Tom's Talk

A sense of excitement filled the air this past week as Southeast Community College celebrated the groundbreaking of its new life sciences building on the Lincoln campus. KLIN’s Tom Stanton attended the ceremony and talked with SCC officials about the college’s commitment to expanding opportunities in health and physical sciences.

100 Lincoln high school seniors who were part of the Lincoln TeamMates mentoring program were celebrated Friday during a graduation ceremony on the UNL campus. This week Tom Stanton talks with three people who were part of that celebration.

There will soon be a new non-profit operating in Lincoln that will assist pet owners with low cost preventative veterinary care. This week, Tom Stanton talks with Meredith Cruse, a licensed veterinarian who is helping make 402NonPAWfit a reality.

Now that spring has arrived backyard projects will be ramping up. This week Tom Stanton talks with Black Hills Energy Public Affairs Manager Brandy Johnson about the importance of calling 811 before your shovel hits the dirt.

Registration is underway for the 15th annual Give to Lincoln Day on May 28. This week Tom Stanton talks with Jenny Chapin with Lincoln Community Foundation about the importance of this event and how non-profits can register for the big day of giving.

Lincoln Fire and Rescue played a part in battling the largest wildfire in state history two weeks ago. This week Tom Stanton talks with LFR Captain Dan Ripley about their role in the massive fire that charred more than 640-thousand acres of land.

Monday marks the beginning of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Nebraska and this week Tom Stanton talks with Lancaster County Emergency Management Director Jim Davidsaver about what you need to know to ensure you and your family stay safe when the skies turn dark.

It’s Sandhill Crane season in the Platte River Valley. One of the best places to see the more than one million cranes is at the Rowe Wildlife Sanctuary in Gibbon. This week Tom Stanton talks with center director Marcos Stoltzfus about one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in North America and the economic boost the region receives from the thousands of visitors who flock to central Nebraska every year.

The highest-attended traditional performing arts show in Lincoln history will be coming back to the Lied Center stage in 2027. This week Tom Stanton talks with Lied Communications Director Lauren Silverman about the return of Hamilton and the growing Broadway market in Lincoln.

The push continues to get a proposed new highway corridor on the east side of the Lincoln metro area. This week Tom Stanton talks with Lancaster County Engineer Pam Dingman about the future of the East Beltway project.

Last week Lincoln Public Schools celebrated National School Resource Officer Day. This week Tom Stanton talks with North Star High School SRO Courtney Quattrocchi about her new role, what she enjoys most about the job and her unique and very personal reason for becoming a police officer.

Public health officials began testing for measles last May at the Theresa Street Resource Recovery Facility and last month three cases were detected. This week Tom Stanton takes a tour of the facility to get an inside look at how wastewater is sampled, collected and tested.

Last week seven new Lincoln Emergency Communications Center dispatchers graduated after weeks of training. This week Tom Stanton talks with director Jessica Loos about the milestone they reached with this class and the pride they take in making sure they are there any time someone is going through an emergency.

The Nebraska Diaper Bank has been providing diapers to families in need in Lincoln and across the state since 2014. This week Tom Stanton talks with Marketing and Communications Coordinator Jael Coffee about this hidden need and the role volunteers play in helping them distribute 300,000 diapers to 5,000 babies every month.

Governor Jim Pillen and Nebraska National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Craig Stong recently announced that roughly 200 troops will be deployed to the Nation's Capital for security purposes in late February. This week on Tom’s Talk you’ll hear from both men as they talk about the mission, what the soldier’s duties will be and how long they will be gone.

After a banner year at the Lincoln Airport in 2025 with Breeze Airways and American Airlines announced a variety of flights, 2026 has begun with the biggest project to date at LNK. This week Tom Stanton talks with Chad Lay, director of planning and development, about the project and what it means for travelers.

Nebraska health officials are keeping an eye on rising flu cases along with four recent cases of Measles in Platte County. This week Tom Stanton talks with two medical professionals about steps that can be taken to slow the spread of these highly contagious illnesses.

Last October 23-year-old Audrey Eckert of Lincoln was crowned Miss USA 2025, the second contestant from Nebraska to win the title. This week Tom Stanton talks with the UNL grad and former Husker Cheer Squad leader about that magical night and what the future holds for her.

Last Wednesday nearly 80 passengers boarded Breeze Airways’ inaugural flight from Lincoln to Orlando, Florida. This week Tom Stanton talks with city and airport officials along with a Lincoln man who was on that first flight about the new venture.

