He married Glenda (Zoucha) Fisher on February 24, 1970 at Falls City. She passed away January 22, 2003.

Paul served in the Kansas Nation Guard at Hiawatha.

Paul was raised in northeast Kansas and graduated from Highland High School in 1957. Following graduation, he started farming on the family farm with his father. When married the couple established their home in Rulo and he continued farming and farmed his entire life. Paul was a lover of dogs. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, Nebraska Soybean Board and served on the Richardson County Rural Water District.

Paul is survived by a daughter, Paula Kaslon and her husband Curtis of Lincoln, step-daughter, Terri Fisher and her husband Gary Navis, step-son-in-law, Joe Dougherty both of Scottsdale, AZ, grandchildren, Shelley Huppert and her husband Korey, Jim and Mike Rhian, great-grandchildren, Kamdyn and Kreighton Huppert, special friend, Ruth Groothuis of Auburn. He was preceded in death his parents, wife, sister, Virginia Jeffers and her husband Bob, step-children, Mike Fisher and Phyllis Fisher

Mr. Benitz has been cremated and a graveside service will be held on October 5, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Steele Cemetery with Pastor Ken Humphrey officiating. Military graveside honors by Falls City Ceremonial Honor Guard.

No viewing, visitation or book to sign. Friends may leave cards and memorials at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home during regular business hours.

Memorials can be made to the Falls City American Legion or Christ Lutheran Church in Falls City.

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Deputies responded to the scene along with Falls City Rural Fire and Falls City EMS. Upon arrival, emergency responders located a single-engine Cessna aircraft that had successfully completed an emergency landing following an apparent engine failure.

Two occupants were aboard the aircraft at the time of the emergency landing. Neither occupant was injured, and no medical treatment or transport was required.

To allow the roadway to be reopened, the aircraft was moved off the county road and onto private property near the landing site. The aircraft remains secured at that location pending recovery and investigation by the appropriate federal aviation authorities.

The Richardson County Sheriff’s Office notified the appropriate federal agencies. The National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, will conduct the investigation into the cause of the emergency landing.

County road closures associated with the incident were removed later that evening, and normal traffic resumed.

The Richardson County Sheriff’s Office thanked Falls City Rural Fire, Falls City EMS and all assisting personnel for their prompt response and professionalism.

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Bonnie was born on April 16, 1938, in Omaha, NE, the oldest daughter of Berthal Kelley and Emma “Pauline” (Torkelson) Kelley. She attended public schools in Falls City, and graduated with the class of 1956. After finishing school, she moved to Omaha and started working at Mutual of Omaha. While living in Omaha, one of her favorite stories to tell and one of her favorite memories was attending an Elvis Presley concert with her girlfriends.

Bonnie married the love of her life, Eldon Aberle, on June 12, 1960.  In 1979, they acquired the Ford dealership from McFall Motors, and 47 years later, Aberle Ford remains a family business.  

Bonnie enjoyed socializing, playing Bridge, and being in the Red Hat Society. She was a member of the NorthRidge Church in Sabetha. She was a passionate traveler, entertainer, and lover of a clean home. She found joy in exploring new places, hosting friends and family, and whistling happily while dusting her home, always creating a warm, welcoming environment wherever she went. She was a constant presence at her grandchildren’s sporting events, cheering them on with love. She was known for her zest for life and bright spirit. Although dementia affected her ability to communicate in her later years, those who loved her never forgot the lively spirit that defined her. She is now at peace, reunited with her beloved husband, Eldon, whom she deeply missed over the years.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eldon, on April 24, 2002, and her son, Mike, on October 20, 2020. 

