Houston, We Have a Problem 🛬

Hey Ledgers,

Welcome to the first official issue of The Lincoln Ledger. We created this sliver of the internet to help you find new reasons to love life in the capital and occasionally give you fresh powder for when others ask you “What is there to do in Lincoln?”

We’re still working out some of the kinks, but you can expect to hear from us weekly.

In this week’s issue:

• United Airlines: Dropping LNK routes to Houston.

• The Bachelor: Lincoln native seeks love with ball boy.

• Potholes: Or as we like to call them, street craters.

• What To Do: How to spend your weekend.

• Sportz: Headlines for sporty guys and gals.

• Neighborhood Watch: Spanish revival with a porch to die for.

If you’re reading this, you’re officially a member of the Founders Club. I appreciate you coming along for the ride. ✌️

- Landon

UNITED AIRLINES

United Airlines drops LNK route to Houston

Yesterday, United Airlines announced it will discontinue nonstop routes from Lincoln to Houston. The announcement comes despite great passenger numbers, with a reported 85% of all passenger seats occupied last year. During November and December, occupancy rose to above 90%. In its place, United says it will add more flights to Chicago and Denver this summer and fall. Service will conclude on May 23rd, 2024.

A complicated relationship with Airlines… This is the latest in a string of blows delivered to the Lincoln Airport. In 2022, Delta indefinitely suspended service to Lincoln. Last year, LNK suffered even more embarrassment after the newly founded Red Way Airlines shuttered its doors only a few months into operations.

In those precious months, the over-ambitious airline burned through $3.7M in public money faster than I burn kabobs on the grill (why is the temperature so hard to get right?)

📌 Why it Matters:
An airport is a gateway for tourism dollars to flow into a city. They can also play a key role when deciding where to live or start businesses.

🤷‍♂️ Personal Take:
Flying out of LNK is delightful. It's perfect for the perpetually late as you can be there in 10 minutes and through security in 5 more. While tickets are more expensive, a quick cost-benefit analysis often comes out in favor of flying from Lincoln when considering for factors like the time spent driving, parking fees, gas, and the inevitable $10 bottle of SmartWater.

BACHELOR

Game. Set. No Match. 🎾

Love it or hate it — it’s Bachelor Season. The 28th Season of The Bachelor kicked off with 32 women bidding for the hand of Tennis Pro Joey Graziadei. One of those ladies in waiting was 25-year-old Lincoln native and Miami Dolphins cheerleader Samantha Washington.

Washington appeared on the show this week but unfortunately was among the first 10 contestants to be eliminated. Out of the three women from Miami, only one would move on to the next stage.

As for the first rose 🌹… it went to Allison Hollinger, one of two sisters currently competing on the show for the love of a man who seems more in love with tennis.

SLUSHIE

More pot, less hole. 🕳️

Snow’s ugly twin whom we’d rather keep in the basement arrived in full force this week. That’s right, we’re talking about slush. It’s the same story every year, one that begins with beauty and ends with street craters large enough to engulf your entire front axel like a sandworm from Dune.

And that’s the task at hand this week for the City of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department (LTU) as they try to patch potholes around the city. Five crews have been tasked with surveying the city for trouble spots, with two other units responding to repair requests made by the public.

With reports of potholes over a foot deep, crews will have their hands full. In the meantime, keep an eye out for these tire munchers.

WHAT TO DO

Coffee Dates, greenhouses, and galoshes.

The weekend is looking up in terms of weather. It’s time to get out of the house a bit and go explore. You never know when the Midwest will strike again.

• ☕️ Do a little coffee date
  Start the weekend off right with a visit to your favorite coffee shop. Bring a book, have a cup of coffee, and chill for a bit.
  GRABBA CUPPA JOE

• 🪴Give your dry bones some humidity in a greenhouse
  Get a dose of spring when you walk through the lush greenhouses of Oak Creek Plants & Flowers. Sunday will be sunny, so we recommend going then.

  DIRECTIONS

• 🥾 Put on your rain boots and hike

  The 5th Annual Lincoln Trail-A-Thon Challenge has officially begun. Challengers attempt to walk all 92 miles of the Lincoln trail system within a calendar year. Throw on your boots and get your first muddy miles in this year. Compared to the last few weeks, it will feel like a tropical hike.
  LINCOLN’S TOP TRAILS

SPORTZ

Local headlines for sporty guys and gals.

• 🏐 Volleyball: The Omaha Supernovas hosted the first Pro Volleyball Federation match to a crowd of over 11,000

• 🏀 NCAAWB: Husker women’s basketball is slated to sell out PBA for the first time in program history for its upcoming matchup vs Iowa on Feb. 11th.

• 🏟️ Spring Game: The Husker Football Spring Game has been scheduled for April 27th at 11:00am

• 🏉 Football: Former four-star QB recruit Chubba Purdy announced he is transferring to Nevada

• ⛹️ NCAAMB: Nebraska men’s basketball breezed by Ohio State (83-69)

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

4929 Huntington Ave, Lincoln, NE 68504

Casa Bonita. 

Located near Nebraska Wesleyan, this rare Spanish Revival will have you questioning who and where you are. Picture this: You sitting in front of the fireplace, faux fur blanket from Costco in hand, while Leon Bridges plays softly in the distance. Sound like your thing? This place is for you.

❤️ KEEP: The Spanish architectural features, wrought iron stair railings, the mustard fireplace, and the multi-color roof tiles.

🗑️ TOSS: The carpet tiles, oak accents in the kitchen, the garage door, and the living room ceiling fan that came with the home in 1927. Also, give it a new coat of paint for good measure.

The Details:

• 3,665 Sq Ft

• 4 Bed, 3 Bath

• Built in 1927

• A price that’s 131% higher than when last sold in 2021 🙄 

CHECKLIST

Stuff you could do if you’re feeling ambitious.

🫠 Scoop some snow: Move some of the excess snow away from the base of your home to avoid leakage into your basement.

🚗 Wash your car: Your pants and coat will thank you.

❤️ Make Valentine’s Day plans: Don’t repeat last year’s mistake…

😷 Clean out your humidifier: Here’s how.

🎄 Scrooge: Take down your exterior Christmas lights.

HEADLINES

A few more headlines from Lincoln this week.

• P!nk: The queen of Pop Punk is coming to Lincoln this fall. Tickets went on sale this morning at 10:00am

• Holy Moly: Architects want to convert a former local church into offices and apartment

🐻 WEEKLY WILDCARD (one headline we never saw coming)

• A trash fire at a local waste management facility burned for five days before finally being extinguished. 🔥