Top Journal Star photos for October 2023
Lincoln High School student Alexianna Lathan, 14, walks home from school on Monday. wearing a dinosaur onesie. “It’s pajama day,” she said, part of Lincoln High's homecoming week that culminates Friday with the Links' football game against Lincoln East at 4:30 p.m. at Seacrest Field, followed by the homecoming dance that night.
Alex Lee, 9, holds a sign on the steps of the state Capitol on Sunday during a trans-rights rally. Beside him sits his brother, 4, whose parents requested not be named. “For the past few years, we’ve been advocating for trans kids’ rights,” said Alex’s mother, Jennifer Lee. “Alex wanted to share his story because a lot of kids don’t have both of their parents supporting them,” Jennifer said. “Most people assume it’s ‘woke’ moms with green hair making their kids be trans, and that’s not what’s going on. You can either support your trans kid or you can bury them,” she said.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln students Abby Steffen (center) and Gina Gage (right) laugh as they stand together under a red and white tarp over the student fan section before the match against Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
Michigan's Kalel Mullings carries the ball against Nebraska in the fourth quarter, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule wipes his head as he watches the action against Michigan.
Nebraska's Marcus Washington fends off Michigan's Josh Wallace as he returns the ball in the third quarter at Memorial Stadium, on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.
Nebraska's Javin Wright (right) walks off the field following the Huskers loss to Michigan at Memorial Stadium, on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. The Huskers lost to Michigan, 45-7.
Nebraska's Billy Kemp (1) is brought down by Michigan's Josaiah Stewart (5) during the game on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
Michigan's Roman Wilson (left) scores a touchdown by pinning the ball on Nebraska's Isaac Gifford's helmet in the first quarter Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
York native Hunter Hadenfeldt, 11, plays games on a phone in the back of a car at a tailgate lot underneath the Highway 34 bridge outside of Memorial Stadium, on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.
Auburn’s Nixon Ligouri (8) scores a touchdown against Lincoln Christian on Friday at Lincoln Christian.
Lincoln Southeast's Kadin Logan is brought down on a run by Lincoln Southwest's Landon McDaniel in the second quarter Friday at Seacrest Field.
Lincoln Southwest parent Tiffany Kafka (right) helps the runners cool down, including her daughter Mya Kafka (266) and teammate Silvy Munn during Lincoln Public Schools Championship, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at Pioneers Park.
Vincent “Big Red” Foster hoists the hand of his new bride, Teresa Taylor, on Friday during their wedding at SPORTS FANtastic on Havelock Avenue.
A pass intended for Lincoln East's Noah Burhoop is broken up by Millard South's Javonte Walker in the third quarter at Seacrest Field, on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Lincoln.
The stands that rise above Seacrest field are reflected in the helmet visor of Lincoln East's Luke Lindquist, on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Lincoln.
Lincoln Pius X players react after Keeleigh Knobbe (7) scores match point of the A-7 district championship against Papillion-La Vista on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, at Pius X High School.
Sara Madsen and her husband, Brady Clark, shoot pool at Madsen's Bowling & Billiards on Wednesday. Sara Madsen has taken over management Madsen's Bowling & Billiards from her cousin Benjamin Madsen.
St. Teresa Catholic School second-grade student Nicholas Bauman makes a field goal attempt from the hold of University of Nebraska-Lincoln sophomore Tyler Aldredge during Memorial Stadium birthday party on Monday. The stadium celebrates its 100th anniversary this season.
Nebraska's Laney Choboy makes a diving save in the fifth set at the Devaney Sports Center, on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Lincoln.
Nebraska players celebrate the victory against Wisconsin on Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Laney Choboy (right) went to the ground and slapped the floor.
Northwestern's Garnett Hollis, Jr. successfully defends a throw intended for Nebraska's Jaidyn Doss in the third quarter at Memorial Stadium, on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.
Lincoln Southeast's band members return to the bleachers before a high school football game against South Sioux City, Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, at Union Bank Stadium.
Jaye-Lynne Meyer of Plattsmouth browses a selection of native plants on Friday during a plant sale at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA) Greenhouse on the UNL East Campus. All proceeds from sales go toward funding statewide arboretum programs.
Lincoln East's Mallorie Meyer (right) celebrates after a kill by her teammates in the second set during the HAC tournament championship match at Lincoln Southeast High School, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Traffic flows steadily east along K street as the sun sets behind the Nebraska State Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Lincoln.