Bonnie is survived by her son, Scott (Laura) of Sabetha; her daughter-in-law, Kelly of Boca Raton, FL; her four grandchildren, Anna (Roy) Stafford of Oklahoma City, OK, Brett (Alyson) Aberle of Sabetha, Chad Aberle of Lawrence, KS, and Lindsey (Mitch) Aberle-Swanson of Gretna, NE; two great-grandchildren, Benny Michael Aberle and Lane Cody Aberle; her brother, Ron (Nancy) Kelley of Falls City; her two sisters, Sandy (John) Nore of Mesa, AZ and Jane (Steve) Minikus of Altamonte Springs, FL; her many nieces and nephews; and her dearly, devoted friend, Barbara Agee.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the NorthRidge Church in Sabetha. Prior to the funeral service, a visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be made in the Albany Cemetery, north of Sabetha. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Apostolic Christian Home, Sabetha Community Hospital, and the NorthRidge Church and may be sent in care of Popkess Mortuary, 823 Virginia Street, Sabetha, KS 66534. Condolences can be shared online at www.popkessmortuaries.com.

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Tighe was raised in Falls City and graduated from Falls City High School in 1993. Following graduation, he worked various places until becoming employed by the BNSF Railroad in 2012 working in maintenance in way.

Tighe is survived by his wife, Barb of Salem, children, Abby Gilkerson of Lincoln, NE, Emily Gilkerson of Falls City, Trey Gilkerson and his fiancé Jordyn Curtis of Falls City, mother, Peg Gilkerson of Hermitage, MO, father, Dick and his wife Judy of Falls City, Siblings, Todd and his wife Jean of Cross Timbers, MO, Jill Elting and her husband Mike of Lincoln, Tedd and his wife Becky of Falls City, Adam and his wife Sam of Hemingford, NE. He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 5 PM at the family home.

No visitation, viewing or book to sign at the funeral home. Friends may leave cards and memorials at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home during regular business hours.

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The funeral service will be held on July 10, 2026, at 11:00 AM, at the Federated Church in Columbus with Rev. Edward Yang officiating. Interment will be on July 11 at 11:00 AM, at Maple Cemetery, Salem, Nebraska. Visitation will be on July 9 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Gass Haney Funeral Home and continue July 10 from 10:00 AM until service time at the church. Memorials are suggested to Federated Church in Columbus, Columbus Center for Survivors, or Richardson County Museum in Falls City, Nebraska.

Emalie Kay and her twin, Rosalie Fay, were born on December 12, 1935, to Ralph and Lydia Anna (Giesman) Whitney in Sabetha, Kansas. Shortly after their birth, their paternal grandfather, Lambert Whitney, left a note on the kitchen table saying that the twins should be named after their grandmothers, Emma (Giesman) and Rosa (Whitney). However, asserting their own independence, Ralph and Lydia named their newborns Emalie Kay and Rosalie Fay. Rosalie died at the age of 2 months.

Kay, as everyone knew her, and her parents’, loved life on their family farm south of Dawson, Nebraska. Their community life was centered on rural Zion Evangelical & Reformed Church and Honey Creek School. Kay rode along as her father drove the school bus until she was old enough to attend herself. Kay missed many months of elementary school due to illness. At the recommendation of her doctors, a young Kay and her mother moved to Boulder and later Tucson to help stabilize recurring asthma. They wrote frequent letters to her father who remained at home on the farm. Kay recalled being in Tucson when World War II ended. She and her mother walked to the town square in Tucson for the celebration. Kay graduated from Honey Creek School in 1953 with her class of 10 students.

Kay graduated with an elementary education degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1957 where she was an active member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Her first teaching job was at Lincoln’s Saratoga Elementary School.

In 1957 while still at NWU, Kay Whitney and Lloyd Castner, a University of Nebraska student, met on a blind date to the Auto Show at Omaha’s Civic Auditorium, where they saw the McGuire Sisters perform. They were engaged by December of that year and married May 17, 1958, in Dawson, NE, a loving bond that lasted 66 years until Lloyd’s passing in 2024.

In 1958, Kay and Lloyd set out for what would be the first of many adventures as Lloyd took on his first full-time role in Eugene, Oregon, as Assistant City Manager. Kay continued her teaching career at Frances Willard Elementary School until she was expecting their first son, Ralph. In 1965, the family of three moved to Ontario, Oregon, where both Clarey and Anna were born. It was there that Kay taught English to migrant workers’ preschool children in an effort to help them learn the language before entering first grade. When asked about teaching to students that only knew Spanish, she said “we all got along just dandy.”

