He married his sweetheart, Joyce Elizabeth Schneidewind, in 1957, and together they had a daughter, Donna Sue (Balke), and a son, Brent Lee Elliott. On August 25 of this year, they would have celebrated 69 years of marriage.

A 1957 graduate of Verdon High School, Norm earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha and a bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies from North Central University. He worked in banking, insurance, real estate, and appraisal services throughout Nebraska and Kansas. He was active in many community organizations, including the Falls City Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Hospital Board, Lions Club, and local realtor associations.

Above all, Norm was a man of God who spent his life showing the love of Christ to others through kindness, service, encouragement, and missions work. Norman served as a minister at a nursing home, alongside his wife Joyce, for over 30 years. His faith in God guided every part of his life and inspired those around him. He had a deep love for Israel and the Jewish people and treasured the opportunities he had to visit there. Norm and Joyce travelled to Israel 15 times.

Norm loved traveling, bicycling, hiking, and serving others around the world. Together, they explored 75 countries and travelled across many countries on their bicycles. Norm also enjoyed gardening, reading, writing, collecting pens and pencils, volunteering as a chaplain at Sac River Cowboy Church, and cheering for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce Elliott of Springfield, Missouri; daughter Donna Sue Balke and husband James of Ridgedale, Missouri; son Brent Lee Elliott of Falls City, Nebraska; sister Elaine Lippold and husband Harold of Mankato, Kansas; along with five grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. His great-grandchildren lovingly called him “Papa Great.”

Norm’s greatest legacy will be the example of his unwavering faith in God and the love of Christ that he showed to his family. Through his kindness, servant’s heart, devotion to prayer, and deep love for his family, he leaves behind a spiritual legacy that will continue to guide and inspire generations to come.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Roger Lee Elliott and Duane M. Elliott. A private, intimate family gathering to celebrate Norman’s life will take place at a later time.

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Denny graduated from Pawnee High School in 1960 and later earned a degree from Peru State Teachers College in 1964 with majors in Social Sciences and Physical Education. He dedicated 48 years of his life to education and coaching, impacting countless students, players, coworkers, and friends across Nebraska communities including Byron, Wakefield, Sutherland, Falls City, Ralston, Friend, Broken Bow, Dawson, and Auburn.

On December 20, 1964, Denny married the love of his life, Judy Hubka. Together they built a life centered around family, hard work, and shared dreams. In addition to his passion for teaching and coaching, Denny loved raising horses, which brought him peace and joy throughout the years.

Denny was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Judy Crawford; children Malissa (Mark) Sittler, Clarissa (Mike) Whalen, and Clay (Chris) Crawford; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brother Ron (Sharon) Crawford; sister Rita (Dennis) McGuire-Kent; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Don and Nellie Crawford.

Denny will be remembered for his dedication to family, his love of coaching and mentoring young people, and the kindness and humor he shared with everyone around him.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Condolences may be sent to Judy Crawford, 308 E 17th Street, Falls City, Nebraska 68355. 

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Scheduled donations, which account for 90% of all blood donations, have dropped sharply in recent weeks. As a result, the blood supply has fallen by several thousand units in just a week, raising concerns that the decline could worsen as we enter trauma season. This period between Memorial Day and Labor Day brings an increase in severe injuries from car accidents, ATV crashes, sports-related injuries and other summer activities. In fact, AAA reports that fatal crashes involving teen drivers rise by 30% during this time, often called the “100 deadliest days.” A single person injured in a serious car accident can require up to 100 units of blood.

“For a person suffering from severe bleeding – and the emergency medical responders caring for them – stopping the bleeding and stabilizing them is a race against an unforgiving clock,” says Dr. Emily Coberly, medical director for the Red Cross. “Every minute matters. For each minute that passes without blood transfusion, the risk of death increases by 11% for patients suffering from hemorrhagic shock. That’s why having a readily available blood supply is critical.”

Securing appointments in the coming weeks is critical to maintaining a healthy blood supply for all patients depending on transfusions. Make an appointment to give now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. 

All who come to give by May 31 will get an exclusive Red Cross beach towel, while supplies last. Those who come to give June 1-28, 2026, will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of choice, plus be automatically entered for a chance to win one of two $7500 gift cards. See RedCrossBlood.org/June for details.

