the most talented person you can. We do not adhere to the old stereotypes that you must have a male and a female on your team.” Cole looks forward to her work each day, especially connecting with viewers. “People welcome me into their homes, so I’m happy to let them into mine” she said with a smile. Visit 3newsnow.com for more information.
A week after her last signoff on WOWT, Omaha’s two other major stations, KETV and KMTV, reached out and said they could not believe she was available. MARCH/APRIL 2021
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DINING REVIEW // STORY BY NIZ PROSKOCIL
The Spice is Right EXPLORE THE DIVERSITY OF REGIONAL CHINESE CUISINE AT BLUE & FLY ASIAN KITCHEN
Blue & Fly ’s menu features sections devoted to traditional dishes, including several regions of China that each have their own distinct cooking styles.
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He regularly updates the restaurant’s Facebook page with food photos and descriptions to help inform customers about what’s on the menu. For example, there’s a post that explains the differences between American-style and traditional kung pao chicken. Cong and his wife, Yi, along with the rest of the Blue & Fly staff, are happy to make recommendations and answer questions diners may have about some of the more unusual offerings.
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Blue & Fly’s menu features sections devoted to traditional dishes, including specialties from several regions of China that each have their own distinct cooking styles, along with more familiar Americanized dishes, which tend to be a little sweeter, fried, and heavily sauced. It took a while for the traditional Chinese offerings to catch on with some of his American customers, Cong said, but interest has grown as diners become more curious and adventurous.
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While nearly everyone is familiar with broccoli beef, crab Rangoon, orange chicken, and other American-Chinese takeout favorites, traditional Chinese fare isn’t as easy to find locally. Blue & Fly owner and chef Yue Cong, who goes by Joe, opened the restaurant with a desire to share with customers some of the soups, stir-fries, stews, and braised dishes that are popular in China, where he lived before moving to Omaha in 2007. His cooking experience includes restaurants in China and his dad’s former restaurant in Omaha.
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nconspicuously set in the corner of a strip mall on 72nd Street, Blue & Fly Asian Kitchen is easy to miss. Inside, it’s a simply decorated, cozy, casual space. The food here, however, is anything but ordinary. Since opening in 2015, the small, family-owned restaurant has earned a following for its rich variety of traditional Chinese dishes paired with Americanized versions of the cuisine.
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BLUE & FLY ASIAN KITCHEN 721 S. 72ND ST. - 402.504.6545 FOOD SERVICE AMBIANCE PRICE OVERALL
$$ 5 STARS POSSIBLE
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’ve enjoyed numerous dishes from both sections of the menu over the years, but my go-to items are still the traditional ones. A favorite is the Dry Braised Hot Pot Style Tofu and Cauliflower. The stir-fried dish features cauliflower florets combined with slices of golden brown, crispy-edged tofu, bell peppers, dried chiles, and Sichuan peppercorn. It’s a wonderfully spicy and aromatic dish with a gentle heat. It’s also offered with beef instead of tofu; both are excellent.
Tofu’s an ingredient I never tire of, and Blue & Fly does some delicious things with it. Among the highlights is mapo tofu—one of the most popular dishes from China’s Sichuan province. The restaurant serves two versions, but I always go for the traditional, which is listed on the menu as Bean Curd with Spicy Sauce. Delicate cubes of silky tofu glisten in a rich, deeply savory, spicy, scarlet-hued sauce, perfect for spooning over fluffy white rice. Although the dish has lots of lip-tingling chiles, it’s not volcanic. Fermented bean paste kicks the flavor up a notch, adding the savory depth. Also impressive is Blue & Fly’s Hot & Spicy Wonton Soup—an appetizer that showcases the chef ’s skill at creating classic Chinese dishes with bold, balanced flavors. Eight scrumptious, tender pork dumplings are submerged in a fiery brick-red broth laced with chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. Each fragrant spoonful is a little spicy, salty, and sour. Noodle lovers may want to try the Singapore Style Rice Noodles. A generous amount of super-thin rice noodles
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are stir-fried with slivers of carrot, onion, and cabbage, tossed with shrimp and sliced pork, and seasoned with curry powder, giving the aromatic, somewhat spicy dish a yellowish tinge. Open for lunch and dinner six days a week, the restaurant has done limited dine-in since March 2020 and offers carryout, curbside pickup, and delivery. Cong updates the menu occasionally and sometimes offers weekly specials that highlight traditional Chinese cuisine. He said he hopes more people will give it a try. It’s not easy running a restaurant, independent ones in particular. There are long hours combined with multiple responsibilities, and the coronavirus pandemic has made things a whole lot tougher. But all the hard work, Cong said, is worth it, adding that it’s gratifying to hear from customers who appreciate his food. He’s thankful for their continued support. “I still appreciate that our customers give us the opportunity to be here,” he said. With its broad menu, relaxed atmosphere, and friendly, knowledgeable staff, Blue & Fly Asian Kitchen is one of the area’s best dining destinations for Chinese food. Diners here will find a wide array of typical American Chinese standards that are fresh, flavorful, and well prepared. But the traditional dishes are the reason to visit. Visit omahablueandfly.com for more information.