The Castners returned to Nebraska in 1971, spending five years in Bellevue. Kay was active in the Alpha Gamma Delta Alumni group, First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, and was initiated into PEO, Chapter M. She also served as leader of her kids’ Cub Scout and Brownie troops.

In 1976, the family moved to Columbus, Nebraska, which they quickly knew would be their forever hometown. It was here that Kay found long-term community and friendships that lasted for the rest of her life. She served as a substitute teacher for Columbus Public Schools, and faithfully served in many roles – including being the first woman to serve communion – at The Federated Church in Columbus where she and her family worshiped. She was also very active in the community and involved with the Columbus Public Schools Foundation, Friends of the Lied (Lied Center for Performing Arts), PEO Chapter HA, served as Job’s Daughter Guardian for Bethel #39 and also active in Daughters of the Nile, Topaz Book Club, Sewing Club and multiple bridge clubs.

Throughout her adulthood, Kay continued to be an active owner of the Whitney family farm near Dawson, Nebraska. In 2006, she received the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award honoring a century of continuous ownership of a family farm.

Survivors include her loving children: Ralph Castner of Lincoln, Nebraska, Clarence L. Castner, Jr., (Estee Levy) of New York, and Anna (Jack) Castner Wightman of Omaha; grandsons Luke (Chelsea) Castner; and Nicholas (Emmy Jo) Castner of New York City, NY; William (Max) Grove of New York City, NY; Samuel Castner (fiancée Jenny Kortus) and Cole Castner of Lincoln; granddaughters Emalie Wightman and Margaret Wightman of Omaha; great-grandchildren Wesley Castner, Walker Castner, Kim Castner and Ann Castner. Kay also valued her relationships with her loyal cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd Castner, parents, Lydia and Ralph Whitney. In addition to her twin, she also was preceded in death by her infant sister, Patricia June, and her niece, Pat (Castner) Grant.

The family extends their heartfelt appreciation to Marney Gass, Aksarben Retirement Village, Josie Harper Hospice House and Goff Family Farms, Inc., for their support and care.  

Condolences may be sent to www.gasshaney.com

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Born on July 25, 1947, in Humboldt, Nebraska, Fred was the son of Ralph Deckinger and Delma Fetzner. A true country boy, he grew up on the family farm near Preston and attended country school before transferring to Falls City High School, where he graduated in 1965.

Fred spent many years at Seid Implement hauling machinery and painting tractors. He later worked several years in the auto body shop at Armbruster Motor Company. In September 1985, he purchased a lot on the south end of Falls City and opened Deckinger’s Body Shop. He spent the next 38 years restoring tractors, repairing vehicles, and visiting with anyone who stopped by. The shop became a gathering place for friends, neighbors and family. Plenty of people stopped in just to see what Fred was up to and visit for awhile.

Outside of the shop, Fred proudly served nine years in the Nebraska National Guard and was a longtime member of the American Legion Honor Guard. He was an active member of Elks Lodge No. 963, where he was named Elk of the Year in 2003, and was also a member of the Falls City Jaycees. In 2018, he and his wife, Gracie, were honored with the Jaycees Good Neighbor Award. Fred was a faithful member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. 

Fred married Gracie (Schawang) on September 14, 1968, and together they shared 57 years of marriage. Through the years, they enjoyed attending football, basketball and volleyball games, taking Sunday road trips and dancing to their favorite local band, Partners N Crime. 

Fred truly didn’t know a stranger. He was known for his jokes, his laugh and his ability to strike up a conversation with just about anyone.

He spent hundreds of hours cheering on the Irish and once attended a Sacred Heart State Tournament game the day after being released from the hospital. He loved John Deere tractors, cold iced tea and spending time in his “Man Cave” with his beloved dog, Rosie.

One of Fred’s favorite titles was “Grandpa.” If you talked to him for more than five minutes, chances were he’d tell you what one of his grandkids was up to. He was proud of every one of them and loved watching them grow into adulthood.

