Top Journal Star photos and videos for May 2026
Lincoln Police investigate the scene after one person died in a single-vehicle crash near Speedway Circle and Park Boulevard on Friday. Police said the vehicle, a green Kia Soul, hit a cement barrier and flipped over.
Grand Island’s Celia McCoy runs the 100m hurdles at the NSAA Track & Field State Championships on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Omaha Burke Stadium in Omaha.
Lincoln East’s Malachi Maly competes in the pole vault at the NSAA Track & Field State Championships on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Omaha Burke Stadium in Omaha.
Lincoln East's Trevor Roach (12) reacts as he walks to first during an NSAA Class A semifinal baseball game on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at Werner Park in Papillion. Lincoln East beat Papillion-La Vista South 12-5 to advance to the state championship.
Lincoln Pius X's Brooke Thomsen (22) is embraced by her boyfriend, senior Joseph Majerus, after the Class B NSAA Girls Soccer Championship on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Morrison Stadium in Omaha. Lincoln Pius X beat Blair 2-1 to claim the title. “I’m really proud of her and the team—it’s their turn,” he said.
LPD tech specialist Riley Hamilton leads the pack as he carries the torch up to the podium for opening remarks for the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Justice and Law Enforcement Center in Lincoln. The annual torch run, which began at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln City Campus, looped through downtown to the Hall of Justice to raise money for Special Olympics Nebraska.
Michaela Bruning is embraced by Ryan Marr as they examine the remnants of her home near St. Libory on Monday, a day after it was struck by a tornado.
Lora Miller searches through rubble that was once a children’s room at her son's home near St. Libory on Monday, a day after it was struck by a tornado.
New homes near St. Libory lay in rubble Monday, a day after a tornado ripped through Howard County on Sunday.
Stormy skies hang over downtown on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.
A storm passes over southeast Lincoln on Sunday. Lincoln got about 3.35 inches of rain from a series of storms that swept the city beginning last Saturday.
Nebraska outfielder Hannah Coor (23) fields from center during game six of the softball NCAA Lincoln Regional on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska beat Grand Canyon 1-0.
Nebraska pitcher Alexis Jensen (99) pitches against Grand Canyon during the Lincoln Regional final Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Rhonda Revelle sends pitcher/infielder Hannah Camenzind (9) off with a fist bump on her way into home plate after her home run against Grand Canyon during game six of the the softball NCAA Lincoln Regional on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln.
Nebraska fans cheer during an NCAA Regional game against Grand Canyon on Saturday at Bowlin Stadium.
Nebraska infielder Bella Bacon (3) is congratulated by pitcher/utility Emmerson Cope (33) after Bacon’s line-drive catch at first to end the game during the NCAA Lincoln Regional on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska beat South Dakota 4-1.
Nebraska infielder Samantha Bland (29) is hit by a pitch to take first as South Dakota catcher Abi Brown (7) can’t get to the ball during the NCAA Lincoln Regional on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska beat South Dakota 4-1.
Nebraska’s Gustav Rydaker takes a breather while competing in the men’s hammer throw during day one of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Nebraska Outdoor Track in Lincoln. Rydaker finished 21st with a final distance of 60.19.
Nebraska’s Brayden Bergkamp competes in the decathlon long jump during day one of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Nebraska Outdoor Track in Lincoln. Bergkamp finished 13th with a final distance of 6.75.
Nebraska’s Ava Goetz runs the women’s heptathlon 100m hurdles during day one of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Nebraska Outdoor Track in Lincoln. Goetz finished first with a time of 13.94.
Papillion La Vista South's Jackson Willer sticks out his tongue after hitting a triple against Lincoln Southwest during a first round game at Tal Anderson Field on Friday, May 15, 2026, in Omaha.
Supervised by Lincoln Police Department officer Wyatt Shafer (left), Dave Drummer uses a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) gun to measure the speed of traffic during a session with the LPD Citizens Academy on Thursday. During a session led by the LPD Traffic Unit, academy students rotated through 30-minute stations covering fatal crash reconstruction, radar and LiDAR tech, traffic stops and more.
Lincoln Pius X's Chloe Kolm (10) embraces Bentley Schlegel (1) after the win on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Morrison Stadium in Omaha. Lincoln Pius X beat Scotus Central Catholic 9-2.