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DINING FEATURE // STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
p e e P e L
Redefining Omaha's
Mom & Pop
Cafes
From left, Hope and Aneel Taj // 74 //
MARCH/APRIL 2021
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couple things need to be cleared up about Omaha’s breakfast/lunch/brunch restaurant Le Peep. First is the spelling. “It’s Le Peep, not La Peep or something else,” said co-owner Aneel Taj. “We get all kinds of spellings on ‘Peep’.”
The second is Le Peep’s status as a locally owned restaurant. “The thing that I personally struggle with a little bit is the idea that we’re not local because Le Peep is a small chain out of Colorado and there’s about 60 restaurants now, I suppose,” explained co-owner Hope Taj. “But the thing is we’re not a franchise—we’re a licensing agreement, so we have complete control over our entire operation.” Hope glanced around the Pepperwood location (the first of four Omaha Le Peep locations owned by the couple) and gestured toward the rest of the dining room. She said they did most of the work to the building themselves, including adding a floor. “Our friends painted the walls. We borrowed every penny to open this restaurant and we cashed out all our retirement to do this. “We support local because we want to support local,” she said. “Corporate Le Peep decided to start using Rotella’s because of us.” Kevin Wessel, the CEO of Le Peep, visited the Omaha location and sampled some of their menu items. “He loved the product we served,” Hope said. The item he tried featured Rotella’s product, and he liked it so much he came for a return visit after a short time “to meet the Rotellas and tour their bakery with us, and the rest is history,” Hope said. Aneel and she were delighted to bring more business to another locally owned company, especially one with such a rich history in the Omaha area. “We also want people to realize we raised our kids here…And while we do pay a small licensing fee, we buy all of our own groceries. Twenty percent of our menu is special to us. I write all the recipes and I train all the cooks.” While Hope said she is not a chef, but rather a “home cook,” she added that she’s always on the lookout for new trends. “So while our core menu [all made from scratch] is pretty basic, on the special board we can do things that are a little more fun.” The couple opened their first Le Peep 19 years ago. “We forced our way into the restaurant business,” Hope said with a laugh. “We made it happen,” Aneel agreed. “It was something that Aneel was passionate about—owning a business,” Hope explained. “Aneel’s job moved us every three years. Every so often he’d pop up with, ‘What should we do?’ and I’d say, ‘You’re crazy; you have a great job with benefits and health insurance.’ At the time, Hope was raising the children while working in retail. “When Aneel’s job was downsized I thought it was the end of the world. But he said, ‘No this is an opportunity.’”
They had fallen in love with the concept of Le Peep in the early ’90s while on a visit with friends in Kansas City. “We applied for Le Peep over and over and they kept turning us down since we didn’t have any experience with running a restaurant,” Aneel said. “Finally, after about a year of applying to Le Peep, calling, calling, calling, Le Peep [representatives] said, ‘You are insane. We need to meet you guys,’” Hope said.
"My mom's advice was to never open a restaurant, She said, ‘Don't ever do it. You'll never work so hard for so little.’ -Hope Taj “They were like, ‘You have every single reason not to succeed. We’re just letting you know. But you’re so persistent.’ And that was all him,” she added, gesturing to Aneel. “So then, of course, the banks turned us down after that, over and over and over, because we had no experience. It was basically a long shot.” Eventually, Aneel took a job with a financial planning company to get them through. The last-ditch effort for financing came through 10 days later. “It had been rejection after rejection—he had given up. An underwriter took us on and here we are,” Hope said. Hope’s grandmother owned a burger joint and her mother owned a sandwich shop. Hope said she already knew the statistics, that eight out of 10 restaurants fail in the first five years. “I worked for a week every summer in my grandma’s burger joint, cutting onion rings and pattying hamburgers,” she recalled. “I learned how to count change and how to clean. My mom’s advice was to never open a restaurant,” Hope said, chuckling. “She said, ‘Don’t ever do it. You’ll never work so hard for so little.’” MARCH/APRIL
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2021
Going against her mother’s advice paid off for Hope as Le Peep gained a second Omaha location, then a third, then a fourth. “The restaurant business is a tough business, but we’ve been successful I guess, because we have a lot of good people who work with us,” Aneel said. “That’s how it’s possible.” Hope said that before the pandemic hit, they were on a trajectory to have a record year in sales. “2020 was going to be the year,” said Aneel with a laugh. Now their sales are around one-third of their pre-pandemic sales. “This pandemic is like nothing else,” he added. “I mean, you can have downturns like we did in ’08 but when you’re either closed or working at 50%, it’s harder to meet the bills. You know, rents have gone up and wages have gone up.” “We have to have people in here to stay in business,” Hope said. “We don’t do dinner— that’s not our niche. So people aren’t coming here to pick up dinner for their kids. We do quite a bit during the day, especially at the Legacy store, because we have a drive-thru out there.” For now, they’re just trying to survive. The couple, married for 40 years, know a lot about pushing through and getting the job done because that’s what they always do. “We’ve worked really hard,” Hope said. “I mean, the restaurant business is hard. Two high school sweethearts that were on a completely different path to have not one, not two, but four busy restaurants…and just the blood, sweat, and tears. We’re good people. We hire good people. We retain good people and treat our people well and expect a lot from them. Their son, Jordan, who worked in the restaurant as a child but now lives out of state, said his mom tends to get attached to staff members. “I think it’s cool that they hire so many young people,” he said. “My mom does a great job of developing people. She cries when someone goes off to college and she’s like, ‘I love them so much! And now they’re gone.’” Whether or not the future holds a fifth Le Peep restaurant for the Taj family depends on a variety of factors. “At this moment, we’re just thinking about survival,” Aneel said. “But we often talk about trying to get into Lincoln at some point.” “Never say never” Hope added, smiling at Aneel as he smiled back at her. Visit lepeepomaha.com for more information.
