I've got something a little different planned for Friday. I'm heading to the Holland Center for a symphony performance, and believe it or not, I've never actually been to one before! I've always been interested in the piano and have wanted to learn how to play for quite some time. Haven't gotten around to it yet, but it's on my list!
I can't say I know much about classical music, but I'm excited to experience an entire orchestra playing together in person. Who knows, maybe it'll finally convince me to pick up the piano.
I'll let you know how it goes next week! In the meantime, we've got another good issue ahead of us. Enjoy!
The Vitals
Report |
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Sunrise: 7:49am ↑ |
Sunset: 6:25pm ↓ |
Total Daylight: 10h and 36m |
Allergens: High Dust and Dander |
Air Quality: Moderate 56 AQI |
Rainfall This Month: 1.35 in. |
Missouri River Height: 13.70 ft. |
Omaha Weather Betrayal Count: 2 |
Halloween is this Saturday, and the forecast is looking pretty promising! We might get a little rain earlier in the day, but things should be mostly dry by the time trick-or-treating rolls around. Temperatures are looking pretty mild, too. Which is great, because nobody wants to spend Halloween dressed as a soggy pumpkin.
The People of Omaha
This week: Kathy Humann, Animal Rescue Founder & Advocate
This is a section where I highlight a business owner or just someone I think is cool (or both)
The Rescue Work You Don’t See
Before meeting Kathy Humann, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what cat rescue looked like. Find a stray, take it in, and hopefully get it adopted. Well, a few minutes into our conversation, I realized I was missing a huge part of the story. Kathy was telling me about getting up before sunrise, setting traps in all kinds of weather, and driving around with dozens of cats in her car. And somehow, she was smiling through just about every story. You could tell she absolutely loved it.
It started in a small Iowa town, where Kathy fed a feral cat named Toby through the winter. Unlike a lost house cat, a feral cat isn't comfortable around people and can't simply be picked up and brought home. When another cat, Mrs. Gray, had five kittens, Kathy learned about trap-neuter-return. Volunteers humanely trap outdoor cats, get them spayed or neutered and vaccinated, then return them to areas where someone can feed and monitor them. Without this, colonies can quickly grow, leaving even more kittens vulnerable to hunger, illness, and the dangers of outdoor life. Kathy founded the Western Iowa Feral Cat Program, and over five years, her team helped more than 5,000 cats.
Some days got pretty wild. Kathy told me about visiting a property where cats were practically everywhere. She and around five volunteers ended up trapping 56 in a single day! They didn't have enough traps, so they carefully transferred cats into carriers and loaded up every available vehicle. All 56 made it back safely. Another time, Kathy drove more than 40 trapped cats 17 miles in her Toyota RAV4. Feral cats don’t make any noise around humans, so the car ride back was dead silent. I honestly had a hard time picturing it.
And nobody was getting paid for any of this. Kathy and her volunteers were constantly raising money for veterinary care through pay-what-you-want garage sales, online auctions, and even a hot dog stand called "Eat a Dog, Feed a Cat." A generous veterinarian helped keep surgery costs down, but every cat still meant finding the money to help another. Kathy told me rescue kept her busy nearly every day, but she never really thought of it as a job. "I think that was the highlight of my life so far," she said.
When Kathy moved back to Omaha, she found a new way to help through Solas Rescue a small, entirely volunteer-run organization. She fostered orphaned kittens, sometimes bottle-feeding them every two hours, day and night. One group arrived from a barn so sick she wasn't sure they'd survive. They did, and Kathy ended up adopting two herself. Today, she still talks about these small rescues with so much admiration. And when I asked if the experience had changed her, I loved her answer: it hadn't changed who she was. It had simply allowed her to blossom into the person she truly was.
Dealer’s Choice
Last week’s rebus puzzle answer was Potatoes! POT + the eight lowercase Os. Pot-eight-os! Now when the next rebus puzzle comes around you will know what’s up.
Now we are back to a quick trivia:
Around Omaha
Some things worth knowing around Omaha this week
01 - The World's Best Volleyball Is Coming to Omaha!