Fred was a friend to many, and a stranger to none. His stories, laughter and generosity will be remembered by all who knew him. 

Fred is survived by his wife, Gracie; his children, Steve Deckinger, Christi Marx (Pat), and Julie Berten (Cody); his grandchildren, Eric Marx, Jordan Marx, Molly Roe (Mike), Preston Deckinger (Biyonka), Regan Deckinger, Saylor Hutfles, and Hudsyn Hutfles; his great-grandchildren, Dante Deckinger and Treyden Marx; his sister, Shirley Bradley; his brothers, Lanny Deckinger, Harlan Deckinger (Susan), and Curtis Deckinger (Teresa); his brothers- and sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. 

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, nephew, Isaac Deckinger and his in-laws, Paul and Bettie Schawang.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church with Father Meysenburg as the presiding priest. Inurnment will be in Falls City Catholic Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Thursday from 7-8:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

No viewing, friends may sign the guest registry at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home during regular business hours.

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She married Leonard Kimmel on March 25, 1972 at Nebraska City, NE. He passed away October 23, 2007.

Beverly was raised in Falls City and graduated Falls City High School in 1946. Her life was surrounded by music, animals, flowers, wonderful friends and chocolate.

Beverly sang professionally for a few years following graduation, traveling with the popular big bands at the time. Later she worked for the United Telephone Company of Kansas for over 30 years. She then attended Kansas School of Floral Design and opened The Flower Cart and worked there until retirement. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Methodist Women’s Group and Reavis Ashley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She and JoAnn Dunn started the Humane Society of Richardson County.

Beverly is survived by her brother, James Sefried and his wife Diane of Falls City, niece-in-laws, Barbara and Kris Sefried, great-nieces, Rachel, Sarah, Katie and Cynthia, honorary daughters, Sharolyn Adams, Donna Simpson, Sherry Prater and Glenda Nelson. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, nephews, Doug and Brad Sefried.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Steele Cemetery with Pastor Michelle Lessard officiating.

No viewing or visitation, friends may sign the guest registry during regular business hours at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, family prefers memorials to the Humane Society of Richardson County or First United Methodist Church.

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He married Amanda Prosser on February 1, 1997 in Jamaica.

Scot was raised in Falls City and graduated Falls City High School in 1993. When married the couple established their home in Omaha where he managed a lawn care company. They moved back to the family farm in Barada in 2000 and he worked to manage the family farm with his father. In 2021,  he and his son started S & J Hartman Farms.

Scot is survived by his wife, Amanda of Falls City, son, Jack and his wife Hailey of Barada, parents, Ed and Sandra Hartman of Falls City, sister, Kristen Poppe and her husband Brian of Falls City, grandson, Declan and one on the way. He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

The family will receive friends on Monday, June 29, 2026 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home. Cremation will follow.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 10:30 AM at Harris Cemetery in Barada.

Friends may sign the guest registry during regular business hours and on Sunday after 12:00 PM until 5.

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Flatwater Free Press

Kirsten Johnson was sitting at home on Christmas Eve when a sharp wave of pain stole her next breath. More than a week past her due date, the first-time mother immediately recognized the first sign of labor.

Johnson and her husband left their rural home near Dunning and sped off on the two-hour trek to the hospital in Kearney, a trip Johnson had reluctantly made for dozens of appointments.

Battling heavy fog and icy roads, the couple arrived around 1 a.m. The contractions intensified just before dawn.

A few hours later, Johnson held her wailing baby boy after delivering him in a natural water birth on Christmas Day 2024. While successful, it also solidified Johnson’s desire for a different avenue for birth: midwifery.

“Being a first-time mom, you don’t know what to expect,” Johnson said. “So, just hearing that X, Y, Z can go wrong and people are going to pressure you into things, it’s a lot all at once. I think, had I have had a midwife with him, I would have felt a lot more empowered.”

Mothers like Johnson interested in alternative forms of birth run headlong into existing Nebraska law.