D R E W S TATZ RISES TO RUN D A N T E ’S KITCHEN
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
DINING PROFILE // STORY BY TIM TRUDELL PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK
So, when Strawhecker sat down with him to discuss the future, Statz said he knew he needed to be bold about his goals, because he wanted a future in Italian cuisine. “He asked me, ‘What do I have to do to get you to stop looking for other jobs?’” Statz said. hen the pandemic hit Omaha’s culinary industry in 2020, and several restaurants shuttered their doors, Drew Statz thought his dream of running his own kitchen was a casualty, too. But Statz got a second chance, taking over as executive chef at Dante Pizzeria in December. Before running the kitchen at Dante, Statz realized his dream of becoming an executive chef at Monarch Prime and Bar inside Omaha’s Hotel Deco. Beginning as a line cook, he was part of the restaurant’s opening team in October 2017. Following a stint as sous chef, Statz was promoted to executive chef in early 2019. Then 2020 came along, and the pandemic shut things down in March. While at Monarch, initial news of the pandemic didn’t faze the kitchen staff. They thought it would pass quickly, Statz said. When South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, announced its cancellation, that raised a little caution, he said. “We thought it would be like the swine flu,” Statz said. “Then Berkshire-Hathaway canceled [its annual convention in Omaha]. The hotel took a huge hit, but we were still alright. But when they called [off ] the College World Series, I thought, ‘That’s it.’” Known for its dry-aging process, Monarch typically ages steaks for up to 45 days. While he was there, Statz said, “We’d push the limits on how long you could go, sometimes up to 200 days,” he said. When they closed because of the pandemic, with plans to reopen when the situation allows for safe dining, Statz weighed his options. He and his wife, Michelle, were close to buying a house in Fremont, Nebraska, but he knew he needed a job before a bank would approve their loan. So, he took a job with The Meat Hook, a butchery in Polk, Nebraska, about a 90-minute drive from Fremont. For nearly a month, they stayed with Michelle's parents in Albion to lessen the drive time. Roughly a month into the job, they were approved for their new home and returned to Fremont.
“We were going to be ‘farmers market’ farmers,” Statz said. But then area farmers markets didn’t have the business they usually did during the summer because of COVID-19. Looking for anything in the restaurant industry, he worked as a line cook at Dante in June. About a month later, he was offered an opportunity to manage the kitchen at Alto Kitchen and Bar, a new fine-dining eatery in Fremont. After helping to open Alto in July, Statz didn’t feel like the restaurant and he were a good fit, so he left in September. His first call was to Nick Strawhecker at Dante, to see if he could pick up some hours while he looked for a permanent position. “We offered him a line cook position,” Strawhecker said. “But he was overqualified.” Strawhecker, 41, knew he needed to create a position to keep Statz at the West Omaha restaurant. “I don’t remember knowing a guy or woman with the ambition and excitement at his age,” Strawhecker said. At 29, Statz has been working in the culinary industry for nearly half his life, beginning in kitchens when he was 15 or 16. “I’ve done just about everything you can do— washing dishes, busing tables,” he said.
After the two finished their conversation, Statz was promoted to executive chef, taking over a role previously held by Strawhecker. “Coming from Monarch, I knew he had the organization and communication skills an executive chef needs,” Strawhecker said. “He won’t change Dante. He’ll keep the ethos and grow it.” The restaurant lost its general manager during the fall, and Strawhecker chose not to fill it, taking on some of the responsibilities himself. Statz’s promotion allowed him to step back from managing the kitchen full-time. Statz’s promotion helps them focus on Dante’s future, Strawhecker said. “The industry is being rewritten,” he added. “We don’t know what’s going to happen [postpandemic]. Who knows who will fall next? Sadly, some will. I want to keep us what we are. And keep it growing.” While Statz plans to grow in his role as Dante’s executive chef, he appreciates the support the staff immediately gave with the promotion. “A lot of times, these kinds of promotions come from within,” he said. “Usually, you have a guy who’s been there for a while and has worked his way up the ladder. I didn’t want to take someone’s job. We sat down and discussed it with the team, and everyone was on board with this.” Statz, who attended culinary school for a year at Metropolitan Community College—with dreams of working in Italy afterward—has achieved his dream of creating Italian cuisine. Strawhecker said they hope to travel to Italy in 2021, so Statz can experience the food firsthand. Visit dantepizzeria.com for more information.