Summer challenges

A sharp drop in scheduled donations is especially troubling now, during a season when blood collection can be difficult due to end of the school-year activities, travel and school breaks, as well as severe weather and heat that can disrupt blood drives entirely. Large-scale sporting events in the coming months can also add pressure to the blood supply at a time when every donation is crucial. Now is the time to make and keep blood donation appointments to ensure blood products are readily available for people living with chronic illness, new mothers, surgery patients and those facing traumatic injuries.

“Every unit of lifesaving blood on an ambulance, emergency medical helicopter or in a hospital didn’t get there by accident. It’s there because someone rolled up their sleeve to give blood,” adds Coberly.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.orgor call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass^® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

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Dorothy was active in her church and enjoyed baking, cooking, traveling and crocheting. Most of all, she enjoyed her time spent with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as evidenced by the many photos displayed in her home.

She is survived by her children Mike (Ellen) Last and Cindy (Steve) Schiefelbein; grandchildren Donovin (Lottie) Last, Chris (Ingrid) Last, Bob (Erika) Last, Kelli (Elijah) Luebbe, and Matt (Kristen) Schiefelbein; and 10 great grandchildren.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husband Norman, brother Paul, and granddaughter Jennifer.

Funeral services will be  held at 10:00 a.m., Monday June 8 at Christ Lincoln Church, 4325 Sumner St, Lincoln. Burial will be at 3:00 p.m. in St. Paul Lutheran Church Cemetery in Falls City, NE. Memorials to Christ Lincoln Church in Lincoln or St. Paul Lutheran Church in Falls City.  Condolences: www.bmlfh.com.

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Francis was born on December 4, 1938, in Falls City to Calvin and Edna Duncan. He was raised on a farm north of Falls City, where he learned the value of a hard day’s work.

He married the love of his life, Mary Duncan, on February 3, 1961, before leaving to serve in United States Army during the Korean era. Their marriage remained strong for 64 years until Mary’s passing on January 6, 2026.

Together they had one son, Rick Duncan (Cathy) of Hiawatha. Francis was a proud grandpa to Lindsey, Levi, Derek, Maggie, and Bailey, and a great-grandpa to Maverick and Ruby.

Francis was truly a jack of all trades. Over the years, he worked at Frontier in Falls City, drove a truck for Elliott Meat Locker, and spent time in law enforcement before finding his true calling as the “Helpful Hardware Man.” He began his retail career at Farm & City Supply in Falls City before eventually becoming co-owner of Hiawatha Farm & Home, which he operated with Mary by his side until they retired and sold the business.

Anyone who visited Francis and Mary’s home was amazed by his yard. It was more like a botanical garden than a lawn. He had a remarkable green thumb and could grow just about anything, especially roses. You could usually find him outside in the yard or working in his shop, often accompanied by his favorite companion, Hope — or as Francis would proudly say, “the best dog ever.”

Francis would do anything for anybody. If you were fortunate enough to call him a friend, you knew you could always count on him.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends, but it brings comfort knowing that Mary, Francis, and Hope are together again, still watching over all of us.

A Celebration of Francis’ Eternal Life was planned for 11 a.m. Friday, May 22, at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, Hiawatha.  Tony French officiated. Military honors were courtesy of the Brown County Veterans Honor Guard.  Private family inurnment will follow at Hiawatha Cemetery.

 The family met with friends one hour prior to services Friday.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Brown County Humane Society sent in care of the funeral home, 124 S 7th St., Hiawatha 66434.

www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com

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Cindy married Dennis Schuster on August 21, 1982. Together they raised two daughters, Maggie and Madison, who were the pride and joy of her life. She devoted herself wholeheartedly to her family and was a loving and selfless mother every day of her life. Cindy worked as the office manager at Cherry Hill Dentistry for 40 years, where she formed countless friendships and touched the lives of many with her kindness, warmth, and caring spirit. Cindy loved people deeply and always put others before herself. She chose to be a light to those around her, offering encouragement, compassion, and joy to everyone she met. She was an active member of First Lutheran Church and held tightly to her faith in God throughout her life. 