State law prohibits nurse midwives, the most qualified group of midwives, from assisting in home births even as mothers continue to seek such care from less-educated midwives and doulas.

Nebraska is the only state in the nation where certified nurse midwives — registered nurses with advanced training — can’t assist with home births. Nebraska is also one of only two states that requires physician supervision of nurse midwives.

A 1984 state law licensed and regulated nurse midwives, but a last-minute addition requested by the Nebraska Medical Association prohibited them from assisting in home births.

The measure also failed to address forms of unlicensed midwifery in the state. This allowed less-educated midwives to assist in home births until two years ago, when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that all midwives must hold a license to practice.

In 2024, about five planned home births occurred in Nebraska per 1,000 live births, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. That number had slowly increased over the previous decade.

[graphic showing rise in home births]

Nurse midwives have been practicing in Nebraska hospitals, birth centers and clinics for more than 40 years — under the supervision of a physician.

Beyond their specialization in primary, sexual and reproductive care, nurse midwives can conduct exams, order tests, prescribe medications, do procedures such as pap smears and address gynecological concerns.

Ann Seacrest, who moved to Nebraska in 1981 while pregnant, led the movement to license nurse midwives after realizing there was no systematic way to receive midwifery care in the state. She began working on what became the 1984 law soon after delivering her baby.

While physician supervision agreements were standard at the time, Seacrest said the midwife legislation didn’t originally include the home birth restriction until the Nebraska Medical Association requested that such a provision be added. Wanting the measure to pass, Seacrest and other supporters agreed to the addition.

“I have huge remorse every time I get asked about home birth,” Seacrest said of the wording that prohibits nurse midwives from assisting in home births. “… I would do anything I could to undo it, because it shouldn’t be there. Particularly now, it shouldn’t be there.”

Although some efforts have been made over the years to reverse the restrictions, the Nebraska Medical Association and the Nebraska Hospital Association have begun to talk with the state’s nurse midwife group and expressed openness to supporting and advancing the profession with certain guardrails. 

“(Nebraska) families have strong feelings about home birth,” said Robert Wergin, president of the medical association. “… If they should occur, it should be with a highly trained person in a low-risk identified patient with collaborative arrangements made.”

A 2024 analysis from the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that midwife care often reduces medical interventions during childbirth with favorable maternal and neonatal outcomes in most cases. Additionally, a researcher at the Boston University School of Public Health found that states with larger proportions of their births attended by midwives tend to have lower infant and pregnancy-related mortality rates.

Elizabeth Mollard, president of the Nebraska affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives, said the state’s regulations have made it difficult for nurse midwives to function “from the get-go.”

Under the 1984 law, nurse midwives must practice under a licensed physician who is readily available for consultation. 

Mollard said many midwives have struggled to find physicians willing to sign a supervisory agreement because of possible liability risks. This has caused some nurse midwives to switch to non-birth-related roles or to leave the state altogether.

As of June, 113 people had active nurse midwife licenses in Nebraska. Approximately 87 were practicing in some capacity, while only 44 were providing birth services.

The supervision requirement has also been the “primary barrier” to opening and sustaining freestanding birth centers in Nebraska, Mollard said. Such centers in other states are run by midwives, exist separately from hospitals and handle low-risk pregnancies.

Nebraska has seen three separate freestanding birth centers fail over the years, with the latest closing in Lincoln in 2024. Although multiple factors led to their demise, Mollard said the underlying issue was unreliable physician collaborations.

Nurse midwives are a “highly trained workforce” that could help fill the gap in the state’s maternity care shortage, she said.

“It’s just silly when we see these statistics about maternal care deserts and that there’s no obstetric care provider in that community, and it’s like, ‘Oh, wait, actually there is,’” Mollard said, referring to nurse midwives. “It’s just our laws don’t allow them to actually care for patients.” 

In late April, a nurse midwife legally assisted with a home birth in Hastings after a pregnant mother named Hope Lindstrom sued the state. The state settled and allowed the birth to proceed in the home. Lindstrom had argued that the home birth ban on nurse midwives violated her 14th Amendment rights and religious freedom.