College of Education and Human Sciences student Rebecca Barnell records herself as she turns her tassel during the UNL commencement ceremony for undergraduate students from the College of Business, College of Education and Human Sciences, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, College of Journalism and Mass Communications and the College of Public Affairs and Community Service on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The university once again honored its largest-ever graduating class, conferring 3,885 degrees to 3,762 graduates from 45 states plus the District of Columbia, and 61 countries.
Mount Michael’s Ashton Burroughs (6) trots back into the dugout to be congratulated by his team for the third out to resume batting on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Lincoln Christian School in Lincoln. Mount Michael beat Lincoln Christian 10-0 by run rule.
Nebraska’s Arina Razina clears the bar during the pole vault at the Nebraska Spring Tune-Up on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Nebraska Outdoor Track in Lincoln. Razina won the event with a mark of 4.25.
Rhema Otabor, competing unattached, reels back to throw her javelin during the Nebraska Spring Tune-Up on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Nebraska Outdoor Track in Lincoln. Otabor won the event with a final mark of 59.55.
Lincoln East’s Ugo Ononaji (6) roars with his team as he hoists the plaque during district finals on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Seacrest Field in Lincoln. Lincoln East beat Lincoln Southeast 3-1.
Lincoln Southeast’s Sutton Antholz (22) and Lily Pickerel (0) celebrate after winning a Class A district championship match against Papillion-La Vista South on Wednesday at Seacrest Field.
15-year-old Abigail Durr ties a shoe for fellow Lincoln Southeast ball kid, 7-year-old Teddy Sundberg, as they continue to watch the game during district finals on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Seacrest Field in Lincoln. Lincoln Southeast beat Papillion-La Vista South in a shootout. “We just need to do a little better on defense—they’re getting down to the goal and trying to score, but good thing our goalkeeper is saving it,” Sundberg said.
Angela Pillow, center left, is embraced by Elizabeth Buckhanan, right, during the grand opening of the new Malone Center on Wednesday.
Lincoln Southwest’s Ansley Throener (9) smooches the plaque held up by Creighton Allen (3) during district finals on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Seacrest Field in Lincoln. Lincoln Southwest was up 5-1 going into the half, with three goals by Ansley Throener (9) for an all-class single-season goal total record.
Millard South’s Emersyn Wragge (13) controls the ball against Lincoln East’s Harper Ross (13) during district finals on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Seacrest Field in Lincoln. Millard South beat Lincoln East 4-1.
Logan Esquivel, 4, (left) rushes to greet an inflatable alpaca as her parents Jaime Esquivel (right) and Megan Esquivel react on Tuesday during a street celebration for Cinco de Mayo hosted outside of Tipsy Tinas Taco Cantina. The free-entry event hosted several hundred guests for food and drinks, T-shirt and swag giveaways, balloon animals, face-painting, an assortment of yard games and live llama/alpaca petting. “She’s the lime to my taco!” Jaime said of his two-man costume with his daughter.
Runners are reflected in water bottles set out on tables along the Billy Wolff Trail on Sunday.
Seven-year-old Paula Valente peeks through a fence to watch runners during the Lincoln Marathon on Sunday outside Memorial Stadium.
10-year-old Carter Raymond rounds the corner from K Street onto South 16th Street during the 39th Annual KFRX Mayor’s Run on Saturday, May 2, 2026, around the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. The one-mile race, sponsored by Sandhills Global, featured multiple heats for participants spanning grades second through sixth.
English program alumnus Ryn Baginski (right) balks at a long strand of thread as he attempts to sew sheet music into a folder under supervision by Robin McClanahan (left) on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Love Library on the UNL campus in Lincoln. Led by McClanahan, the lead preservations technician at the university, the hands-on activity invites a small group of guests the chance to observe or participate in sewing music scores, mylaring book jackets and other tasks relating to care for library collection items.
Willie Brown, left, and her husband, Robert Brown, dance to some music from AM/FM during the Project NO Street Block Party on Thursday at 14th and O streets. To coincide with improvements to the Boehmer Street Music District, the city invited residents to a free gathering with local bands AM/FM and the Church of Blues, featuring “The Voice” competitors Jadyn Cree Olesen and Josh Hoyer, respectively. ”We are loving this — this is so great for Lincoln to come together.” Robert Brown said. “We like to dance,” Willie chimed in.
Task Force One’s Pat Wolfe, center, checks in with fellow member Ryan Loewenstein as they discuss how to support an unstable structure during a training exercise on Thursday at the Lincoln Fire and Rescue's training site.
