Ryan Pitkin
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Journalist. Co-founder, Nerve Media Productions. Editor, @queencitynerve. Books & baseball. Perfect parallel parker. Alliterative asshole. rpitkin@qcnerve.com
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Articles by Ryan Pitkin
Raleigh could be forced to allow a new data center, despite moratorium
“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina. Here’s what you’ll find this week: Raleigh could be forced to allow data center, despite new moratorium Charlotte has a big jail problem. They hope this will help.
Nebraska football season ticket prices for 2027 drop during Memorial Stadium rebuild
Nebraska Athletics released season ticket prices this week for the 2027 football season, the team’s first season in the partially renovated Memorial Stadium. With construction on the Big Red Rebuild not expected to be fully completed until 2028, season ticket prices will see a significant drop for the coming season. All current season ticket holders will need to undergo a reseating before the next season starts in 2027 and again before the following season in 2028.
5 things to know about Nebraska’s oldest tavern
When Swiss immigrant brothers William and Joseph Bucher opened Bucher’s Saloon in Columbus, Nebraska, in 1876, they were likely just hopeful to keep the business going into the 20th century. Now operating as Glur’s Tavern well into the 21st century, the saloon is still going strong.
Here’s what to know about Nebraska Missing Persons Day
According to the Nebraska State Patrol, there are around 750 people missing in Nebraska at any given time, each case rippling out into communities across the state as families and friends try to cope with the disappearance of a loved one. While these cases remain front of mind for those who search for answers, the issue of missing persons comes to the forefront for residents around the state on Oct. 17, recognized since 2024 as Missing Persons Day in Nebraska.
5 reasons you can’t ignore the University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team
The top-ranked University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team stepped up in the spotlight during its nationally televised Oct. 10 matchup against No. 7 Wisconsin, beating the Badgers easily in front of a John Cook Arena crowd dressed in all black. The Cornhusker women swept the Badgers 25-23, 25-14, 25-20, for their 14th sweep of the season.
Look up: Heartwood Preserve’s Kite Festival is back
Go fly a kite, and we mean that with the kindest regards. This month sees the return of Heartwood Preserve’s second annual Kite Festival, where experts and amateurs come together to put on a show in the sky. The event is scheduled for Oct. 17-18 at Heartwood Park in west Omaha, noon to 5 p.m. on each day. Great American Kites & Events, which owns and operates some of the largest show kites in North America, hosted the inaugural Kite Festival at Heartwood Park in 2025.
3 things happening in NC: The North Carolina State Fair kicks off
“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina. Here’s what you’ll find this week: Early voting set to begin across the state this week Suspension of state gas tax takes effect North Carolina State Fair kicks off in Raleigh Early voting for the midterm elections starts in North Carolina this week, and it’s as important as ever to show up. I know, I know…we always say that.
Glow-in-the-dark Cosmic Baseball returns to Buffalo, adds Syracuse in 2027
Cosmic Baseball, an immersive, glow-in-the-dark baseball experience that’s seen its popularity skyrocket over the last two years, recently announced its 2027 Takeover Tour stops, with plans to return to Buffalo while adding games in Syracuse. After debuting in Colonial Heights, Virginia, in 2024, Cosmic Baseball launched its inaugural tour in 2025, hitting seven Minor League Baseball stadiums.
Heritage Omaha unveils designs for planned public market at The RiverFront
Heritage Omaha has released new renderings of a planned public market overlooking Heartland of America Park at The RiverFront, set to open in summer 2028. Crews have begun work on the three-story, 50,000-square-foot building that will be nestled into a hill overlooking the park at South 8th and Farnam streets, according to the project website.
The California national park WorldAtlas says you shouldn’t skip
California is home to nine national parks, each of which carries its own unique wonders. But they don’t all see the same traffic.
The first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark is coming to Bellevue
Bellevue will be home to a first-of-its-kind attraction from the iconic toy company Mattel before the end of 2027, according to an Oct. 1 announcement from the company. The company announced plans to open the first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark in the Omaha suburb.
Here’s what else you can get for free with an Omaha Public Library card
Library cards open up a world of imagination for readers of all ages, and sometimes they open up opportunities around town too. The Omaha Public Library (OPL) offers more than just free book loans with a free library card—there are places to go, seeds to be planted, and languages to be learned, among other opportunities that come with an OPL membership. Let’s check out a few of the ways a library card will get you more than books in Omaha.