One of Cindy’s greatest blessings was becoming a grandmother. Her five grandchildren brought immeasurable joy to her life and were truly her pride and joy. She cherished every moment spent with her family, and her smile and laughter had a way of making every room brighter. Cindy was happiest when surrounded by the people she loved most.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her daughters, Maggie (Kyle) Fox, of Panama City Beach, FL and Madison (Tyler) Roth, of Beaver Crossing, NE; grandchildren, Avery Roth, Otto Fox, Oliver Roth, Lola Fox, Owen Roth; parents, David and Elaine Sailors, of Falls City, NE; husband, Dennis Schuster, of Seward, NE; brother, Doug Sailors, of Lincoln, NE; mother-in-law, Darlene Schuster, of Sterling, NE; sister-in-law, Liz McCarville, of Lincoln, NE; nephews, Stephen and Alex Sailors, of Phoenix, AZ; and niece, Celeste Sailors, of Lincoln, NE; special friend, Larry Danhauer, of Lincoln, NE. 

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Gus and Lola Scholz, Vern and Jean Sailors; and father-in-law, David Schuster.

Memorials may be given to the family for future designation.

Funeral Services were held 11:00 am Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at First Lutheran Church, 1551 S. 70th Street, Lincoln, NE.

Visitation was held 5:00-7:00 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at Metcalf Funeral Home, 245 N. 27th Street, Lincoln, NE.

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Dan met the love of his life, Neala Halterman, while attending high school in Nebraska City. The couple was united in marriage on December 22, 1967, beginning a partnership that would span nearly 59 years.

Answering the call to serve his country, Dan left college to honorably serve in the United States Army during the Vietnam War as a helicopter pilot. Following his tour overseas, he and Neala moved to Ft. Rucker, Alabama, where Dan served as an instructor pilot. During that time, they welcomed their son, Daniel “DJ.”

The family later returned home to Nebraska, settling in southeast Nebraska, where Dan began his career as a probation officer in Pawnee City. There they welcomed their daughter, Marnie. Dan continued his military service for the next 35 years with the Nebraska National Guard, serving both as an instructor pilot and in the JAG office. Professionally, he advanced to become Chief Probation Officer, overseeing a 13-county area in southeast Nebraska.

Dan dedicated countless hours to creating the family’s permanent home in Pawnee, helping remodel and build the house and lovingly constructing numerous flower beds for Neala. He had a lifelong passion for hunting quail, pheasant, and deer, as well as a deep appreciation for firearms from an early age. In retirement, he opened “The Lower Forty” gun store in Falls City, which was more a joyful hobby than a business.

Of all the roles Dan held in life, none brought him greater happiness than being “Grandpa” or “PaPa.” He treasured every moment spent with his grandchildren — from family vacations and teaching them to shoot, to nightly phone calls to check in, be silly, or to just hear about their day.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Bettie Weddle of Nebraska City, and sister-in-law Donna Hamling.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Neala Weddle; son, DJ Weddle and wife Melissa of West Point, Nebraska, and their children Taylor, Makenna, Brooklyn, and Treven; daughter, Marnie Brezack and husband David of Omaha, Nebraska, and their daughter Ellie; brother, Tom Weddle and wife Ruth of Nebraska City; brother-in-law Rick Halterman and wife Mickey; sister-in-law Sandy Cummings and husband Pat; brother-in-law Leroy Hamling; along with many cherished nephews, nieces, extended family members, and friends.

Dan will be greatly missed, but remembered for his patriotic service and love of his country, dedication to his community, and the unwavering love for his family.

Dan wishes was to be cremated.  Celebration of Life at a later date.

Memorials to the Pawnee County Memorial Foundation towards the Ambulance service.

Services pending with Wherry Mortuary, 919 G Street, Pawnee City, Nebraska

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By Anila Yoganathan

Flatwater Free Press

This story is made possible through a partnership between Flatwater Free Press and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.

NEBRASKA CITY — Standing before the Otoe County Board and a room of neighbors, Wynee Benedict ticked through a long list of concerns.

Do we have enough water for them? Who pays for their power? What if they create a heat island?

The source of Benedict’s worries: data centers. Since learning their county could become home to a new data center, Otoe County has been abuzz with questions and concerns like Benedict’s, leading some residents to call for a temporary ban on the industry. 

That’s effectively what the board did Tuesday, voting to suspend the permits needed for a new data center for up to a year, according to commissioner Chuck Cole. The pause is intended to give county officials more time to study the issue and update its regulations. 

