Humanities Desk | Net Radio

Despite a spike in deaths from COVID-19 and fewer births, recent research suggests rural counties saw population growth during the first year of the pandemic. Remote work opportunities could have contributed to more people moving to scenic rural destinations.

Carrie Jones appeared in court ) to face allegations that she was involved in a quadruple murder in Laurel, a northeast Nebraska town of about 1,000. Prosecutors say she acted with her husband to carry out a crime that left four people shot to death in their homes last summer, but she didn't enter a guilty or not guilty plea.

A husband and wife accused of murdering four people in a small Nebraska town are scheduled to appear in court Monday. Nebraska Public Media’s Jackie Ourada spoke with reporter Elizabeth Rembert to catch up on the case before the hearing.

There are 44 counties in the country with no grocery store at all, according to the USDA. Nebraska has 10 of them. Nebraska Public Media reports on how some towns are providing access to fresh groceries.

States, local governments and internet providers have until Friday, Jan. 13 to challenge the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map. The map shows where service is and isn’t across the country.

Legislation and programs in states like Missouri and Nebraska are paving the way to welcome large livestock operations by limiting local control over the facilities. Some rural residents worry about the potential pollution and decreased quality of life that will bring.

Last year, more than 5,000 Native women were reported as missing across the country. Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Black Americana” or “Black Memorabilia” are terms used to describe collectibles, usually from the early 1900s with African American themes. Today, such figures have become rarities and are openly for sale in Nebraska antique shops. Nebraska Public Media News explores the ethical value of selling what many would consider offensive relics of the past.

Think of this year’s drought as a sort of dress rehearsal to consider the drier, hotter future that scientists predict climate change has in store. Long-lasting droughts could alter how we eat, how we breathe and where we get our water from.

Lawyers for a Lincoln Native American prayer camp and a local landowner are asking the Lancaster District Court to allow them to have a hearing with the City Board of Zoning Appeals.

Three of the four winners of yesterday's elections were backed by a conservative PAC. Protect Nebraska Children was the PAC supporting conservatives Kirk Penner, Sherry Jones, and Elizabeth Tegtmeier who all won. The PAC was formed to stop comprehensive sex education proposed by the board last year.

Urban farmers are trying to buy vacant lots for their farms to bring fresh, healthy food and green space to their neighborhoods, but they face challenges in acquiring that land.

When Nebraska voters go to the polls next week, they will decide if the state’s minimum wage will increase from $9 per hour to $15. Nebraska Public Media’s Will Bauer reports ballot initiative 433 revives a long standing debate.

Pheasant season kicked off in Nebraska last weekend (October 29th). Nebraska Public Media’s Aaron Bonderson reports extreme drought and wildfires are stunting the upcoming season…

The national battle against abortion has reached small local governments. Towns in Iowa, Nebraska and Texas have banned abortion within their borders, even if they don’t have a clinic. But in one community, that effort could interrupt abortion access for the entire region.

Latino voters are the second largest and fastest-growing demographic in Nebraska. They’ve been a politically powerful group. In 2020, the predominantly Latino South Omaha neighborhood helped win Omaha’s electoral vote for Joe Biden. But that same year, Republicans cut into Democrat’s national lead with Latino voters. Nebraska Public Media’s Elizabeth Rembert takes us to South Omaha, to learn how the changing sentiments of Latino voters could impact the election for the second congressional district.

For many people, fall is marked by taking trips to the pumpkin patch, getting lost in a corn maze or catching a hay ride. These seasonal activities are part of agricultural tourism, and it's a booming industry.

Four seats on Nebraska’s State Board of Education are up for grabs in November. For the last year and a half, proposed sex education standards from the officially nonpartisan board have some parents up in arms. Issues, like the teacher shortage persist.

Farm implement manufacturers, including giant John Deere, are well on their way to deploying autonomous tractors. Prototypes are in the field now, and they could be widely available by the end of the decade.

When the COVID-19 pandemic upended life around the world, artists were particularly hard hit. Now, vaccines are widely available and many arts organizations received federal funding to keep them afloat. Nebraska Public Media’s William Padmore reports on how Nebraska’s arts sector is fairing.