Heather Swanson, a nurse midwife in the state since 2002, attended Lindstrom’s birth along with two registered nurses. Before the birth, Swanson said she conducted a risk assessment to ensure Lindstrom was fit for out-of-hospital care. She also met with the city’s emergency medical services team to discuss a transfer in case of complications.

Lindstrom’s home birth gave Swanson and nurse midwives across the state hope for change. 

“I feel like there’s enough evidence to say planned home birth attended by a licensed provider is where we see the safest outcomes, if risks are appropriately assessed and attended to,” Swanson said.

On the other hand, Mollard said the current system of home birth in the state “is the most dangerous system of home birth.”

Mollard said home births have been handled “underground” by individuals with varying levels of experience. If something were to go wrong, there is little to no communication with healthcare authorities upon transfer to a hospital.

“Right now, we have a really ugly system where you have a choice of a hospital or giving birth alone or giving birth with somebody who is practicing illegally,” Mollard said. “If, for whatever reason, a hospital is not acceptable to you, then your two options that are left are not great options.”

Because of the 1984 nurse midwifery law, nurse midwives are the only type of midwife recognized under Nebraska statute. That lone recognition created an avenue for the less-educated midwives in the state, including certified professional midwives and traditional midwives, to practice unregulated.  

[sidebar explaining differences between midwives]

The loophole was addressed by the Nebraska Supreme Court in 2024 after it ruled that the state’s Uniform Credentialing Act restricts unlicensed persons from presenting themselves to the public as individuals qualified to treat any physical condition.

The cases that triggered the Supreme Court decision involve a now 78-year-old professional midwife named Judy Jones. She had attended home births in 2021 and 2022 in Madison and Douglas counties. In the Douglas County case, the baby died because the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. 

Judy Jones is charged with unlawfully practicing as a nurse midwife after receiving a cease-and-desist order, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

The cases are moving through the courts in both counties. Trial dates have been set for this summer.

The regulations on midwives and home birth have left mothers in search of alternative birth services with one remaining option — unassisted birth. 

Madison Jones, a mother of four who lives in Hay Springs, is an advocate for midwifery care, but after moving to rural Nebraska in 2022, she found she had no midwife option. When it came time to deliver her fourth child last year, she decided to do it unassisted.

Madison Jones has worked as a labor and delivery nurse in Chadron and Alliance and as a certified doula. Her experience in maternity care made her feel more prepared to handle her own unassisted birth. She also lives within 25 miles of a hospital and said she could have gotten there quickly if complications had arisen.

Both nurse midwives and professional midwives are now engaged in separate legislative efforts trying to remove barriers to their work.

Nurse midwives want to receive full practice authority and be authorized to assist with home births. Professional midwives want to gain licensure from the state to legally do the same.

Two midwifery bills — one addressing nurse midwives and the other addressing professional midwives — were introduced in the 2025 legislative session by State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair but failed to advance.

Both midwife groups plan to continue their efforts in the 2027 legislative session.

Mollard emphasized that the primary goal of the nurse midwife legislation is not to move births out of hospitals. Instead, she said, it’s to make use of a workforce ready to provide women’s healthcare in “the communities that need it most.”

“We have licensed nurse midwives living in Nebraska who would like to be caring for women and families,” Mollard said.

Abigail Cada, a representative for the Nebraska Certified Professional Midwives Alliance, said acquiring state licensure would allow professional midwives to serve clients at home without legal uncertainty. 

Wergin, president of the Nebraska Medical Association, said nurse midwives could be important collaborators in both urban and rural communities. But the medical association, he said, does not believe professional midwives are equipped to “ensure patient safety” during home births.

“They don’t really have the formal medical training that a certified nurse midwife has, and their standards fall far short of what we felt was a safe maternity situation, especially in obstetrical emergencies,” Wergin said.

Margaret Woeppel, the chief nursing and informatics officer with the Nebraska Hospital Association, said the association is open to nurse midwives practicing to the full extent of their training with proper safeguards and coordination of care.