Opposition to data centers is growing in Otoe County, and around the country. The massive, resource-guzzling buildings needed to power artificial intelligence and our digital infrastructure have emerged as a galvanizing issue. Local governments from California to Maine have adopted or are considering temporary bans. And at least 14 states so far this year have weighed statewide moratoriums.  

Elsewhere in Nebraska, Madison County earlier this month set requirements for data centers to get a special permit, which allows added oversight and public input. In Gage County, the planning and zoning commission will hold a hearing on a data center moratorium in June, according to reporting by the Beatrice Daily Sun.

And more will likely follow suit thanks to a recent change in state law forcing counties to make a decision on some projects within a certain amount of time, said Jon Cannon, executive director of Nebraska Association of County Officials. The goal, according to the bill’s supporters, was to prevent counties from needlessly delaying projects. But the law could have an unintended consequence. 

“I think that you’re likely to see a number of counties that say, ‘We need to get our regulations in order,’ and … they may put moratoriums on a lot of things, not just data centers,” Cannon said.

Data centers are just the latest in a long line of controversial developments, like wind and solar, that counties in Nebraska and other states have grappled with. And much like those other developments, attitudes toward data centers could vary from county to county, Cannon said. He advises developers to be transparent with residents in rural Nebraska about large projects, including data centers, as soon as possible.

“When people are aware of something coming to town, because, ‘Oh, my neighbor told me that he just signed this big contract for a right of way,’ when people find out that way, they get very excited, and not in a good way,” Cannon said.

In Otoe County, residents who spoke at the county board meeting appeared to have different views on whether to temporarily ban data centers.

“We have said ‘no’ to a lot of things, almost a knee-jerk reaction. Maybe we need to say ‘yes’ to a few things,” resident Jim Nemec said at the meeting, adding that he understood the need for a temporary ban to study the issue. “But I also worry about the intention or impression it gives. Are we sending out the impression that business is closed here?”

Others echoed concerns expressed by Benedict, who referenced reporting by the Flatwater Free Press about a proposal by Google to build a massive new Nebraska data center. The center could require more than triple the electricity the entire city of Lincoln uses during the hottest months of the year, when electricity use spikes. 

The proposal, detailed in documents shared at a private utility meeting in January, did not identify a specific location. However, Flatwater reported that a potential partner in the overall project — the Omaha-based private energy developer Tenaska — had optioned large chunks of land in southeast Nebraska, including Otoe and Gage counties. The news sparked discussions in both counties.

In the 500-person village of Adams, nearly 70 people filled the local community center on a Sunday in late April. Organizers shared what they had heard about the potential project, including plans for a large private natural gas plant to power a new data center. They also relayed general information about data centers and residents speculated about the potential impact on local water sources. They strategized about how they could make their voices heard and discussed the potential for a countywide moratorium in Gage County.

“We have been going with the assumption that this would be for a natural gas power plant as well as a data center, and so the No. 1 concern there is going to be the water,” said Anna Wolken, a Gage County resident who helped organize the meeting. “Both the natural gas power plant would be using water, and then the data center would be using water from there, too.”

Residents will be able to voice their concerns at the county’s planning and zoning commission hearing for the moratorium in June.

Nationally, energy demand has emerged as a leading issue. In Virginia, home to more operating data centers than any other state, the primary electric utility has had to postpone connecting some new data centers because they don’t have enough power or transmission infrastructure, said Joe Lerch, director of local government and policy at Virginia Association of Counties.

“Electricity use has been the biggest issue in Virginia,” Lerch said.

Nebraska lawmakers, at the prompting of Gov. Jim Pillen, moved earlier this year to minimize the energy impact on Nebraskans. They passed a bill allowing for the creation of private power generation built for the purpose of serving a large industrial customer to hook up to the grid. While the new law is not exclusively for data centers, it’s largely viewed as being for that industry.

Tenaska, the private energy developer, provided input on the legislation, and the company’s CEO spoke in favor of the bill during a legislative hearing. 