MARCH/APRIL 2021
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- Sponsored Content -
Omaha
DINING GUIDE
AMERICAN 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 streets - 402.934.9914 156th Street & W. Dodge Road - 402.408.1728 120th and Blondo streets - 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.com
LISA’S RADIAL CAFE - $ 817 N. 40th St. - 402-551-2176
American. Cafe. Diner. Vegetarian-friendly. Gluten-free options. This old-school diner serves hearty portions of American comfort classics for breakfast and lunch. Family-owned and operated. This business is a must if you’re in the area. People rave about our chickenfried steak, stuffed French toast, coffee, and friendly staff. Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m.-2 p.m
OLD MATTRESS FACTORY - $
501 N 13th St. - 402.346.9116
Keepin’ it real in a renovated mattress factory built in 1883, remodeled in 2007 within walking distance to Omaha’s major entertainment venues. Three private dining rooms for your own events, or stop in before or after any downtown Omaha event. Open daily at 11am-1am. —themattomaha.com
DINING GUIDE LEGEND
$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
STELLA’S - $
106 S. Galvin Road, Bellevue 402.291.6088 Since 1936, we’ve been making our worldfamous Stella’s hamburgers the same way. The family secrets have been handed down to each owner, ensuring that your burger is the same as the one you fell in love with the first time you tried Stella’s. And if it’s your first time, we know you’ll be back! MondaySaturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sunday. —stellasbarandgrill.com
TED AND WALLY’S - $
1120 Jackson St. - 402.341.5827 Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites, plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday. Noon-10 p.m. —tedandwallys.com
VARSITY SPORTS CAFE - $$
Ralston - 9735 Q St. - 402.339.1944 Bellevue - 3504 Samson Way - 402.932.1944 Millard - 14529 F St. - 402.505.6660 Dundee - 4900 Dodge St. - 402.934.9439 Ralston, Bellevue, Millard and Dundee. 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
xican Dining Me
ichanga Chim
I TA L I A N LA CASA PIZZARIA - $$
45th and Leavenworth streets 402.556.6464
La Casa Pizzaria has been serving Omaha its legendary Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta for 60 years. We offer dine-in, carry-out, party facilities, catering, and now pizza shipments to the 48 contiguous states. Open Tuesday-Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 4:30 p.m. —lacasapizzaria.ne
5 METRO Locations!
3 90th & Blondo 402.391.8870 3 146th & Center 402.330.4160 3 96th & L 402.331.5656 3 Galvin & Avery 402.292.2028 3 29th & Farnam 402.346.1110
www.romeosOMAHA.com
Omaha
DINING GUIDE
Get a Little Get Saucy.
LO SOLE MIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO - $$
3001 S. 32nd Ave. - 402.345.5656
a Little Saucy. CHANGE Appetizers
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SPEZIA SPECIALTIES
FRESH SEAFOOD • ANGUS BEEF INNOVATIVE PASTA • RISOTTO SPEZIA SPECIALTIES
PASTA AMORE - $$
11027 Prairie Brook Road - 402.391.2585
WOOD FIRE•STEAKS & SEAFOOD GNOCCHI FRESH SALMON DAILY INNOVATIVE PASTA—RISOTTO—GNOCCHI FRESH SALMON DAILY
SATURDAY LUNCH [11am–4 pm]
Open 7 Days a Week for Lunch & Dinner
$10
OFF ANY TICKET OVER $25 NO CASH VALUE. EXPIRES 12/31/2011 NO CASH VALUE. EXPIRES 4/30/2021 Not Valid with Happy Hour or Any Other Promotions. One Per Check.
