Night of the Living Ledger 🧟

Happy Friday Ledgers,

A cold wind swept through Lincoln. Somewhere in the shadows of an overstuffed inbox, wedged between a TJ Maxx promo, a forgotten HOA newsletter, and a suspicious notice that your Netflix account has been compromised… something stirred.

The lights flickered. A notification dinged. A long-forgotten sender… reanimated.

The Lincoln Ledger had risen. Not dead. Just biding its time.

Lost beneath the rubble of unread messages, expired coupon codes, and “RE: Just Checking In” emails, it clawed its way back. And just in time for Halloween.

Hide your inboxes. Or don’t. We’re already in.

In this week’s issue:

• Bueller…Bueller: Cool kids stay in school

• What To Do: Halloween, hopes and dreams, and fall foliage

• Sportz: The lost art of barefoot kickers 🦶

• Neighborhood Watch: Scandy Dandy Doodle

Antici…….……..pation.

Thanks for hanging with us, it’s great to be back in your inbox.

- Landon

BUELLER

Cool kids stay in school 🏫

Skipping. Ditching. Cutting class. Playing hooky. These used to be acts of rebellion, a subtle way to show you weren’t afraid to break the rules or miss a lesson on parallelograms. But times have changed. Today skipping school isn’t edgy. It’s often a sign of an underlying community issue impacting our youngest residents.

According to a report from the Nebraska Department of Education, over 65,000 students, or 21% of all Nebraska students, were chronically absent during the 2024–2025 school year. At Lincoln Public Schools, about 25% of students (roughly 11,850 kids) fell into that category.

What is chronic absenteeism?… Chronic absence is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, whether those days are excused, unexcused, or suspensions. It’s purpose is to try and capture the total impact of missed instructional time, not to assign blame or judgment about the reasons students are absent.

Nebraska is not alone… Absenteeism has become a national trend that ballooned after pandemic closures and hasn’t returned to normal. Across the U.S. absenteeism is still up 50% compared to pre-pandemic years.

🔢 By the numbers: chronic absenteeism

• 23%: U.S. chronic absenteeism rate in 2024-25

• 65,000 (21%): Nebraska K-12 students chronically absent in 2024-25

• 31%: Peak U.S. chronic absenteeism rate in 2021-22

📈 Progress statewide… There is reason for optimism. According to a release last week from the Nebraska Department of Education, 66 out of 93 counties in Nebraska have seen their chronic absenteeism rates decline since 2021.

Counties like Cheyenne, Box Butte, and Dakota reported double-digit drops, thanks to targeted strategies like improved transportation, community engagement, and a focus on school belonging.

While many communities have made measurable gains, the release did not list Lancaster County among those with reductions in chronic absenteeism.

📌 Why it matters
Consistent attendance is one of the strongest indicators of long-term success. Kids who miss class, are more likely to fall behind, disengage, and struggle to graduate.

Attendance isn’t just a number. It’s a reflection of connection, to school, to teachers, and to opportunity. And right now, too many students are unplugging.

Sources (The Real Journalists):
Nebraska Department of Education - (News Release) Nebraska Department of Education Highlights Communities Improving Attendance, Chronic Absenteeism Page

1011 News - Chronic Absenteeism continues to rise in Lincoln Public Schools

Lincoln Journal Star - School attendance improves across Nebraska, but not in Lincoln Public Schools 

The Hechinger Report - 7 insights about chronic absenteeism, a new normal for American schools

WHAT TO DO

Halloween, hopes and dreams, and fall foliage

It feels like the last days of fall are upon us, and this weekend you’ll do your best to close them out right. From Halloween favorites to big games and peak fall views, this one’s got all the makings of a classic.

🎃 Halloween Things
Halloween in Lincoln just hits different. Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Trick-or-Treating at Sheridan
  For one night each year, Sheridan Blvd. turns into a movie lot for a 90’s Disney Channel Halloween movie. Perfect for families, you’ll walk the streets, trick or treat, and take in a perfect fall evening while hitting the mother load of full-sized candy bars. Note: We recommend getting there early, it will be packed.

• Halloween Displays
  Get in the hearse, and hit the circuit of top Halloween decoration displays. Courtesy of the local legend, Philips Lincoln Lights (aka huskerphil), you’ll use this map to navigate all the top stops. A couple of our favorite locations include: Grave Grabbers at 6025 S 41st St. and 3045 Woodsdale Blvd. Pack a hot cider & queue Creep by Radiohead on repeat as you drive 5 MPH past someone’s home.

• 👨‍🎤 Bonus: Warped Tour (Relived)
  Need to be around adults this Halloween? No problem. A Day to Remember and Yellowcard comes to Lincoln to bring all the sounds of my teen angst to Pinnacle Bank Arena. It was never a phase.