BOX Tenaska still optioning land

Earlier this year, Flatwater reported that private energy developer Tenaska has struck tentative agreements with landowners in southeast Nebraska to potentially purchase their land. The company has continued to do so. The acreage tally is now up to:

• At least 1,509 acres in Gage County (previously at least 1,000 acres)
• Nearly 680 acres in Lancaster County (previously at least 450 acres)
• At least 1,123 acres in Cass County (previously at least 860 acres)
• At least 1,454 acres in Otoe County (previously nearly 300 acres)

And Tenaska is likely not the only company looking to power new data centers. Troy Uhlir, a Madison County commissioner, said that Minnesota-based renewable energy company Geronimo Power has expressed interest in locating in Madison, Wayne and Pierce counties to support data center development.

It’s hard to know how much data centers are impacting Nebraska. There’s no centralized information source for their location, ownership and water usage. 

But that is expected to change. 

Lawmakers approved a separate bill this year aimed at increasing transparency. It requires data centers to annually report the names of their owners and developers, physical size, location, annual electricity demand, annual water usage and any sales and use tax exemptions and incentives they receive. 

That information will likely be helpful to local officials, like those in Otoe County, as they weigh regulations. 

Benedict is happy that the commission voted for the moratorium. Now, she and her neighbors are turning their attention to research these developments’ impacts to share when the county committee comes back with a draft. 

“We needed regulations on the books prior to a data center coming to this county,” Benedict said. “We don’t want to have to play catch up and regulate something that’s already here.”

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

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Formed on August 28, 2025, Partners In Community, LLC was created to facilitate the transition of the historic First Presbyterian Church facility into a permanent home for a vital umbrella of community missions. Operating regionally under the name The Center, the independent entity will directly serve the residents of Richardson County, Nebraska, and Brown County, Kansas.

The facility will act as a “forever home” for four distinct pillars of community support and culture:

The Presbyterian Performing Arts & Conference Center, Mission Angel Food, Seniors at the Center, Respite Commons.

“We retain the ‘Presbyterian’ name to honor nearly two centuries of service, but we move forward as an independent entity dedicated solely to our neighbors,” said Rick Martin, President and Project Manager. “I am honored to introduce this vision not just as a representative of a new organization, but as a neighbor who shares our collective pride in the heritage of Richardson County.”

Grand Opening Event: “Community Amplification.”

To celebrate this milestone, The Center will host its maiden event kickoff on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM, officially opening the 2026 Season under the theme of “Community Amplification.”

The premier performance will feature:

Brian Hoppe on the historic pipe organ; Michele Gaskill on the Boston-Steinway Piano and The Clefsmen, celebrating their landmark 60th anniversary this year, directed by June Bower and accompanied by Glenda von Behren.

The event is free and open to the public.  Preserving History, Building the Future Since assuming stewardship, leadership has worked tirelessly to revitalize the historic venue. Upgrades include reconfiguring rooms for modern conference use, meticulously maintaining the historic pipe organ and Boston-Steinway piano, and installing state-of-the-art streaming capabilities to broadcast future cultural events globally.

The work is guided by a local Board of Directors and supported by an Advisory Board with local, national, and international networks.

To ensure professional stewardship during this transitional phase, The Center has partnered with the Richardson Foundation while its independent non-profit status is being finalized. All current donations are being directed through the Richardson Foundation (designated for The Center) to ensure donors receive proper tax-deductible credit.

“We thank each and every one of you for standing with us in prayer, emotional support, and financial considerations to make our dream a reality,” Martin added. “Please come to your Center a place to gather, grow, and celebrate.”

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Flatwater Free Press

Ella Ricker was sitting in her elementary school orchestra class when she first considered a career in teaching. Her orchestra teachers at Lincoln Public Schools made learning to play music so fun, she wanted to share that joy with others. 

As a teacher, Ricker said, seeing her students excited to play their instruments and perform in school concerts was her favorite part of the job. But it was also only one part of a growing list of responsibilities in a profession in which she said a good work-life balance had become unattainable.

So, after nine years with LPS and 14 years into her career, Ricker left the profession last May — she would have to rely on income from pet-sitting until she could find something else. But a year later, she now watches people’s pets for a living, sometimes earning more than she did as a teacher, she said.

Ricker’s decision to quit teaching is an increasingly common one in Nebraska.

As of May 15, only 27,840 of the nearly 45,500 Nebraskans licensed to teach here have actually worked as teachers in the state this school year, according to a Flatwater Free Press analysis of state Department of Education data.