Norris' Alivia Hausmann reaches out as she attempts to save the ball in the third set at Lincoln Lutheran High School, on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023.
Hastings' Moritz Kaufmann falls to his knees as he celebrates winning the Class B No. 2 singles title Tuesday at Woods Tennis Center.
Lincoln Christian's Andrew Penrod celebrates after he and partner Benjamin Mooss won the Class B No. 2 doubles state title Tuesday at Woods Tennis Center.
Nebraska players stand ready as the starting lineup is announced before taking on Penn State at the Devaney Sports Center, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Lincoln.
Nebraska's Laney Choboy celebrates after a point in the second set at the Devaney Sports Center, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Lincoln.
Lincoln East's Hunter Nelson returns the ball in the No. 1 singles championship match at the Class A state tennis tournament, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at the Woods Tennis Center.
Nebraska's Bekka Allick hits the ball as Michigan State's Julia Bishop attempts to block it during a match in October at the Devaney Sports Center.
Nebraska's Lexi Rodriguez dives for the ball against Michigan State in the first set on Friday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Ashland-Greenwood’s senior centerfielder Bree Schefdore (11, center) and junior second-base Joslyn Sargent (9) wait out a tornado warning with several other teams in a warehouse on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 during the state softball championships at Bill Smith Softball Complex in Hastings.
Kearney's Maddox Miller (10) runs the ball while pursued by Lincoln Northeast's Trystin Mahoney (16) Devin Fenster (84) and Jacian Brown during the first quarter at Seacrest Field, on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in Lincoln.
Beatrice's Delanie Roeder attempts to make a diving catch at the center field fence during the sixth inning at Bill Smith Softball Complex, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Hastings.
Waverly's Olivia Grube celebrates after scoring in the first inning at Bill Smith Softball Complex, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Hastings.
Waverly's Hallie Lauenstein lays out to save the ball from hitting the ground against Omaha Duchesne on Tuesday in Waverly.
Lincoln East golfers celebrate after winning their first-ever Class A girls golf team title on Tuesday at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island.
Lincoln activist Renee Sans Souci (from left), Steve Laravie Jr., executive director of the Indian Center, Kylesse Walker of Omaha and University of Nebraska-Lincoln students Sophie James and Anastasia Pitts hold hands and dance as they gather in front of the Nebraska state Capitol to honor Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday.
Nebraska’s pitcher Jordy Bahl (98) reacts to her strikeout to end the final inning against Creighton on Sunday at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska won the match, 12-4.
Nebraska’s Reese Borer (8, left) celebrates her goal against Iowa with teammate Abbey Schwarz on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at Hibner Stadium. Nebraska won the match 4-2.
Illinois' Nicario Harper (0) brings down Nebraska's Anthony Grant (23) with in the third quarter on Friday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
Nebraska fans celebrate with Ethan Nation (28) after the game against Illinois on Friday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
Nebraska players walk out of the visitors' tunnel before taking on Illinois on Friday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
Nebraska's Phalen Sanford (37) and Chief Borders (14) celebrate with Grant Tagge (56) after he comes up with the ball following a fumble on a kickoff to Illinois during the second quarter on Friday in Champaign, Ill.
College View Barbers' Gary Francisco cuts the hair of longtime customer John Gustafson on Friday.
Lincoln Southwest softball players celebrate after winning the A-5 district championship against Lincoln North Star on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, at Doris Bair Complex.
Claire Cude, a kindergartner at Fairbury Public Schools, laughs as she feeds lettuce to a giraffe on Wednesday during Sensory Safari at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
Lincoln Pius X's Kami Wemhoff is late for the dig against Fremont in the first set, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Lincoln.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers is challenging the constitutionality of a new criminal justice reform statute that passed in the Legislature this year.
The two commissioners who were the subjects of the independent investigation into allegations of misconduct - Christian Mirch and Kevin Stocker - called the vote a “politically motivated attack.”
ASHLAND — Christmas is coming early to Ashland this year. And for many years to come.
Playoff softball is in the air, and if we've learned anything this season, it's that many teams could make a run to the state tournament.
A Nebraska school district will pay a Lakota family $227K to settle a federal lawsuit after a school employee cut their children's hair without permission and against their religious beliefs.
The organization formerly known as Children's Hospital & Medical Center marked its 75th anniversary Tuesday by announcing its new name — Children's Nebraska.