🏈 USC @ Nebraska
It’s been a long time since November football in Lincoln actually meant something. And this weekend, the Huskers face off against USC at home in a game that could define the season. Memorial Stadium will be packed, but if you’re not one of the lucky few with a ticket, don’t panic. Here are a couple underrated spots to catch the game:

• Catalyst (South Lincoln)
  TVs galore and chicken drummies that are a sleeper contender for top wings in Lincoln, Catalyst is best for South Lincoln people who want a game-day experience while avoiding the dreaded cross-Lincoln commute. This editor has personally sampled 40 dozen of their cheese curds and they are GOATed.

• N Zone (Haymarket)
  A truly underground bar and restaurant, ‘N Zone is a classic place to watch the game and feels like the move for people who thrive on collective misery. We recommend the fried pickles and buffalo wings and $100 worth of TouchTunes credits.

🍁 Fall Foliage Era
On Sunday, you'll chase leaves, not productivity. Take a walk through Pioneers Park, for Lincoln’s best fall color display. Want to level up? Make a seasonal coffee for the road, hop in the car and head to Mahoney State Park or Indian Cave State Park for the kind of autumn views that make you consider starting a nature-themed Instagram. No agenda, no guilt. Just you, the trees, and the quiet thrill of doing absolutely nothing important.

SPORTZ

Sporting headlines from around the capital.

• 💰 Coach: Matt Rhule secured a 2-year extension as NU’s Head Football Coach (take that Penn State)

• 🏈 Football: NU faces #23 USC at Memorial stadium at 6:30pm (where to watch)

• 🏐 Volleyball: #1 Nebraska (20-0) takes on Wisconsin on the road tonight and Oregon at home on Sunday as they look to extend their perfect season

• 🏀 NCAAMB / NCAAWB: NU Women’s and Men’s basketball teams open their season on Monday November 3rd vs vs Northwestern State and West Georgia, respectively

Fun Fact: RB, Emmett Johnson is the only Power 4 Conference player to have 1,000+ all-purpose yards this season 👏

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

8440 Birkett Dr, Lincoln, NE 68526

Scandy Dandy

Not typically one for new builds, this beauty caught our eye during a late-night Zillow scroll. Located in Southeast Lincoln, in that part of town that never quite got around to picking a neighborhood name (or at least we don’t know it), this Scandinavian-inspired home feels like it should be perched near a fjord, not just off 84th Street. Still, we’re all in on the growing wave of Scandy-style design showing up here in the Lincoln.

With modern lines, warm wood finishes, and moody minimalism, this is the type of place you move into and instantly start describing your lifestyle as “intentional.” Where you host candlelit dinners consisting solely of root vegetables, casually read Alan Watts, and jot your deep thoughts into a Moleskine. The only thing missing is a sauna, but hey, enlightenment is a journey and you’ve got a Costco membership, so nirvana is within reach.

For those planning to attend the open house, here’s the unofficial dress code. Note → we don’t make the rules 👇

(1) Fisherman’s sweater. Effortless. Chic. Not trying too hard but you did absolutely overpay for that polyester blend. Bonus points for a chore jacket topper.

(2) Oversized jeans. The Time of Death on a skinny fit jean was way too long ago for you to not embrace the loose-fit pant. Show you’re someone with taste and a certain je ne sais quoi.

(3) Timberland boots that have never seen a construction zone in their life. Steel-toed for OSHA compliance while you mock graphic layouts at your 9 to 5.

The Details:

• 4 beds, 3 baths

• 3,813 sq/ft

• Built in 2025

• An exterior color that will make your air conditioner cry a little

❤️ KEEP:
You’ll keep most of this one. The kitchen, the inset fireplace, the walk-in closet, and vaulted ceilings, the patio heaters, and did we mention the kitchen… that countertop is 🤌.

🗑️ TOSS:
Priced at $925k, our expectations are set high and we think it’s fair to be picky. Toss the undersized flush-mount lights in the living room, the garage (which appears to be a faux two-car garage, tbd), and the lack of a structured side yard or any backyard landscaping. Also, definitely toss the location, it is practically on 84th. Brutal.

CHECKLIST

An over-ambitious weekend to-do list.

• Pick up some last second candy for trick-or-treaters

• Make a meal with that must-have appliance or outdoor cooking you once needed, but haven’t touched since last year (cough cough Ooni pizza oven)

• Mow your lawn one final time before widespread de-leafing

• Pick up a frame for those pictures you printed

• Order a SAD lamp to get ahead of the dark day woes

• Clean out your garage one last time this fall before it gets too cold

HEADLINES

More news from around the capital.

• SNAPADILLA: Muchacho’s opened a free food pantry to help those impacted by the government shutdown 👏👏

• ICE: A judge approved a plan from Gov. Jim Pillen to convert a prison into a ICE detention center

• CoJMC: The UNL College of Journalism is exploring combining its Broadcast and Journalism majors into a single major

• New Street: Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird temporarily named a street after Lincoln native and Maroon5 lead guitarist, James Valentine

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

• Long Haul: A sandhill crane traveled over 19k miles to Russia during its migration (this editor suspects the crane may be involved in espionage)