That means roughly 40% of certified Nebraska teachers aren’t teaching in public or private classrooms this academic year.

That number includes the normal churn, like retirements and teachers moving out of state or up into administrative roles, the department said. But it also includes many like Ricker — teachers who have exited the profession.

The Flatwater Free Press spoke with 13 former teachers who have left teaching. Many cited unsustainable, high-stress work environments with frequent expectations for unpaid labor and limited schedule flexibility. They noted shrinking student attention spans, additional learning requirements and feeling unsupported by parents or school leaders.

The teachers who spoke to Flatwater have retired early or left teaching for a range of careers in higher education, business, therapy, self-employment, healthcare and/or nonprofit work. Most said they would not return to the profession or would need to see major changes before doing so.

“Teaching is a relatively high-quit, turnover line of work,” said Richard Ingersoll, a former high school teacher himself who is now a professor of education and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania.

“The conventional wisdom is long that we have these shortages, that we don’t produce enough people … and then you look at the data and you find that, well, there’s actually a whole lot of people out there,” Ingersoll said. “The problem isn’t so much that we don’t produce enough (teachers), it’s that we lose too many.

“The issue is, well, can we keep them in the first place? But also, what does it take to get them to come back in?”

Ricker’s story mirrors others’ who say they had little choice but to leave the field. She frequently had to stay past school hours to attend mandatory meetings and trainings, she told Flatwater, without acknowledgment in her paycheck or from administrators for the extra time. That lack of recognition and support, she said, coupled with years of rising work demands, led her to quit after the 2025 school year.

“Every year I was teaching, they kept putting on more and more, like, things that we needed to do, more requirements we needed to meet,” Ricker said. “But we didn’t have any more time to do them.”

She knows other teachers who have left after feeling similarly burnt out. Many, she thinks, were dedicated educators who would worry about their students after school, then spend their evenings preparing for the next day’s classes.

“But there’s nothing to show for it at the end of the day, you know?” Ricker said. 

***

Nebraska’s teacher shortage has shown improvement, the state reported in its most recent teacher vacancy survey. Unfilled positions, classified as any left vacant or filled by someone other than a fully qualified teacher, dropped by around 669 to 489 from last school year to this year — a marked improvement from the over 900 reported in the 2023-2024 school year. The number of fully vacant positions has also decreased annually since.

But these survey reports can be imperfect indicators of how the state is actually trending, said Tim Royers, president of the state teachers union, the Nebraska State Education Association. He said the surveys are structured around posted positions that go unfilled.

“But I know that there’s districts across the state that have simply not posted a position because they know they won’t fill it, right?” Royers said. “So that doesn’t show up on that report.”

The problem is a national one. A 2025 survey from researchers at the University of Missouri found that 78% of teachers surveyed have considered or plan to leave teaching since the 2020 pandemic. Ingersoll said the profession has become more taxing as the demands on teachers have increased. “But, the time, the resources, the tools, the autonomy to meet the demands” haven’t. Teachers, he said, rarely get a say into the key decisions that impact their job.

Josh West, who taught math for seven years at Lincoln and Elkhorn Public Schools, said teaching became notably less enjoyable after the pandemic. Fewer students seemed to apply themselves, he said, and there was little support from the district to hold students accountable for their own progress in school.

He constantly worried over his students’ success, to the point where it wore on his mental health. He felt he was failing as an educator.

“I felt like I wasn’t making much of a difference,” West said. “It was making me anxious. I was not happy. I was emotionally exhausted at the end of every day.”

After the 2023 school year, West quit teaching with no backup plan. It was a big risk, he said, and it wasn’t easy to leave the job for which he’d obtained a degree or his position as a track and cross-country coach.

“You feel like you’ve gave up almost a decade of your life at that point,” West said. “You’ve put in all these years, and you’re almost starting from scratch again. And it was a scary feeling, not knowing for sure where I’d even be working.”

The hardest part for West: The feeling that he was giving up on his students. Those relationships are what he misses most about teaching, he said. Everything else made it easy to leave — the pressures from parents and principals, the feeling of running on empty with little time for life beyond work.

West eventually found a job with the state Department of Health and Human Services, where he took a small pay cut. He said it was worth it. Now, West works as an analyst for an insurance company, making more money than he ever did as a teacher, he said.