One of the best haunted hotels in the country is in Long Beach
Just in time for spooky season, USA Today has released its list of the 10 best haunted hotels in the United States, and a Long Beach ocean liner turned hotel made the cut.. The Queen Mary “set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel” after its maiden voyage in 1936, according to its website, sailing for more than 30 years before its retirement in 1967. Nowadays, it serves not only as a historic landmark but a high-end hotel for visitors to Southern California.
Want to buy a urinal trough from Memorial Stadium? You can for $3,000?
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever found for sale on Facebook Marketplace? The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Athletics Department likely has it beat. With a $600-million renovation, dubbed the Big Red Rebuild, scheduled to start at the university’s iconic Memorial Stadium as soon as football season ends, the school could use some extra scratch. Officials are selling certain pieces of the existing stadium that are too dated to keep around but too precious to throw away.
What to know about California’s new used car law
The sleazy used car salesman might be a tired trope in Hollywood, but scammers still abound in California’s automobile industry. The California CARS Act, which went into effect on Oct. 1, implements new consumer protections designed to safeguard against those unethical practices.
3 things happening in NC: State legislature calls special session as gas prices soar
“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina. Here’s what you’ll find this week: Why are NC lawmakers calling a special session? It’s the gas prices, stupid. NC Board of Elections asks voters to confirm citizenship before elections, but then what? Biketoberfest returns to Charlotte for 12th year Republicans are becoming all the more nervous as we near the midterm elections.
This California beach town is up for a major national Main Street award
National nonprofit Main Street America (MSA) has unveiled its 2027 semifinalists for the coveted Great American Main Street Award, bestowed annually to recognize three local organizations from around the United States that have shown “excellence in fostering preservation-based revitalization efforts through the Main Street Approach.” As announced by MSA on Sept. 29, the coastal town of Oceanside in San Diego County is among eight semifinalists up for the three 2027 awards.
Mountain lion crossings are coming to Joshua Tree National Park
Mountain lions, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife trying to cross State Route 62 near Joshua Tree National Park often don’t make it to the other side. Now researchers are starting the first phase of work on two wildlife crossings over the highway. The projects aim to curb collisions between cars and animals in the Mojave Desert.
Nebraska sports fans prepare for a big day of football, volleyball on Oct. 10
Nebraska Athletics is preparing for the spotlight as two national Fox Sports broadcasts will feature the Cornhuskers on Saturday, Oct. 10. First, Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff show will be staged in Lincoln, with the team of hosts including Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram II, Brady Quinn, Urban Meyer, and Dave Portnoy spotlighting that day’s game between Nebraska and the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers.
What to know about the first woman honored in bronze at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Students and visitors to Pound Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus will now be greeted by the building’s namesake, Louise Pound, following the Sept. 18 unveiling of a statue honoring the multisport athlete and intellectual pioneer. The statue, the first on campus to honor a woman, depicts Pound holding her bicycle with a tennis racket resting across the handlebars and a stack of books tied to the rear fender.
What to know about the guy who owns the most land in New Mexico
Each year, The Land Report publishes a list of the 100 largest private landowners in the US, and this year’s list saw a major swing in the standings thanks to a blockbuster land deal that took place in New Mexico in December 2025. Billionaire real estate magnate Stan Kroenke acquired more than 937,000 deeded acres of ranchland from the heirs of Teledyne founder Henry Singleton.
3 things happening in NC: The Outer Banks looks for help after another storm traps locals
“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina.
The largest landowner in Nebraska died this year. Who gets all that land now?
Each year, the World Population Review publishes an interactive listing of the country’s largest landowners by state. The 2026 ranking lists the late businessman and CNN founder Ted Turner as the largest landowner in Nebraska, claiming more than 440,000 acres of land. That begs the question: After Turner’s passing in May, who will control all that land? And will it stay protected, as Turner had wished? But first, why Nebraska?
What to know about Nebraska’s new Teacher of the Year
Access to music education has seen troubling declines throughout the country over recent decades, which makes those talented folks who remain in the field as music educators all the more valuable. It’s in this climate that the Nebraska Department of Education (NDOE) has named Zac Konrad, a band teacher at Papillion Middle School in Sarpy County, its 2027 Teacher of the Year.
How Omaha’s streetcar, coming in 2028, got its name
And the Oscar goes to…the Omaha Streetcar Authority (OSA). City officials shared the logos, colors, and vehicle design for its 2028 streetcar launch during a press conference at the Kiewit Luminarium on Aug. 28, according to Nebraska Public Media’s The Reader. They also unveiled the new “organic shorthand” for the service: Oscar.