Lincoln Southeast’s Jacob Cook tees off on hole eight during the Capitol City Invite on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the Holmes Golf Course.
Cars drive over the Platte River on the Inglewood Bridge south of Fremont on Wednesday. Drought conditions have led to lower water levels in the Platte.
A young worshiper yawns as he and around 3,000 practicing muslims gather to worship for Salat al-Eid (congregational prayer) on the day of Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at Speedway Village. Eid al-Adha (the "Festival of Sacrifice") is the second major Islamic holiday of the year, honoring Prophet Abraham’s (Ibrahim) willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Families who can afford it traditionally perform the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal (such as a sheep, goat, or cow). The meat is divided into three equal portions: one for the immediate family, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor and needy. “50 countries from around the world are represented here in Lincoln,”Nazim Khan, board member of islamic foundation of Lincoln said. “Muslims from all over the world who reside here in Lincoln are congregating here together under one umbrella, praying to Allah. And I am a Muslim, but religion to me is how can we help each other? We are all the same, different diverse people and we’re lining up next to each other in brotherhood.”
Millard North's Tatum Mabus (12) roars at the camera with the plaque after defeating Lincoln East during the Class A NSAA Baseball Championship on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Werner Park in Papillion. Lincoln East lost to Millard North 6-5.
Swimmers enjoy cooling off at the Woods Park Pool on Tuesday, a day after six of the city's nine pools were closed early due to overwhelmed filtration and chemical systems thanks to high temperatures and a large number of swimmers on the first day of the pool season.
Guests select bowls before getting soup during the 24th annual Empty Bowls luncheon Tuesday at the Embassy Suites. The luncheon is one of the Food Bank of Lincoln's largest fundraisers. “It is a heart-swell on a day like today to have this energy and emotion in the room,” said Michaella Kumke, Food Bank president and CEO. “When we think about what this event means, it is the empty bowls that we’ve been able to fill together as a community. And not just in the past year, but in the previous 23 years."
Angie Batten visits the grave of her father, Craig Batten, who served in the Marines in Vietnam, before the start of a Memorial Day ceremony Monday at Wyuka Cemetery. “It is hard because he died so young, but it is just good to remember him and the people that serve our country,” Batten said.
Erie Houdek, a member of Girl Scout Troop 20205, left, places a rose at a gravestone with help from Mia Griess at Wyuka Cemetery during a Memorial Day ceremony Monday. About 150 people attended the ceremony, one of three held in Lincoln on Monday to honor veterans.
Lincoln Southwest graduate Mustafa Ali Ahmed Guma is sprayed with Silly string by family members after a high school graduation ceremony held on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lincoln Public Schools graduations continue Sunday with Lincoln High, East High and Standing Bear High School ceremonies scheduled.
Lincoln Lutheran hoists the trophy after defeating Mount Michael during the Class C state championship on Saturday at Werner Park in Papillion.
Members and volunteers with Troop 12 Boy Scouts plant flags at the graves of military members on May 23, 2026, at Wyuka Cemetery. The Troop 12 Boy Scouts have been doing a service project by placing approx 1,800 flags on the Soldiers’ Circles at Wyuka Cemetery for over 30 years.
A fan watches Nebraska play Oklahoma State in the NCAA softball Super Regionals on Friday at Bowlin Stadium. The game, which was delayed Thursday due to weather, resumed Friday. This is the first time Nebraska has hosted the NCAA softball Super Regionals.
A 35% drop in Medicaid waiver funding this year could result in Nicholas Bessey losing the community-based services he currently receives, according to a new lawsuit.
A 20-year-old Ceresco man allegedly reached speeds over 160 mph before being arrested by the Nebraska State Patrol in a Wednesday evening pursuit.
The "Con Mis Amigos 50K" — a 31.5 mile jaunt around the Capital City with stops at seven Amigos locations — is part race, part eating challenge.
A state board approved tax financing for a Lincoln volleyball facility and an Omaha soccer stadium, but rejected nine other projects across Nebraska.
A 25-year-old Lincoln man has been jailed in connection with a shipment of nearly 100 pounds of marijuana and roughly 100 THC vape cartridges.
Students were unable to access exams, assignments or grades after a system outage. Hackers claimed they accessed data from millions of users across thousands of schools.
Voters from 199 Lancaster County precincts will descend upon 149 polling places open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday with many choices.
A judge has ordered a Lincoln woman facing three felonies for allegedly starving a boy and locking him in his room to be treated at the Lincoln Regional Center.