Sam Kurtenbach, a Lincoln native who lives in Omaha, won $150,000 in an episode of "The $100,000 Pyramid" that aired Wednesday night.
The University of Nebraska will use one of the country’s oldest academic search firms and a homegrown Nebraskan to help find its new system president.
Jose Cabrera-Lomeli was sentenced to serve at least 160 years in prison. Ademir Estrada-Pena was sentenced to serve between 40 to 60 years in prison.
Two Nebraska state senators have been concerned in recent years about challenges regarding citizens’ access to public records, and now they are fighting for change.
A 19-year-old woman was killed in a shooting Wednesday night in North Omaha.
As initiatives across Nebraska kick off in preparation for the 2024 elections, a sick leave petition has the most financial support — with a big assist from a national group.
The former director of a Sarpy County nonprofit dedicated to helping kids and families in the juvenile justice system was sentenced to six months in federal prison after she admitted to defrauding the organization over a period of three years.
The huge concrete grain-elevator silos north of Interstate 80 near 34th Street in Omaha would face the wrecking ball under a plan moving forward at City Hall.
Racetrack casinos generated a total of $1.582 million in revenue for the state, cities and counties in September.
A Douglas County judge ruled on Tuesday that probable cause exists to believe two Bennington men committed a hate crime during an alleged assault last month, clearing the path for the case to go to trial.
A Lincoln man accused of stealing an ambulance and leading police on a two-hour chase across Douglas County appeared in court for the first time Tuesday.
The baby boy, estimated to be a few hours old, is healthy and is now in the care of DHHS.
Actress Geena Davis told the Women's Fund of Omaha audience Thursday that "change is happening" in gender equity.
The explosion occurred in the chemical compound building at 8350 W. Old Potash Highway. A woman died at the scene and another person was transported to a hospital.
Amidst the statewide labor shortage, lawmakers are looking at ways to lower a key entry barrier for child care workers.
A cluster of cases filed in Nebraska appear to show a growing trend of people and news organizations turning to judges to force the government to turn over public records.
An 18-year-old Fremont man who allegedly fled from the scene of a fatal crash will stand trial for motor vehicle homicide while driving under the influence of alcohol.
The new Xumo Stream Box available to Spectrum customers combines live TV channels with hundreds of subscription-based and ad-supported streaming apps.
Pat Carraher, director of the Children and Families Unit at Legal Aid of Nebraska, said the new law will provide needed assistance to victims of domestic violence.
A newer route for minimally invasive replacement of aortic valves in the heart is offering an alternative for some patients in Nebraska whose leg arteries aren't accessible.
An Omaha woman accused of killing two men and injuring a third in a series of shootings since March 2022 has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
A rural North Platte man pleaded guilty in Lincoln County District Court to two counts of felony abandonment or cruel neglect of livestock.
Melissa Temple was removed from her subcommittee assignments and barred from being reimbursed for travel expenses after criticizing a fellow board member's actions in a meeting earlier this year.
A man who was shot multiple times by Omaha Police Department officers earlier this month after allegedly pointing a gun at them appeared in court for the first time Tuesday after he was charged with possessing a firearm as a felon.
The game of governmental musical chairs will leave Sen. Tom Briese's seat vacant Oct. 31, paving the way for Gov. Pillen's second appointment to the Legislature in seven months.
An Omaha woman accused of shooting and killing two men after luring them to her home appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered to be held in custody without bail.
WAHOO — A developer received approval last week from the Wahoo City Council to use tax-increment financing (TIF) on a mixed-use project that c…
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has identified two 16-year-olds who were killed in a crash in far northern Douglas County on Oct. 8.
The Planning Commission denied a special permit to a cement company that wanted to mine 13 million tons of clay from 112 acres in northern Lancaster County over 30-40 years.
Brian, the new rhino at Omaha's zoo, was known at his previous zoo for his soccer skills with various enrichment items and his eagerness to train with his keepers.
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development will distribute over $12 million to fund 23 housing projects across Nebraska through the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The multisport complex in La Vista has a new name: CHI Health Multisport Complex Nebraska, the complex's board of directors announced Wednesday.
He was arrested Tuesday afternoon for alleged fraudulent insurance acts, the state patrol said.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office released the identity of a woman who was found dead in the Lake Platteview Campground in western Douglas County.
A 48-year-old Lincoln man is facing a felony child abuse charge for allegedly leaving a 16-year-old boy with a broken nose, according to newly filed court documents.