Omaha named host city for 2027 Women’s Volleyball World Cup
The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, or International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), has announced its plans for the 2027 Women’s Volleyball World Cup, naming Omaha as one of three cities that will host matches in the world’s premier women’s volleyball tournament. The U.S. and Canada are co-hosting, and Canada’s host cities will be announced later.
Why California lawmakers made Dolly Parton Day Sept. 25
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed SB 931 into law, officially recognizing Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day in California. State Sens. Shannon Grove and John Laird chose Sept. 25 as a nod to Parton’s beloved song “9 to 5,” the theme for her most memorable foray into Hollywood. The date falls exactly a month after the legendary country singer-songwriter and actress died on Aug. 25.
New York Free Fishing Day: Sept. 26 and Nov. 11 are your last chances this year
Fall has arrived in New York, and among the many reasons to get outside and enjoy the crisp temperatures are the final two Free Fishing Days, when the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived across the state. The first of two Free Fishing Days this fall lands on Sept. 26, which not so incidentally coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day. The second of the season, and last of the year, will come on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Here’s how you can share your opinion on the planned uranium mine in Cibola National Forest
New Mexico is still living with the damage from decades of uranium mining. Now a company wants to dig another uranium mine in the Cibola National Forest, and residents have a narrow window to weigh in. The US Forest Service (USFS) has opened up a 30-day public comment period for a controversial mine proposed on 87 acres inside the Cibola National Forest. The project would also “disturb” 279 acres outside of USFS lands, according to the agency.
Environment Archives - Courier New Mexico
Public comment period ends Oct. 14 for a uranium mine planned in the Cibola National Forest, with an environmental plan expected in Jan. 2028.
What to do in 6 New Mexico small towns that WorldAtlas says “come alive in fall”
If you don’t think New Mexico has four distinct seasons, you haven’t spent much time in New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment becomes all the more enchanting in autumn, as the trees put on colorful shows if you know where to look and the orchards open up for apple-picking fun. WorldAtlas recently released its list of small towns in New Mexico that “come alive in fall.” As we enter what is arguably the best season to live in this great state, we picked something worth checking out in each town.
5 things to know about the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Humans have eaten garlic for more than 9,000 years, by most estimates. Since 1989 the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival has paid proper tribute to the vegetable that most cooks treat like an herb. Launched by Pat Reppert of Shale Hill Farm and Herb Gardens in 1989, the two-day event in Saugerties continues as a harvest celebration of what aficionados lovingly refer to as the ”stinking rose.” This year’s fest will take place Sept.
3 things happening in NC: Charlotte school board in crisis mode over potential investigation, extortion allegations
“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina.
U-pick hemp comes to Northern California as a local farm takes innovative approach
You’ve heard of U-pick pumpkin patches, apple orchards and flower fields, but it’s unlikely you’ve ever been left in charge of harvesting your own hemp. One northern California farm is inviting visitors to do just that. For two days in late September, Sonoma Hills Farm will allow guests to select from designated rows of its latest hemp crop and harvest their own hemp plants to cure and enjoy at home.. It will be a first-of-its-kind event for the farm, which opened in the Petaluma Gap in 2020.
All Posts - Courier New Mexico
New Mexico may be famous for desert landscapes, but there are still plenty of trees with autumnal leaves. Here are 10 places to go leaf-peeping in New Mexico.
Nebraska Navigator AI chatbot launches on Nebraska.gov
A new AI-powered resident-assistance chatbot called the Nebraska Navigator went live on the state’s website on Sept. 1, the next phase in a rollout that began with the launch of a similar chatbot on the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) site in December 2025. In a release announcing the Nebraska Navigator launch, Gov. Jim Pillen said the “impressive” results of the DMV pilot inspired the Nebraska State Records Board, which is funding the program, to expand its implementation statewide.
New signs improve safety and wayfinding on Omaha trails
New location-identification signs are being installed at 50 Omaha trail overpasses, giving runners, walkers, and cyclists an easier way to describe where they are if they need emergency help. The 100-sign project follows roughly eight years of advocacy by the Safe Trails Initiative. City officials say crews have already begun installing some of the 100 signs going up at 50 overpasses along the trails to help runners and other users identify where they are, according to WOWT.