The medical and hospital associations produced a set of guidelines for home birth care that they say are needed to gain their approval in future legislation. The guidelines include the early recognition of high-risk pregnancies that shouldn’t be handled outside of a hospital and a written plan for transfer if a birth becomes complicated.  

Mollard said nurse midwives are accepting of the guidelines to allow them to practice without physician supervision and assist in home births. She’s hopeful that, by this time next year, Nebraska will join the majority of states providing access to alternate forms of birth care. 

“I think a lot of people misunderstand moms and babies who are pushing for midwifery care, thinking that the safety of our babies and ourselves aren’t our No. 1 priority,” Madison Jones said. “Women are still having unattended home births, and the bad outcomes that come from those things could be prevented by better midwifery care access.”

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.

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By Ben Goeser

Silicon Prairie News

Among the College World Series, World Cup and NBA Finals merch visible last week on the streets of Lincoln’s Haymarket, another familiar piece of branding was readily evident. While it is not unusual to see the Hudl logo in the area, with the sportstech company’s global headquarters being based there, June 8-12 marked a special occasion. 

It was Hudl Week 2026, bringing together employees from around the world to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hudl, the juggernaut born in Nebraska. Organizers said 27 countries and 38 states were represented. 

Since its founding in 2006, Hudl has demonstrated a startup journey of significant growth and market reach. The company offers a suite of video and analytics products, including software and physical cameras, for various sports at the youth, school and professional levels. 

The tech enables coaching staff to streamline the process for gathering data on team performance and sharing learned insights. Athletes are able to compile highlight reels that they then can share with prospective recruiters. Schools and organizations gain tools to engage with fans through streaming and sharing updates on game seasons. 

Ten years ago, Hudl was in the midst of constructing its headquarters. At the time, leadership said there were over 400 full-time employees across five continents and 12 countries. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the office took place in 2017. 

The numbers may fluctuate, but it has since been reported that Hudl has scaled from three co-founders to over 5,000 employees. The company has touted 18 acquisitions, exclusive agreements and partnerships across sports leagues and support for “hundreds of thousands” of teams worldwide with its offerings. 

Hudl Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Brian Kaiser said Hudl Week was a chance for employees from all over to meet, build connections and embrace the company culture and outlook. He said Hudl used to hold a company retreat in Las Vegas, but the logistics for such a trip have become more difficult.

“We have about 1,600 full-time employees,” Kaiser said. “Plus, we have an additional about 3,500 employees in India and Egypt that are full-time Hudlies, but it’s a little different. They do a lot of our tagging and analysis work for us.”

“When we started Hudl back in the day,” he said, “we were just really passionate about it and did it with a couple friends and thought we were on to something, but certainly could not imagine where it’s at today.”

Such progress can be personified in Hudl’s workforce, as seen in Martha Reyna, a customer success manager for the company. Reyna was one of the almost 1,800 “Hudlies” and invited guests in attendance during Hudl Week.

Reyna is originally from Mexico, went to college in West Virginia and worked for the sports data company StatsBomb in the United Kingdom, where she lives. Hudl acquired StatsBomb in 2024. Although she was aware of Hudl, Reyna said Nebraska was never really on her mind. On this visit, she said the state had provided a welcoming atmosphere for her and her co-workers from across the world. 

“You see so many faces that you normally just message,” Reyna said. “And now actually seeing them in person, being able to talk to people from very different parts of the world — like speaking with someone from Europe and speaking with someone from Japan and speaking with someone from Nebraska — it’s just incredible to see everybody in the same place.”

Hudl has helped place Lincoln on the map for sportstech, inspiring other startups in the space to build in the state’s capital. Beyond charitable commitments to communities that employees call home, the company also remains a close collaborator with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and its talent pipeline. UNL is where Hudl’s co-founders got their start, and the school’s football team was its first customer.

“We have a lot of the benefits that come from being a more established company. We have the funds to invest and pursue good ideas. We have an incredible team,” Co-founder and CEO David Graff said. “But we certainly try to keep all the great things that come with being scrappy as a startup.” 