Live Well, Go Fish aims to get Nebraska's elderly, veterans, disadvantaged youths, people with disabilities, and hospice patients and their family members on the water for some recreational therapy.
Jerry Laue, 27, was hit by a car near West O Street and Northwest 14th Street around 1 a.m. Saturday.
Nebraska's congressmen remained split as Jim Jordan lost his second bid for House speaker Wednesday. "There are days I wonder if Jesus Christ could get 217 votes," Mike Flood said.
A unique partnership allows Bryan College of Health Sciences students to live, learn and be a part of the Hastings College community as it seeks to boost Nebraska's health care workforce.
Nebraska officials say the groundwork they laid when applying unsuccessfully for a federal grant will position the state well for a future hydrogen economy.
Her grandfather made shoes for a goose hatched with no feet more than 30 years ago. Now, the granddaughter wants to put Andy the Goose in the spotlight again.
An Omaha surgeon appeared in court for the first time after spending more than a month in the hospital. He faces one count of manslaughter and is accused of causing a fatal crash while speeding on Dodge Street at more than 100 mph.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office announced a settlement this week with a payment processing company over erroneous withdrawals made two years ago from customers of a mortgage services company.
Facing questions Friday, Gov. Jim Pillen neither apologized for nor defended the comments he made about a Nebraska reporter's nationality that have since been described as racist and xenophobic.
The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the Oct. 5 structure fire and death of an adult at a rural Amherst residence.
The landlord asked a maintenance worker to further investigate the odor. The maintenance employee smashed in a wall in the basement and found the deceased person.
Executives and staff from the nonprofit celebrated the groundbreaking of a $46 million expansion and renovation project that, when completed in October 2025, will expand several areas and programs.
A Fremont woman will face misdemeanor charges in connection with a fatal crash last month, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.
A former Scottsbluff police captain is scheduled to voluntarily surrender his law enforcement certification in the wake of a Nebraska State Patrol investigation.
Fans have packed every pro wrestling show organized by Omaha-based Magnum Wrestling since they resumed in March.
State-sanctioned sports wagering could start in Omaha within weeks, as long as the operators satisfy a host of conditions dealing with security and other issues.
A Norfolk man died after the crash pinned him underneath a car, according to a Norfolk Police press release.
How the Lancaster County Assessor valued affordable housing properties this year raised questions about the constitutionality of a state law and led to huge increases advocates say threaten such projects.
A suspected shooting closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 for several hours Monday afternoon west of Lincoln.
A rural Gage County man was rescued by deputies after being reported missing by family members.
Carl Christian was serving a 10- to 15-year sentence after he was convicted in Douglas County of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person.
Oak View Mall shopping center in southwest Omaha is on the market, according to a real estate listing.
A 21-year-old Omaha man was arrested Saturday night on suspicion of drunk driving and several other infractions after colliding with a Bellevue East High School bus heading home following a marching band competition.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney has proposed axing 13 majors, many of them – like theater, French, German and music performance – in the arts and humanities.
A deputy who served with the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office for over 25 years died unexpectedly from suspected health complications on Tuesday, the sheriff's office said.
Lara-Diaz was sentenced to three years in jail, the statutory maximum, by Douglas County District Court Judge Peter Bataillon. Though the family was glad she received the maximum sentence, they still don't feel that justice was served.
Nebraska's attorney general is attempting to crack down on the sale of Delta-8 THC products across the state through a series of consumer protection lawsuits filed against retailers Wednesday.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson wasn't his first choice, but Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., had nothing but praise for Johnson after he won the position Wednesday.
Jane Olson, a 1964 graduate of UNL, and her husband, Ron, have given $2 million to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
The wreck occurred when a driver attempted to turn onto U.S. 30 from Capital Avenue and collided with a 2011 Peterbilt.
Layoffs hit two Omaha-based medical staffing firms as hospitals and other health facilities scale back their use of temporary workers, which had spiked during the peak of the COVID pandemic.
Kearney Police received a call from Union Pacific Railroad regarding a woman lying beside the middle set of train tracks.
As the conflict in the Middle East has spilled onto college campuses, a course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is in the middle of studying the region and its politics.
The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute announced Friday it has received a $19 million federal grant to help coordinate a global network to grow sustainable irrigation and agricultural mechanization.