COCKTAIL HOUR Take Out &
MONDAY – SATURDAY Pickup 4 Curbside – 6 PM ALL COCK TAILS, GL ASS WINE Available! AND BEERS ARE HALF PRICE
CALL FOR Party RESERVATIONS Catering . Private Rooms•.402-391-2950 Walk-Ins Welcome
3125 South 72
Street
CENTRAL LOCATION • 3125 SOUTH 72ND STREET • nd EASY ACCESS OFF I-80 • 72ND STREET EXIT
(Easy access off I-80, take 72nd Street Exit)
402.391.2950 . Call today to make your reservation
Hamburger
The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by charming homes. Everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes and basil, a bowl of oven-roasted garlic cloves, specially seasoned olive oil, and (at night) a jug of Chianti! The menu includes a large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, and eggplant parmigiana are also available. Lunch offerings include panini, salads, and one of the best pizzas in town. Patio seating, full bar, and a great wine list complete the atmosphere. No reservations, except for private rooms. —losolemio.com
thanks to our customers for voting us the
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 FridaySaturday 10 p.m. Reservations recommended. —pastaamore.com
SPEZIA - $$$
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 wood-fired grill. Open Monday-Sunday. Cocktail hour 4-6 p.m., when all cocktails, glasses of wine, and beers are half price. Evening reservations recommended. —speziarestaurant.com
“BEST BURGER
IN OMAHA “Serving World Famous Hamburgers Since 1936”
106 GALVIN RD., BELLEVUE, NE • 402-291-6088 • OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY, 11 AM - 9 PM
DINING GUIDE LEGEND
$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+
MARCH/APRIL 2021
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Celebrating 100 Years of Baking Excellence!
Bakery
rotellasbakery.com
Omaha
DINING GUIDE Breakfast
MEXICAN FERNANDO’S - $
7555 Pacific St. - 402.339.8006. 380 N. 114th St. - 402.330.5707 Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m. —fernandosomaha.com
156th & Dodge • 408-1728 177th & Center • 934-9914 120th & Blondo • 991-8222 69th & Pacific • 933-2776
Thanks for Voting Us # BREAKFAST YEARS in a Row!
13
1
Drive-Thru Open (Center St. Only) Open Daily 6:30am-2:00pm Serving Breakfast & Lunch All Day!
LEPEEPOMAHA.COM | @LEPEEPOMAHA
LA MESA - $$
158th St. and W. Maple Road - 402.557.6130 156th and Q streets - 402.763.2555 110th St. and W. Maple Road - 402.496.1101 Fort Crook Road and Hwy 370 - 402.733.8754 84th Street and Tara Plaza - 402.593.0983 Lake Manawa Exit - 712.256.2762 Enjoy awesome enchiladas, fabulous fajitas, seafood specialties, mouth-watering margaritas, and more at La Mesa. Come see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s No. 1 Mexican restaurant 18 years in a row. SundayThursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. —lamesaomaha.com
ROMEO’S MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA - $
90th and Blondo streets - 402.391.8870 146th St. and W. Center Road - 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 beerlover’s destination. Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: MondayWednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., ThursdaySaturday 11 a.m.-midnight. Closed Sunday. —beercornerusa.com
DINING GUIDE LEGEND
$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+
MARCH/APRIL 2021
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STEAKS • CHOPS • SEAFOOD ITALIAN SPECIALTIES 7 private party rooms Seating up to 400 Lots of parking
1620 S. 10th Street
402-345-8313
www.casciossteakhouse.com
HAPPY HOUR
3:00-6:00 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY 402.346.9116 | 501 N. 13th Street | theMattOmaha.com /the old mattress factory omaha
@OmahaMagazine
@Matt_factory
ek Dining Gre
Find the best food in Omaha!
Family Owned Since 1983 CATERING / PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE HOMEMADE, FRESH FOOD, ALWAYS.
omahamagazine.com/pages/subscribe
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3821 Center St. / 402.346.1528 GreekIslandsOmaha.com
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Try Omaha’s Favorite Reuben! Omaha’s largest selection of craft beers.
3578 Farnam St • 402-345-1708 www.beercornerusa.com
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
@The Drover Restaurant & Lounge | Gift Cards Available 2121 S. 73 St. | (402) 391-7440 | DroverRestaurant.com Open Monday - Friday 11am - 2pm | Dinner nightly from 5pm
Omaha
DINING GUIDE FIRST WATCH - $
1222 S. 71st St. - 402.932.5691 2855 S. 168th St. - 402.330.3444 3605 N. 147th St. - 402.965.3444 304 Olson Drive - 402.965.3444 18101 Chicago St. - 402.916.4109 2015 Pratt Ave., Bellevue - 402.991.3448 We begin each morning at the crack of dawn, slicing fresh fruits and vegetables, baking muffins, and whipping up our French toast batter from scratch. Everything is made toorder here at First Watch. We use only the finest ingredients possible for the freshest taste around. —firstwatch.com
GREEK ISLANDS - $
3821 Center St. - 402.346.1528 Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. We are well-known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater and can accommodate a party for 65 guests. Carry-out and delivery available. MondayThursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. —greekislandsomaha.com
STEAKHOUSES CASCIO’S - $$
1620 S. 10th St. - 402-345-8313
Take Out & Delivery Available
Sports Bar
Please Check Website for Hours of Operation
Online Ordering Available at Bellevue, Millard & Dundee Locations
Cascio’s is Omaha’s No. 1 steakhouse. We have been serving Omaha for 69 years. We feature steaks, chops, seafood, and Italian specialties. We have seven private party rooms, seating for up to 400 people, and plenty of parking. —casciossteakhouse.com
THE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$ 2121 S. 73rd St. - 402-391-7440
402.339.1944
402.505.6660
402.932.1944
402.934.9439
varsityromancoinpizza.com
Famous for the original Whiskey Steak. Truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Rare... and very well done. Lunch Monday- Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m., cocktail hour 3-6 p.m., dinner nightly 5 p.m. —droverrestaurant.com
CHEERS! 18 YEARS IN A ROW! LaMesaOmaha.com | 6 Locations MARCH/APRIL 2021
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Open NOW through
April 11! Visit ocm.org to reserve tickets and view our current hours
OMAHA MAGAZINE
it’s about all of us.
