Humanities Desk

Congressman Mike Flood’s third town hall of the year was his biggest, and arguably most contentious one yet. The 850-seat Kimball Recital Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus was filled with a crowd that wasted no time vocalizing their criticisms of the representative. Following an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and performance of ‘God Bless America,’ Flood began touting the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ that he and 217 of his fellow Republicans voted for last month. “I truly believe that this bill will allow America to experience growth, that it will allow our communities to thrive, that it will spark our economy, that it will help farmers and ranchers, that it will take care of the vulnerable,” he said. “And more than anything, I truly believe this bill protects Medicaid for the future.”

Comic Con Nebraska held its inaugural event at Omaha’s C-H-I Health Center this weekend. The con was host to artists, authors, vendors and even an arcade, but according to those attending the con, it was more than that.

The University of Nebraska was selected to receive a grant to continue its work uncovering and publicizing the journalistic writings of famed poet Walt Whitman. The National Endowment for the Humanities selected the project as one of 97 recipients across the country receiving grants for August 2025. The university will receive $300,000 over the course of three years for its research.

Benson is hosting its New Americans Arts Festival today, and organizers say it has a new meaning this year.

Comic Con Nebraska is coming to Omaha’s C-H-I Health Center this weekend. The new ‘con’ is the first event being put on by Octopus Events Group, whose members have previously put on comic cons in Portland and Seattle.

Students, professors and volunteers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Anthropology program just landed in France to help in a month-long project. The goal is to send home any remains from a WWII plane crash.

Last weekend marked the 104th Burwell Rodeo. This year, the Burwell community literally weathered a storm to continue the tradition. It took many volunteers to make it happen.

Omaha non-profit ‘Playing with Fire’ is putting on their 21st Playing with Fire event this Friday and Saturday. The event, held for the first time inside the Slowdown, will host 6 blues artists, including four from outside the U.S.

Pillen says the proposed cuts are part of his goal of reducing the size of government and not due to economic indicators. However, June tax revenues fell well short of predictions for the fiscal year and the amount of federal funds for the state next year is uncertain. Justin Hubly, the executive director of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, says Pillen’s proposal would likely lead to a workforce reduction.

Less than a week after setting a new national record in the road mile for his age group, Lynn Rathjen already has his sights set on the next accomplishment. The 80-year-old retired physical therapist is training to break the age group records in the 800 and 1500 meter races at the national championships in Alabama this weekend.