Omaha is getting a front-row seat to some serious volleyball next summer. The newly announced groups for the 2027 Women's Volleyball World Cup will bring eight national teams, including Italy and Japan, to CHI Health Center from August 20–25. Omaha is one of just five host cities across the United States and Canada!
02 - Omaha's Book-Retrieving Robot
Omaha's new Central Library has welcomed around 275,000 visitors in its first six months, and one of its coolest features is a robot that can store and retrieve up to 600,000 items! I recently visited the library myself, and I have to say, that robot looks like something straight out of the future. Definitely worth checking out!
A Little Good
A Little Good, 16 Times Over
I got sent a story that I just had to share! While going through 16 radiation treatments this summer, one reader decided to spread a little kindness. She delivered 16 small bouquets of flowers to people who had touched her life during her breast cancer journey. And while the flowers certainly brightened their days, she says reaching out to others helped her get through some difficult days of her own. Sometimes, a little good goes both ways!
Pet Of The Week
You know that adorable picture of your pet that's been sitting in your camera roll? Well, it's time the rest of Omaha got to see it!
Click the button below to submit your favorite photo and a little bit about the personality behind that cute face.
Meet Snowball! Kerri adopted him from a Florida rescue, and now at 13 years old, he's living his best life in Nebraska. He loves his catio, catnip treats, and sitting with his legs crossed like a true gentleman. And look at his cool eyes!
Overheard in Omaha
“I just paid eight dollars for this coffee. I’m finishing the ice.”
Worth Getting Out For
Thursday, Oct. 29th
5:30 PM | Falconwood Fright Nights
Catch The Nightmare Before Christmas outdoors, with trunk-or-treat, food trucks, and cozy movie vibes. More details
7:00 PM | Macabre at the Manor
Explore Victorian mysteries, tarot readings, live magic, and eerie exhibits inside Joslyn Castle. More details
7:00 PM | Sarah Colonna
Catch the Chelsea Lately comedian bringing sharp stand-up laughs to Omaha's Funny Bone. More details
8:00 PM | Easy Star All-Stars
Hear Pink Floyd's classic album transformed into live reggae at Matchbox Omaha. More details
Friday, Oct. 30th
9:00 AM | Halloween Trick or Treat Day
Little ones can trick-or-treat throughout Omaha Children's Museum while enjoying festive hands-on activities. More details
7:00 PM | Big Canvas Comedy
Watch Omaha comedians create an entirely unscripted show with plenty of audience laughs. More details
7:00 PM | Night Light: The Unknown
Explore ghosts, UFOs, and strange science during this adults-only, costume-friendly night at Kiewit Luminarium. More details
7:30 PM | Dvořák's Seventh - This is what I am going to!
The Omaha Symphony brings powerful classical music and world-class cello performances to Holland Center. More details
Saturday, Oct. 31st
10:00 AM | Winterland Ice Skating Opening Day
Hit the ice for free outdoor skating and complimentary skate rentals at Heartwood Preserve. More details
10:00 AM | Tales from the Turret
Costumes are welcome for a spellbinding children's storytime inside Omaha's historic Joslyn Castle. More details
7:30 PM | Omaha Lancers vs. Lincoln Stars
Cheer on Omaha's hockey team as they face rival Lincoln on home ice. More details
8:00 PM | Daughtry: 20 Years Unplugged
Rock favorites get an acoustic twist as Daughtry brings its anniversary tour to La Vista. More details
Sunday, Nov. 1st
12:00 PM | Día de Muertos at Joslyn Castle
Admire a special ofrenda honoring loved ones and the history of Joslyn Castle. More details
2:00 PM | Bunnicula
A mysterious vampire bunny takes center stage, with adoptable animals visiting the lobby. More details
If there’s an event you want to see on this list next week submit it here →
And that’s a wrap on week seven. If you made it all the way down here, thank you for spending a little bit of your Wednesday with me.
If you liked this issue, send it to someone you think would enjoy it too.
See you next Wednesday 😄