We publish stories about interesting people who live next door and fascinating former Omahans. Read stories about the arts, the food, the music, and the events that make Omaha the cultural epicenter of the Midwest. OmahaMagazine.com/Subscribe
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VE BIG GI EARLY BIRD BRUNCH // NEIGHBORHOOD ART // AUTHOR DR. LYDIA KANG // CHILI & CINNAMON ROLLS // CONNY FRANKO'S RAP
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
18 ER 20
Hotel Edition
ETIENNE CHARLES @ The Holland Performing Arts Center
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
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AUDUBON’S ANNUAL NEBRASKA CRANE FESTIVAL March 6 to April 11 at
NEBRASK A
14TH ANNUAL POLAR BEAR TANK RACE
multiple locations along the Platte River. Thousands of Sandhill cranes migrate through Nebraska each year, and this festival highlights the cranes. The event includes educational speakers, meals, and, of course, a trip to see the cranes. 308-468-5282. —ne.audubon.org
March 5 and 6 at Middle Loup River near Mullen. This timed event features teams of four-to-six people who race down the river in metal stock tanks. Prizes are awarded for tank decorations and themes. Teams may also choose to forgo the race and enjoy a relaxing float down the river. 308-546-2206. —sandhillsjourney.com
SMORGASBOARD March 21 at the high EARTH DAY April 25 in Lincoln. This school in Henderson. This event is year's event will be bigger, and a German feast as Nebraskans’ better than ever. The activities MARCH foremothers made it. The buffet includes live music, informational includes verenika (a cottage booths, food trucks, and a farmer’s cheese pocket with ham grav y market. —lincolnearthday.org over it), apple priescha (apple turnover), ham and noodles, IOWA zwiebach (roll), pluma mos (raisins and prunes cooked into a thick soup), BLUE RIBBON BACON FESTIVAL TBD. schnetya (rolled up fruit filled or raisin This annual event will pair the tastes filled dessert), worscht ( pork sausage), and sounds of the Caribbean with kumpzt borscht (cabbage soup), kluptz over 10,000 slices of bacon. There (meat patties) and plautz (cherr y or will be two stages of entertainment, a peach dessert). The high school band silent disco and silent yoga, and lots will perform following the dinner. of lectures and educational events in 402-723-4 434 . —cityofhenderson.org the Chamber of Bacon Enlightenment. —blueribbonbaconfestival.com/
THE NUTCRACKER BALLET March 6-7 at the Lied Center, Lincoln. The Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company will present its 36th annual production of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker. 420-472-4747. —liedcenter.org
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RODEO GRAND ISLAND TBA at Heartland Events Center in Fonner Park, Grand Island. This Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association event features team roping, barrel racing, and Xtreme Bulls Tour (Saturday). 308-3824515. —heartlandeventscenter.com SHAMROCK SHUFFLE 5K WALK/RUN/ CRAWL March 13 at Chuckles Bar in
Fairbury. Runners and walkers are encouraged to dress up in leprechaun gear for this event. The post-race celebration includes unique awards, live music, giveaways, green booze, and food. 402-729-3000. —fairburychamber.org
MARCH/APRIL 2021
NEBRASKA ROBOTICS EXPO April
8-10 at Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland. This virtual event will include MARCH a CEENBoT Showcase, Creative Visual Arts Expo, and a FIRST Lego League Competition. 402944-3100. —sacmuseum.org
ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION March 17-20 in downtown O’Neill. The home of the “The World's Largest Shamrock” with nearly doubles its size to 7,000 people during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Festivities begin Wednesday with the Irish Walk of Fame and the painting of the town's beloved shamrock. The big day is Saturday, with a fun run, Green Eggs and Ham breakfast, free concert, Irish dancers, a parade, kids activities, and more. 402-336-2355. —oneillchamber.com // 86 //
EASTER WEEKEND AT ARBOR LODGE April 10-12 at Arbor Lodge Mansion in Nebraska City. At this event, guests can discover the history of Easter traditions, enjoy fresh blooms, learn about spring planting on the Morton Farm, and view a vintage Easter postcard display. The mansion is open for self-guided tours and an egg hunt. 402-873-8722. —arbordayfarm.org
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FULL MOON HORSEBACK EXCURSION April 25 at Dusty Trails in North Platte. This trail ride begins at dawn and allows riders to experience the awakening prairie before enjoying a morning in the viewing blind, where you can see the prairie chicken dance. A hearty breakfast will be ser ved when you return to the ranch. 308530-0048. —dustytrails.biz
ST. PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL March 14-21 in Emmetsburg. This sister city of Dublin, Ireland, celebrates the “wearing o’ the green” in a grand way. Events include a bean bag tournament, fish fry, Guinness cookout tasting, free movie, live music, and a parade. Before the parade, eat a cup of Irish stew or a baked potato with toppings, or sample the entries from the chili cookoff. 712852-4326. —emmetsburgirishgifts.com 38TH ANNUAL MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL
March 20 at Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids. The Maple Syrup Festival, held at the end of the syruping season, features syrup-making demonstrations, a look inside the Maple Sugar House, a pancake breakfast with real maple syrup, and live music. 319-3620664. —indiancreeknaturecenter.org
15TH ANNUAL MISSION CREEK FESTIVAL
LINDSBORG LANDMARK CONCERT SERIES—JAZZ WALK March 26 at
April 1-4 at the Englert in Iowa City. This is an intimate festival experience in downtown Iowa City focusing on music and literature. The program highlights quality, independent-minded sounds, words, and events hosted in venues across downtown Iowa City. 319-6882653. —missioncreekfestival.com
Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Lindsborg Jazz Walk will feature jazz musicians at several locations on Main Street in Lindsborg, where a different style of jazz can be found in each spot. —lindsborgarts.org
TAKE A BITE FESTIVAL April 17-19
at Amana Colonies. This is an award-winning three-day food experience that features sampling, hands-on demonstrations, and special dinners. Each evening features a special dining event like a historic Amana Colonies communal dinner served in the only intact communal kitchen or a vintners dinner that pairs a specially selected menu with expertly selected wines, or maybe an afternoon tea. 319-622-7622. —amanacolonies.com
APRIL
Belle Plaine. Celebrating their 150th anniversary, downtown Belle Plaine will burst with fun activities for adults and children alike. Enjoy live stage entertainment, a carnival, festival food, a vendor fair, a poker run, vintage car and bike show, and more. —belleplainefestival.com
17-19
CELTIC WOMAN April 10 at Stiefel Theatre
DRAKE ROAD RACES HALF MARATHON AND 5K April 18 at The Blue Oval in Des
Moines. Before the official start of the competitive Drake Relays, runners of all abilities can participate in the road races. On April 21, people can participate in the Grand Blue Mile, which has hosted more than 35,000 participants from 36 states, six countries, and four continents. —godrakebulldogs.com
111TH DRAKE RELAYS April 21-24
BELLE PLAINE’S DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL April 9-11 at Downtown
for the Performing Arts. Celtic Woman is recognized as the most successful all-female group in Irish history. They have 12 consecutive Billboard No. 1 hits, 10 million in album sales, a Grammy nomination, and 1 billion online streams. —stiefeltheatre.org
KEGS ’N’ EGGS April 17 at Kansas City Renaissance Festival grounds in Bonner Springs. Guests can hunt for golden eggs and win prizes while sipping on craft beers, eating good food and listening to live music at APRIL this adults-only event. Take home a commemorative glass and free t-shirt to remember your time in Bonner Springs. 913.721.2110. —kegsneggskc.com
21-24
at The Blue Oval in Des Moines. One of the nation’s premier track and field events for over 100 years, the Drake Relays has seen the likes of Jesse Owens, and Lillie Leatherwood on their track. On campus, check out the Street Paintings, in which student organization paints a square of concrete along a street that runs in front of Cowles Library. —godrakebulldogs.com
K ANSAS
ONE NIGHT IN MEMPHIS March 20 at Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre. “One Night in Memphis” features over 90 minutes of pure rockabilly, country, gospel and rock and roll in a very authentic and energetic presentation featuring nationally known talent. —hutchinsonfox.com 123RD ANNUAL MIDWEST ART EXHIBITION
March 21-23 at Birger Sandzen Memorial Art Gallery. This exhibition was founded in 1899 by three Lindsborg artists—Birger Sandzén, Carl Lotave, and G. N. Malm—as a complement to the annual Messiah Festival held at Bethany College. It represents the longest running annual art exhibition in Kansas. —sandzen.org
AGGIEVILLE SHOWDOWN April 17 at Aggieville Business District on Moro Street. The Aggieville Showdown is a unique show. The event starts at the Riley County Fairgrounds, where exhibitors will battle it out to have the chance to show their market prospect cattle or breeding heifers in the streets of the Aggieville Business District. Other events include a fashion show, live music, and even some poetry. —aggievilleshowdown.com 28TH ANNUAL KANSAS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL April 23-24 in downtown
Downs. Tall tales, anecdotes and historical re-enactments can all be found at this festival, which offers two evening concerts and many separate sessions of stories, workshops and music. 785.454.6648. —kansasstorytelling.com
COLIN MOCHRIE AND BRAD SHERWOOD: SCARED SCRIPTLESS April 25 at
Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre. Armed with only their wits, Whose Line is it Anyway? stars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are taking to the live stage, no scripts allowed. —hutchinsonfox.com
MISSOURI
UNBOUND BOOK FESTIVAL Through April 23, online. The Unbound Book Festival Celebrates literature of all kinds. This year, the whole festival will be online. This means you'll be able to watch them all. The festival will culminate with their keynote event on April 23, featuring last year’s planned guests, Pulitzer Prize winners Tracy K. Smith and Jericho Brown. —unboundbookfestival.com PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS March