Report: Nebraska in top 20 for jobs most vulnerable to AI-driven change
A new report from investment advisory firm SmartAsset provides some insight into what jobs are most at risk due to artificial intelligence and which states could be impacted most by the loss of those jobs, with Nebraska ranking 20th in percent of the workforce that’s at risk. According to the report, which cited US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, an estimated 31,360 Nebraskans work in occupations said to be most vulnerable to AI disruption, making up just over 3% of the workforce.
Transit fares are rising in October—here’s how to save money
As the Metropolitan Transit System prepares to implement its first significant fare increase since 2009, the agency is also launching a program that can help reduce the impacts on financially vulnerable riders of MTS buses and the San Diego Trolley. The PRONTO Low-Income Fare Eligible (LIFE) program will allow people enrolled in CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or CalWORKs to pay reduced fares on buses and the trolley, according to the MTS website. Applications are open now.
What to know about the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy coming to Hudson Valley in October
When people think of American Gothic fiction as it relates to the Hudson Valley, one name comes to mind: Washington Irving. However, for two nights this October, one of Irving’s contemporaries will become the center of attention, as the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy arrives in Peekskill.
How to provide your input on Omaha’s Lake James Park renovation
Citing age and wear on the playground and surrounding spaces, City of Omaha Parks & Recreation (OPR) has deemed Lake James Park in North Omaha a high-priority park for improvements. As they prepare for a complete renovation of the park beginning in spring 2027, officials are asking for public input on what residents would like to see included in the project.
CHI Health Good Samaritan launches remote heart failure monitoring in Kearney
With automated license plate readers on every highway and doorbell cameras on every stoop, surveillance is the hot-button issue of the day. CHI Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, however, has launched a new monitoring program that is sure to provoke nothing but gratitude from patients and their loved ones.
3 things happening in NC: Trump rallies with Michael Whatley following troubling AP report
“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina. Here’s what you’ll find this week: President Trump joins GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley in Gastonia, after troubling AP report.
Good News Friday: Why NC’s $590 million PFAS settlement with DuPont, Chemours is such a big deal
[Good News Friday is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly roundup of positive news stories from around NC. For past editions of Good News Friday, tap here.] In today’s edition of Good News Friday: Asheville takes on neglectful landlords Attorney General Jeff Jackson touts $590 million PFAS settlement with DuPont, Chemours Mail-in ballots are going out in North Carolina Good news is subjective, and oftentimes comes with its own bad news attached.
How you can weigh in on Trump’s plan to gut ‘Roadless Rule’
In August, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the US Forest Service is attempting to fully rescind 2001’s federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule. If approved, this change would allow road construction inside America’s national forests, including 1.6 million acres in New Mexico.
Enviroment Archives - Courier New Mexico
Sierra Club calls on advocates to protect roadless forests during town hall series.
Eppley Airfield to allow some visitors past security without a ticket in new program
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced a new pilot program that marks the first reversal of certain security measures that were implemented when the agency was formed in response to the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Omaha’s Eppley Airfield will be among 13 airports across the country included in the newly announced Gateside by TSA PreCheck, which allows TSA PreCheck members to go beyond the TSA checkpoint even if they don’t have a plane ticket.
What to know about Omaha Dunham House, a new facility honoring combat veterans
A dedication ceremony marking the upcoming opening of a housing development for wounded veterans is scheduled for Sept. 11, serving as a nod to the ongoing impacts of the terror attacks on their 25th anniversary, as well as the wars that followed. Located off North 60th Street in the Raven Oaks area of northern Omaha, the Dunham House is being lauded as a first-of-its-kind facility, providing housing for combat-wounded veterans in need of long-term residential-centered care.
Omaha Restaurant Week has arrived—here’s what to know
We’ve all got that restaurant in town that we’ve heard good things about or have been meaning to try for some other reason. Now may be the time to make a move. Omaha Restaurant Week kicks off on Sept. 11, with more than 50 Omaha restaurants offering deals for three-course dinners priced between $20 and $50 over 10 days ending on Sept. 20. Participating restaurants will offer three-course meals in $10 increments.
A statue honoring Omaha’s ‘Broom Man’ is now in Turner Park. Who was he?
Regular visitors to Turner Park in Omaha will notice a new guest hanging around the Midtown space, as Wednesday brought the unveiling of a new sculpture honoring Rev. Livingston Wills, known as Omaha’s “Broom Man.” According to the Douglas County Historical Society, Wills spent six decades selling brooms on the streets of Omaha despite his blindness, becoming a familiar presence of the city over that span.
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