A Lincoln man who shot and killed his neighbor in 2024 will spend up to 40 years in prison after a judge handed down the maximum sentence.
The opinion said that ordinances passed by a city are void if they are inconsistent with state law and interfere with a matter of statewide concern.
A judicial nominating commission has forward two names to Gov. Jim Pillen for his consideration to be the next Lancaster County District Court judge.
The 19-month-old who was injured when a car crashed into a Lincoln restaurant on Saturday has been released from a hospital in Omaha.
A 21-year-old Lincoln man spent the weekend in jail after allegedly pointing a gun at a group of people walking near Ninth and N streets around 12:30 a.m. Saturday.
Voters from 199 Lancaster County precincts will descend upon 149 polling places open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday with many choices.
Lincoln’s City Council passed a minimum wage ordinance despite a state opinion calling it invalid.
Lincoln Police spokesperson Erika Thomas said Michael Hughes, 47, went to the Hall of Justice on Monday morning to be booked on the misdemeanor charge.
A 74-year-old man is accused of firing a shotgun during an argument with his neighbors just outside of Lincoln after a pregnant horse and its colt, which the neighbors owned, were found dead.
Joshua Meyers, 40, faces up to life in prison for the October death of Tracy Henman, a woman remembered by her family as "the light of so many people's worlds."
Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office have begun an investigation into the deaths of two adults who apparently consumed rare over the counter medicinal products.
Just before 5:45 p.m. Monday, officers with the Lincoln Police Department responded to a crash after a vehicle had struck the Asian Buffet at 5130 N. 27th St.
A 21-year-old Lincoln man has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm on school grounds after allegedly having a pistol on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's campus.
A 30-year-old Lincoln man is facing a felony theft charge in connection with the reported theft of thousands from the Nebraska Lottery.
Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Tyson Moodie said this involved three days of messages, where Strickland asked for photos, offered money and suggested meeting for a sexual encounter.
The killing happened shortly after he was released from jail for violating a protection order.
A car crash over the weekend caused $40,000 in damage to a restaurant in north Lincoln, according to the crash report.
Lincoln police say the thief who broke into a south Lincoln adult store last month appears to have done it again.
The Lincoln Police Department's seatbelt enforcement project -- part of the nationwide “Make it Click” campaign -- starts Friday and will run through the end of the month.
Two women have sued Lincoln-based Universal Pure over a data breach that exposed sensitive information of current and former workers.
A former Palmyra teacher pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse by a school employee after a judge rejected a challenge to the law. He faces up to 20 years.
A student at Everett Elementary was allegedly sprayed with pepper spray by another student Wednesday.
A 35-year-old Lincoln man has been arrested on a warrant for allegedly assaulting a woman using a rotary tool and a soldering iron and burning her with a glass pipe.
Work to revamp Lincoln's main downtown street will take a big step forward next week, and drivers should pay heed.
Lincoln could grow to 440,000 people by 2050. City officials are asking residents to help shape what that future looks like.
The Otoe County Sheriff's Office is investigating a rollover crash southwest of Nebraska City that seriously injured two Lincoln men.
A 34-year-old Lincoln man has been arrested for his alleged connection with six burglaries across Lincoln, police said.
The Pony Express Ride is underway, carrying messages from families and youth to the Capitol this weekend.
A Nebraska household in Ogallala was the first reported high-speed internet connected funding through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, the Nebraska Broadband Office announced Thursday.
On Friday, the city dedicated the public health clinic at the Health Department's building at 3131 O St. in Lopez's honor.
A drug task force search Thursday afternoon led to an arrest and a cache of cocaine, marijuana, mushrooms and homemade explosives at a home in northwest Lincoln, police say.
A Malibu man received 14 years in federal prison in Nebraska for helping transport thousands of pounds of marijuana and millions in drug proceeds tied to a nationwide trafficking organization.
Christenson, who helped refugees like the Muslics and people formerly incarcerated through his nonprofit Bridges to Hope, died May 9 at Holmes Lake Rehabilitation and Care Center. He was 89.
A 34-year-old Lincoln man has been arrested in connection with six burglaries across Lincoln, police said.
Lincoln Transportation and Utilities announced two street will be closed beginning Monday.
A Sunday afternoon crash on Interstate 80 west of Lincoln has been cleared as of 1:19 p.m.
Community members can vote for the 2026 One Book One Lincoln selection through Aug. 31 after finalists are announced Monday.