10-14 at Sprint Center and Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. The Big 12 Conference has announced a one-year extension to the multi-year agreement for Kansas City to serve as the host site for the Phillips 66 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. The events will remain in Kansas City through 2025. 816.691.3800 —visitkc.com
PLANET COMICON April 16-18 at Bartle Hall Convention Center in Kansas City. Celebrate 20 years of superheroes, pop culture and more at Kansas City’s largest and longest-running comic book convention and pop culture expo. The three day event will feature the best in comic books, fantasy, science fiction television and movies. 816.533.3126 —planetcomicon.com SAINT LOUIS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL
April 23-May 2 at various venues across St. Louis. The power of stories is unparalleled, and storytelling is an evolving and dynamic form of art. Celebrating its 41st anniversary, the St. Louis Storytelling festival is the largest free festival of its kind in the world. The multi-day celebration of stories will feature storytellers from across the nation, as well regional storytellers from the St. Louis community. 314 .266. 4833. —extension.missouri.edu/storytelling
Event times and details may change.
Visit omahamagazine.com for complete listings. Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.
MARCH/APRIL 2021
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NOT FUNNY // COLUMN BY OTIS TWELVE // PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL SITZMANN
D EAD L INES
A
s a writer, deadlines are part of my profession. Some people work well when given deadlines. Some freeze up under the pressure, while others experience symptoms related to the stress produced by these artificially imposed landmarks such as increased blood pressure, rashes, facial tics, or blenderrelated injuries when the Drillaud Triple Sec splashes them in the eyes. Some writers have been known to suddenly pack up their laptops, change their names, and leave town in the dark of night, moving to a little walk in Malta, rather than face the expectations placed on them.
True, we all face deadlines. Every profession, every job, every career involves such pressure. Over the years, I have found that deadlines come in many guises. In order to protect my mental health, nap times, and paltry fees, it is important that I understand exactly what type of deadline I am facing. This allows me to relax, be more efficient, and know when I can binge watch The Repair Shop, season three, without bothersome guilt or irrational tension regarding whatever particular assignment I am postponing. Here then is “The Otis Twelve Hierarchy of Deadlines.” Absolutely, Positively, Not Kidding, It Has To Be Done By: This is the “date certain” when a task, a project, or an assignment must be completed or else everything will fail; the company will go bankrupt, the bridge will collapse, the rocket will explode on the pad, the car warranty will expire, and/or time itself will end—dark matter will suddenly swallow the strings that create space itself and the reboot of Dune people have been eagerly awaiting will shut down mid-production. Translation: “Get it done within two weeks of the ‘deadline.’” Positively, Not Kidding, It Has To Be Done By: This is the “critical point” when any goal, aspirational landmark, or delivery date must be met or else the project may fail utterly; something will catch fire, the manager will begin to scream at the employee with the least to-do with the delay, the company will be sold to a Belgium Multinational, the car warranty will expire, and/or the streams of Fate itself will become twisted by Lovecraft’s Dark Powers and all souls will be cast into the eternal Lake of Frozen Fire. Translation: “Get it done within two weeks of the ‘deadline.’” Not Kidding, It Has To Be Done By: This is the “OMG” moment when any job, assignment, part delivery, or research result must be finished or else heads will roll; the lab will have to be shut down for decontamination, vacations will be canceled, the back of the desk chair will snap when you lean back to stretch your spine, The CEO will call a mandatory staff meeting with no bagels, the car warranty will expire, and/or your one true love will leave you a note that provides you with a lawyer’s phone number and little else. Translation: “Get it done within two weeks of the ‘deadline.’” It Has To Be Done By: This is when some task must reach a certain point so that the next “It Must Be Done By” can be established or else; the next “It Has To Be Done By” date can’t be set; the receptionist will quit in a huff; FBI agents will show up and seize computers, sticky notes, and filing cabinets; the car warranty will expire; and/or inter-dimensional assassins will suddenly appear at the health club and jump on all the stair steppers ahead of you. Translation: “Get it done within two weeks of the ‘deadline.’” When Can You Get It Done?: This is the best kind of deadline. Get it done ASAP. Otis Twelve hosts the radio program Early Morning Classics with Otis Twelve on 90.7 KVNO, weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. Visit kvno.org for more information.
MARCH/APRIL
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2021
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