Dewitty Became ‘Springboard’ for Black Nebraska Homesteaders

Nebraska homesteaders were poor and poorer, Catholic and Protestant, European and American. And almost uniformly white.

Except for the homesteaders who settled in a place called Dewitty,
near present-day Valentine.

By Matthew Hansen. Originally published in Flatwater Free Press. 
Republished in The Reader.

Reed Moore’s Daily Rundown

Happy Mathematics Day

Thankfully there’s no pop quiz on today’s news: The Nebraska Humane Society rescues almost 500 animals from a home with “squalid” living conditions, the Kellogg’s strike comes to a close after workers vote in favor of ratifying a tentative labor contract, and according to the National Weather Service, twenty-two tornadoes hit Nebraska due to the Dec. 15 storms, smashing the previous record of five from the past 70 years.

Harper’s Index Facts of the Day

  1. Percentage of U.S. executives who think their workplace culture has
    improved since the start of the pandemic: 72
  2. Of U.S. human resources professionals who think so: 21

Source: Society for Human Resource Management (Washington)

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For nationwide COVID-19 case and vaccination trends, click here.

Around Omaha

Around Nebraska

  • Flatwater Free Press takes a deep dive into how Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church honors its German roots.
  • In Nebraska, there have only ever been five tornadoes recorded in December, according to data collected by the National Weather Service (NWS) during the past seven decades. But, according to the NWS, twenty-two tornadoes hit Nebraska due to the Dec. 15 storms, though that number could change as experts continue examining data.
  • When December ends, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department will let its mask mandate expire.
  • “Inadvertently activated”: Here’s why you got that Emergency Alert System wake-up call on Tuesday night.
  • Money Roundup: Nebraska’s gas tax is slated to decrease, a University of Nebraska–Lincoln report indicates the state will continue its economic growth, and read about the cost of retirement in Nebraska.

In Your Local Government

Tensions over the city government’s relationship with North Omaha rose during Tuesday’s Omaha City Council meeting as the City Council approved Sharlon Rodgers’ appointment to the Omaha Municipal Land Bank. Rogers is the wife of a County Commissioner and Mayor Jean Stothert’s second pick after former Councilmember Ben Gray’s appointment was rejected by the Omaha City Council earlier this year. As Douglas County reported 10 cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse stressed the dire situation in community hospitals.

Read local government reporter Anton Johnson’s full article for The Reader here..

Reed Moore Presents a Film Review:
A Triumphant Return for
‘Christmas in My Heart’

I’d seen Camille Metoyer Moten in many starring roles, but never in a concert setting, fully airing her versatile voice, writes Warren Francke.

Published in The Reader.

As COVID-19 variants spread through the community, remember to get fully vaccinated, boosted and masked before going to public gatherings.
Find more music content here, and check out local guides here.

The Daily Funny

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