Around 3:15 a.m, officers were sent to 5530 Franklin St. where one person was shot.
A woman was allegedly robbed at gunpoint Tuesday afternoon while leaving her central Lincoln apartment, police say.
A Lincoln police officer who resigned last month facing an internal affairs investigation over an allegation of sexual misconduct is giving up his law enforcement certification.
"I aspire not just to be a judge, but to be a good judge," Jennifer Huxoll said at a judicial nominating commission hearing earlier this month.
The Senate advanced a measure requiring congressional approval for more Iran military action. Ricketts and Deb Fischer voted no.
“In my mind, we absolutely won the biggest and most important game, which was (Tuesday),” Williams said Wednesday. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to be a superchampion.”
"There's been a lot of talk about the credibility of the appellant in this, and it's somewhat intertwined," Chief Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Dan Zieg said.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers says Lincoln’s new minimum wage ordinance could face legal challenges over conflicts with state law.
Police say a Lincoln man hurled racial slurs and threats at a woman and her children inside a north Lincoln Sam’s Club. He now faces child abuse charges.
The Journal Star welcomes three journalists to its newsroom: business reporter Tomer Ronen, award-winning education reporter Livia Ziskey, and returning summer news intern Susie Bovaird.
The lawsuit says, in recent years, the Legislature has upended the grant process and misused the Environmental Trust as a "piggy bank" to cover other state expenses.
At trial, Foltz Brothers and its insurer stipulated that Thomas Hastreiter had been injured in the course of his work. But they said his preexisting cancer caused his death.
The Downtown Lincoln Association is aiming to reawaken the district through its recently launched Downtown Champions program.
Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent John Skretta would see a more than $14,000 annual pay increase if the Lincoln Board of Education approves a two-year contract later this month.
Nutrition workers, paraeducators and nurses would be eligible for pay increases and stipends under agreements discussed at the Lincoln Board of Education's Tuesday evening meeting.
Scottsbluff Police investigated an apparent accidental shooting on Saturday.
A 25-year-old man is alleged to have been driving while intoxicated when his vehicle collided with the rear of an Omaha police cruiser Saturday night on Interstate 80, critically injuring an officer.
Riley Dawn Stevens' last possible location might have been Sydney, and she might be traveling toward Kansas City with another woman
A century-old water fight between Nebraska and Colorado is headed toward its next chapter at the U.S. Supreme Court.
A Nebraska delegation plans another trip to Ukraine focused on aid, agriculture and documenting wartime life near the front lines.
Lincoln Fire & Rescue says a heat lamp in a duck enclosure caused a garage fire Sunday that caused an estimated $90,000 in damage.
The three finalists are: "The Names" by Florence Knapp; "Culpability" by Bruce Holsinger; and "There Are Rivers in the Sky" by Elif Shafak.
A second man has been charged federally in connection with an alleged plot to bring cars stolen in Texas to Nebraska to sell.
The jury found Seville Colliers guilty of terroristic threats, not guilty of tampering with a witness and were hung on a charge of sexual assault in the first degree.
Deputies believe a Ford Focus was heading south on Northwest 84th Street when it failed to stop at the intersection at West O Street and collided with an eastbound Nissan Kicks.
A 56-year-old Lincoln man died Friday after a single-vehicle crash near Salt Creek, according to investigators.
Nebraska's top election official is seeking legal guidance on whether Democratic Senate candidate Cindy Burbank can withdraw from the ballot.
"Nebraska’s new Digital ID law makes a mockery of the First Amendment," said Paul Taske, codirector of the NetChoice Litigation Center.
A 36-year-old Lincoln man has been charged after allegedly threatening to stab a woman early Monday morning.
A Lincoln man pleaded not guilty after allegedly telling Raymond Central students he would “kill them” last month.
A Nebraska City man has been cited for a Sunday afternoon crash that injured an Otoe County deputy.
At about 7:15 p.m. Monday, deputies from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and first responders were sent to the crash that killed one person and injured seven.
A 24-year-old Lincoln man has been cited for driving under the influence in a Tuesday night crash, police said.
Nearly 500 nonprofits are taking part in Give to Lincoln Day, which is Thursday.
During the first quarter of 2026, only 16 cases were reported for a total loss of $284,169. Since then, the numbers have climbed to a loss of over $2.7 million.
Dr. Sunil Hingorani's attorney said he was "largely banished" from the clinic following a meeting Oct. 18, 2024.