Teachers will leave the profession with no guarantee of a raise, with many taking a pay cut, said Gema Zamarro, a professor in education reform and economics at the University of Arkansas. They will sacrifice pay for a chance at a more manageable job, she said.

After the 2024 school year, Kate Geiger left her job as a special education teacher at a public elementary school in Omaha for an office manager position at an engineering firm. She also teaches yoga at an Omaha yoga studio, something she has done since she began teaching.

The career change has improved her schedule, mental health and salary.

“I’ve never cried at work,” she said. “I get lunch every single day if I want it.”

She recalls a moment in teaching where she wondered if she would have the time to attend a family member’s funeral. “That’s silly, right? But it was just, I mean, it was so hard to be able to do that stuff,” she said, especially when many students relied on her for individualized support. 

People don’t realize the extent to which teachers’ workloads have grown in the last decade, said Kathy Poehling, the president of the Omaha Education Association, a local affiliate of the state teachers union. There is greater stress on teachers, she said, especially those in special education. They have more paperwork and complex regulations to navigate.

Geiger agrees the job changed in her eight years as a special education teacher. She said she loved her school and, for the majority of her career, enjoyed going to work. But her last year of teaching was so stressful, she said, that she was literally ripping strands of hair from her head.

“I struggled moving out of education because I really felt like I was making a difference in the world,” Geiger said. “But I was just like, I think, at my breaking point.”

Special education jobs continue to be the most difficult for schools to fill, topping the list for unfilled teacher positions reported by the state since at least 2009. Other specialized areas, including foreign language, music and advanced math and science, trend high on that list — industries that seek these skills tend to offer more competitive pay and benefits than teaching.

Many of the teachers with whom Flatwater spoke said they didn’t pursue the job for the pay, but cited money as another factor in their decision to leave. 

According to a National Education Association report published in April, Nebraska’s starting salary for teachers, around $40,000, ranks second to last nationwide, above only Montana.

“I knew teaching wasn’t the best-paying job going into teaching,” West said. “But when you have all this other extra stuff on top of that, it’s just one other thing to add on the list of like, ‘Wait, why am I not doing another job that’s gonna pay more and will probably be better for my mental health?’”

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Multiple superintendents from public schools across the state said in emails and interviews with the Flatwater Free Press that they have been able to fill teacher vacancies in recent years, but that it has been challenging. The number of applicants continues to decline, they say — or there are none at all.

Royers said one of the best ways to tackle this shortfall is to focus hiring efforts on the overlooked group of people already certified to teach in Nebraska, by addressing the concerns that drove them out of the profession in the first place.

“We’re ignoring what we (as an organization) feel is a group that is job ready, has the skills, clearly, at one point, had the passion,” Royers said. 

Ricker said she would have to see more support before ever considering a return to teaching orchestra. She’s still debating whether to renew her teaching certificate, which would expire in July.

It was hard to give up her health insurance as a teacher, she said, but the career switch has given her the ability to enjoy more of life. She can travel or watch events like the recent lunar flyby from home. “I’ve definitely noticed I’m happier and more calm this year,” she said.

Kael Welch, who taught for five years at Millard Public Schools and another five at Phoenix Academy in Omaha, said she thinks younger professionals have become better at prioritizing a work-life balance, whereas she never felt like she had that choice.

“I just thought it was expected of me to take all this work home and spend my own money in the classroom and spend my own free time, you know, doing things for work,” she said.

Welch’s sister, Erin Lane, taught fourth grade at Blair Community Schools for 15 years. 

She retired early in 2022, a year after the school had returned to in-person learning after the coronavirus pandemic. But many of the responsibilities asked of teachers during the pandemic continued once it ended, she said, due to new technology and cleanliness requirements. Student behaviors also grew more disruptive and difficult to manage, she said.

Yet Lane said she loved when she would help a student learn something. She can still recall little details about her former students, like what they liked to read, and students whose graduation parties she’s now invited to. That was the magic in teaching, she said, when she knew she had made a lasting impact on a student. 

Now, Lane said, those rewarding moments are too easily forgotten. “It feels like that’s kind of been beaten out of us,” she said. “And, if you don’t have that, then you’re really missing what teachers used to love about teaching.”

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

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