100% Natural... Gas 🚌

Happy Friday Ledgers,

We start this week with what was clearly the biggest news in America: The Lincoln Children’s Zoo welcomed three new Red Panda cubs. 🧸

In this week’s issue:

• Gassy: Lincoln unveils a new natural gas station

• What To Do: Your weekend recharge

• Sportz: Back in ‘82. I used to be able to throw a pig skin a quarter mile.

• Neighborhood Watch: Lego House 🧱

Tailgate Update: Mark your calendars for November 23rd. ❌

More details next week.

- Landon

#GASSY

City of Lincoln unveils new natural gas station for fleet vehicles 💨

“You smell rotten eggs. I smell innovation.”
- Maybe the City of Lincoln

This week, the City of Lincoln unveiled a new $6.3 million compressed natural gas (CNG) station to support an expanding fleet of natural gas vehicles, including 41 buses and 11 paratransit vans. Located downtown, the station is expected to speed up bus refueling time by 75% and cut fuel costs from $5 to $3 per gallon, saving StarTran $729,571 annually—savings that will fund expanded services like paratransit.

Funding and development… The project supports Lincoln's commitment to transitioning all city fleet vehicles to electric or alternative fuels by 2040. Funding for the CNG station came from a blend of sources: $825,000 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, $2.6 million and $2.15 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants between 2018 and 2023, along with $770,000 from local StarTran funds.

Natural gas as a fuel source… Natural gas vehicles provide a cleaner option than gasoline and diesel, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25%, carbon monoxide by up to 97%, and nitrogen oxides by 60%. While natural gas extraction produces some methane, it remains a net positive for emissions reduction.

📌 Why it matters…
The CNG station is another step in Lincoln’s commitment to greener, more cost-effective public transportation.

Sources:
City of Lincoln — City Announces Completion of New CNG Fueling Station | Mayor’s Office

DTE Energy - Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles

WHAT TO DO

Your weekend recharge.

Friday evening recharge 😌
Election week can take a toll. Tonight, you’ve got two ways to recharge and ease into the weekend.

Option 1: Night at Home – Lego Date Night
For a cozy, low-key evening, try a twist on the classic puzzle night. Swing by Costco or Scheels to pick up a holiday Lego set, then stop by The Still, Moran’s Liquor Works, Meier’s Cork N Bottle, or Wine, Beer, and Spirits Lincoln for a bottle of wine (or three). Order food from High Peak Asian or Blessing Thai Restaurant, queue up The Diplomat on Netflix or the smooth sounds of Leon Bridges, and settle in for the evening.

Option 2: Double Eagle Golf
If your idea of unwinding involves masochistic sporting tendencies, Double Eagle Golf is the move. This indoor golf simulator and bar is perfect for those who are already dreading the winter break from the course. Reserve a booth, grab your clubs, and swing away. Make no mistake, you’ll surely leave disappointed with your play. But hey, that’s golf. ⛳️

Battle of the Bartenders 🍸
Tomorrow, you’ll check out Battle of the Bartenders, a competition between Lincoln’s top bartenders, with the proceeds going to Woven Charm, a nonprofit supporting parents with babies in the NICU. The event starts at 7:00 PM and will be hosted at The Jasmine Room. It’s a feel-good way to enjoy craft cocktails while giving back to the community.

Canoyer Garden Center Christmas Open House 🎄
Look, we know it’s a bit early for Christmas, but who’s counting? On Sunday, you’ll head over to Canoyer Garden Center’s Christmas Open House and let yourself enjoy the fresh scent of spruce and balsam. Who cares if we are still a few weeks away from Thanksgiving? Grab some festive plants and get a head start. Embrace the season a little early—your future, holiday-ready self will thank you.

SPORTZ

Sporting headlines from around the capital.

• 🏐 Volleyball: Husker volleyball dominance continues with a sweep of #12 Oregon in Eugene

• 🏈 Football: Matt Rhule has brought on Dana Holgorsen as an offensive consultant

• 🏀 NCAAMB: Husker Men’s Basketball takes on B-CU tomorrow at home at 7:00 PM

• ⛹️‍♀️ NCAAWB: #23 Ranked Nebraska Women's basektball takes on SLU tomorrow at 1:00 PM

• 🏟️ QB1: Dylan Raiola is expected to be back to play next week against USC.

• 🎾 Tennis: Lincoln hosted a pro tennis tournament this week.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

701 S 8th St, Lincoln, NE 68508

Lego house 🧱

Confession: This editor went through a five-year phase where building a shipping container home was the dream. I filled my Google Drive with floor plans and crafted Pinterest boards like a 20-something’s version of a toddler’s dinosaur obsession. In my mind, it would be off-grid, modern, and just rugged enough to feel like it belonged on the pages of an architecture magazine.

Did I picture it on a hillside with tall grasses swaying in the breeze, Gladiator-style? Absolutely. Or maybe tucked into a misty forest in the Pacific Northwest. Downtown Lincoln…. maybe not so much. But who needs the amber waves of grain, when you can have a view of the sower himself?

This container home may be small, but it’s packed with style. Sleek, clever, and surprisingly cozy, it’s the perfect mix of industrial charm and polished details. Whether you’re after an urban hideaway or a modern, minimalist lifestyle, this compact beauty is ready to deliver. Well-executed, we couldn’t have done it better ourselves.

The Details:

• 1 beds, 1 baths

• 569 sq/ft

• Built in 2019

❤️ KEEP: The bold industrial finishes, cozy nooks that soften the vibe, expansive windows for natural light, and an outdoor deck made for coffee or wine with a city view.

🗑️ TOSS: A garden on that rooftop to hide the heat pump, a garage on the premises for extra storage, and we’d also love to see some more color in this home, whether it be through art, rugs, or furniture.

CHECKLIST

An over-ambitious weekend to-do list.

• Plan your Thanksgiving Day menu

• Rake up the wet leaves on your lawn

• Get your nails done (since you got dirt under them from the leaves)

• Go get fitted for a new set of golf clubs (for research purposes)

• Pull your couch cushion covers off and wash them

HEADLINES

More news from around the capital.

• Vote: Lancaster County saw a strong voter turnout, second only to the 2020 election. 

• Closed: Love Memorial Hall on UNL Campus will close in May

• School: LPS student enrollment returned to pre-pandemic levels

• BONUS: New fear unlocked: bats running on a treadmill

🐯 Weekly Wildcard:
One headline (or post) we never saw coming.

• Facebook Marketplace: The latest in high-fashion clogs…