Members of the Criminal Interdiction Unit for the Lancaster Sherriff's Office confiscated more than 430 pounds of marijuana and 12,330 marijuana cigarettes on Thursday.
The victim who died in the fatal crash on Thursday at the intersection of 134th and Adams Streets has been identified as a 19-year-old from rural northeast Lancaster County.
Both occupants of Dodge Ram have died.
A pedestal once held a statue in Omaha's Elmwood Park. But where did the statue go?
A Lincoln man died Sunday after the SUV he was driving veered off Interstate 180 in north Lincoln and rolled into a ditch, Lincoln police say.
A man shot Saturday by an off-duty Douglas County Sheriff's Office deputy has been identified, and authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
One person is dead after a car crash involving four vehicles just south of Lincoln, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.
A state panel delivered a vote of confidence in Nebraska's economy, sparing state lawmakers and the governor from being forced to make major adjustments in the state budget.
Several environmental groups have written an open letter to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen asking for denial of a permit to transfer water from the Platte to the Republican River Basin.
Timothy Gill, 73, of Lincoln, was the driver of a vehicle that rolled into a ditch Sunday on Interstate 180, south of Superior Street.
Bradley Kreifels, 53, of Crete, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at roughly 12:30 p.m. Saturday on Southwest 14th Street just north of Nebraska 33.
A 25-year veteran of the Scottsbluff Police Department voluntarily surrendered his law enforcement certification after fentanyl was reportedly taken from the department's evidence room.
Bart Beutler, 48, of York, was sentenced to 60 to 80 years for second-degree murder and 40 to 50 years for possession of a deadly weapon.
According to a news release from the city of McCook, the plane went down about noon local time approximately one-eighth of a mile southwest of the McCook airport.
Walter Keever, 54, was sentenced to 50 to 58 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child in April of last year.
The Nebraska State Patrol said 19-year-old Bernardo Jimenez Benavidez of York and 49-year-old Issa Juma Abdalla of Lexington were killed in crashes on Interstate 80 this weekend.
"It's true Hollywood-style spider webbing," says Matt Mangelsen, who with his brother, David, created the Webcaster gun. The gadget sprays cobwebs that look like the real thing.
A 2-year-old boy was among three people treated at Omaha hospitals Sunday after a sheet of drywall fell on them in a Millard Public Schools gym.
Two men were sentenced Tuesday for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in Lincoln in October 2022.
Gov. Jim Pillen appointed Matt Ahern to serve as the interim director while he conducts a search to find a permanent director.
The Omaha City Council voted to ban ghost gun components but postponed a vote on an ordinance that would have banned bump stocks that make semi-automatic guns fire more rapidly.
The operator of the Keystone pipeline system finished cleaning up a massive December 2022 oil spill, and the creek affected by it is flowing naturally again.
Omaha’s Imaginarium Superstore, the place where visitors could shop vintage goods and even tie the knot, will soon close its doors.
UNL senior Luke Farritor won a global contest to use machine learning to read a Roman scroll buried under volcanic ash and mud at Pompeii in 79 A.D.
Officials broke ground for a new casino in Grand Island. The $100 million, six-story facility will include a 162-room hotel, a show lounge, 750 slot machines and 20 table games.
In a ruling issued Wednesday, Judge Joseph Bataillon dismissed Tammi Larsen’s lawsuit without prejudice, meaning Larsen could bring another case related to her son Ryan's disappearance at some point.
About 18,000 Nebraskans have qualified for and received full tuition scholarships through the Nebraska Promise across the University of Nebraska system since the program started in 2020-21.
RAYMOND — For many years, the convenience and bait store at the northwest corner of Nebraska 79 and West Raymond Road has served as a last sto…
An Omaha woman who was out on bail after she was charged with accessory to murder in a fatal July shooting was taken back into custody Wednesday and now faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the case, police said.
Nebraska's unemployment rate for September was 2.1%. That was up from 2% in August, but was down significantly from the 2.6% rate reported in September 2022.
Omaha's getting $20 million from the Biden administration to create more housing that people with low to moderate incomes can afford.
It's been more than a decade since the closing of the French Cafe, a longtime Old Market staple — but the remnants of the restaurant will be sold in November.
A lucky pup up for adoption at the Nebraska Humane Society is being adopted by superstar Bret Michaels, whom the husky mix is named after.
Voters in Nebraska now have a no-cost option to obtain alternate identification cards that they'll need to cast a ballot starting in 2024.