Leadership and impact 

Hudl’s three co-founders are Graff, Kaiser and John Wirtz. They started Hudl during their time as students at UNL and its Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management.

While Graff and Kaiser continue in leadership roles at Hudl, acting as CEO and CTO respectively, Wirtz has since stepped out of his position as chief product officer. Michelle Henry is the current CPO. 

“John taught me so much about how to think about product strategy tied to market outcomes, lead a team from the front and stay connected to our customers,” Henry said in an email to SPN. “It’s a big role. But I felt well-prepared to take that on because I had learned from one of the best.”

Now fulfilling a more part-time position as an executive adviser, Wirtz has continued lending a hand to Nebraska’s startup ecosystem. This includes acting in a mentorship capacity for other startups and student founders. He serves as a board member for Kearney-based utilities startup Fast Forward and chairs the advisory board for the UNL Center for Entrepreneurship. 

Samuel Nelson, director of the UNL Center for Entrepreneurship, said the name recognition of Hudl and having its leaders in UNL’s “backyard” give the college and its programming an advantage with recruiting talent.

Hudl has remained a core supporter of UNL’s programming, Nelson said. The company has been a source for classroom guest speakers, internships and sponsored projects for the Raikes School.

“I just don’t want to understate what Hudl does with the entire university because I’m just one sliver of what they do with the university,” Nelson said.

Tackling opportunities and the future

Hudl has progressed far beyond its early startup years. The environment has similarly shifted into a new era with NIL changes and pressures for solutions. 

Earlier this year, competing business QwikCut filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, claiming that Hudl monopolizes the market of school sports and athletics departments. QwikCut alleges that Hudl uses tactics such as acquisitions, agreements, exclusionary bundling prices and tech barriers to cross-platform video exchanges — making it difficult for competitors to fairly enter the space. 

Hudl’s attorneys argued in response that the complaint should be dismissed. They say QwikCut lists acquisitions that are too old or not relevant. They also say QwikCut has not proved anticompetitive conduct or unlawful actions and note that Hudl isn’t obligated to share its tech and help its competition. 

Hudl leadership declined to comment on the case.

Hudl has a track record of adapting to industry advancements, as seen in its efforts to move into sharable and streamable video content around the evolution of YouTube and Netflix. As needs have evolved for its own workforce, such as the rise of working parents, Hudl has put energy into addressing them — as seen in its childcare services housed at its headquarters. 

Kaiser said sports’ reliance on a “passion in humanity” makes it unique in weathering any complete disruptions in the rise of artificial intelligence. He said Hudl is exploring the impacts the tech can bring to athletes, games and the business. Areas of interest mentioned by Henry include AI-powered coaching assistants and cameras that can instantly provide stats when a game ends. 

“We’re building a single platform that connects coaches, athletes, analysts, sport scientists, parents, recruiters and fans around the most complete library of sports video and data in the world,” Henry said. “The future of Hudl is one where every moment in sports gets captured, every athlete gets the recognition they deserve and every program has the tools to win.”

Kaiser said that even with Hudl’s global presence, there has never been serious thought about moving the headquarters out of Lincoln. He credits community support, Midwestern culture and the investors who call the region home and said that being in Lincoln has actually pulled in more talent from abroad. 

“We’ve had a bunch of people move here after visiting from Barcelona, from London, from other international locations — moved to Lincoln because they like this place,” Kaiser said. “So, it’s not just me kind of making this up. The proof is actually in the results, and we see it.”

Hudl leadership said founders interested in building their own startups should seek experienced advisers for guidance. They credited mentors in the local ecosystem for helping them overcome the many challenges that came with scaling a company. They added that it’s important to spend time trying to understand the customer and surrounding oneself with a trusted team willing to voice opinions. 

“Find something you’re really passionate about, you really care about learning more about,” Graff said. “Root the products you build in those customers’ problems and finding great solutions for them.”

Silicon Prairie News is the leading independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on covering stories about innovation and entrepreneurship in Nebraska.

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