Just before Thanksgiving 3,200 workers at the Tyson beef processing plant in Lexington, Nebraska were told the business is closing and they are losing their jobs. This week Tom Stanton speaks with Dylan Wren, Workforce Administrator at the American Job Center in Lincoln, about their efforts to bring 40 impacted families to town through their Worker Relocation Program.

The Lincoln Salvation Army is brightening the holiday’s for hundreds of needy Lincoln families this holiday season through a variety of programs. This week Tom Stanton talks with The Salvation Army’s Kelsie Moreno about the Red Kettle and Angel Tree programs and the need for volunteer bell ringers.

Two Lincoln non-profits are hard at work making sure homeless individuals and struggling families have a chance to enjoy a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings. This week Tom Stanton talks to the leaders of the People's City Mission and Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach as they prepare to feed hundreds of people.

Since 2011 the Lincoln non-profit Kicks for Kids has raised thousands of dollars to provide new, properly fitting sneakers to underprivileged children in local schools. This week Tom Stanton talks with board member William Boucher about their mission and the fundraiser they are involved in with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department.

For more than 40 year's Lincolnites have heard 10/11 Chief Meteorologist Ken Siemek delivering weather forecasts and providing critical information when the skies turn stormy. Siemek retired a few nights ago and this week you’ll hear from Ken as we travel back through his career and relive some of his most memorable moments.

The Lincoln Children’s Zoo recently announced a big change to its annual Zoo Lights holiday event. This week Tom Stanton talks with Director of Communications Erin Lenz about what’s new with their popular holiday lights wonderland.

October 17th marked the 2nd annual Missing Persons Day in Nebraska and included a ceremony outside the State Capital. This week Tom Stanton talks with Jannel Rap about the disappearance of her sister of Gina Bos, who was last seen leaving Duggan’s Pub in downtown Lincoln 25 years ago and the struggles families face not knowing where their loved ones are.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and this year's campaign has extra special meaning. It comes at a time when Lincoln Police are dealing with a spike in the number of domestic violence deaths. This week you will hear from LPD Police Chief Michon Morrow and two Lincoln domestic violence advocate groups about resources that are available for victims.

The Lincoln Police Department is partnering with the First Responders Foundation Lincoln to sell pink patches to raise funds for the Heartland Cancer Foundation. This week Tom Stanton talks with LPD Captain Max Hubka and Chris Blum with the non-profit that is benefiting from the sale of the patches.

This past week's 13th Annual Team Jack Radiothon raised more than $150,000 for pediatric brain cancer research and treatment. This week Tom Stanton talks with Kevin Thomas, a former KLIN colleague and the host for the 11 hour broadcast about the work they have been able to do over the years to honor the memory of Jack Hoffman.

Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach volunteers fanned out across Lincoln on Saturday for the 29th annual Huskers Helping the Homeless event, which raises awareness and money for Matt Talbot’s hunger relief and homeless prevention services. This week Tom Stanton talks with executive director Alynn Sampson about the annual campaign and the growing need for their services.

Husker fans attending games at Memorial Stadium this season will see a new layer of security. This week Tom Stanton talks with UNL Police Captain John Backer and Lincoln Police Assistant Chief Jason Stille about the addition of LPD SWAT team officers inside the stadium.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands recently kicked off an urgent and ambitious recruitment campaign. This week Tom Stanton talks with Marketing Director Emma Beebe about the “60 Men in 60 Days" campaign, Which addresses the growing need for male mentors in Lincoln and other communities.

During the recent AVCA volleyball event at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, fans got to see the debut of a brand new scoreboard and experience better Wi-Fi connection. This week Tom Stanton talks with PBA General Manager Tim Savona about those enhancements and other additions that will greatly improve the overall fan experience.

Southeast Community College in Lincoln is now home to the largest welding technology center in the country and is expected to draw students from across the country. This week Tom Stanton talks with two men who attended the recent grand opening ceremony about the impact this $33 million, state-of-the- art facility will have on Lincoln and the state of Nebraska.

Husker football players aren't the only ones preparing to take the field at Memorial Stadium this year. This week Tom Stanton talks with longtime Cornhusker Marching Band director Tony Falcone about the new Westbrook Music Building and preparations for their annual exhibition at the stadium on August 22nd.

Since 2011 Southwood Lutheran Church in south Lincoln has been growing vegetables in a 7,000 square foot garden near 40th and Yankee Hill Road to help support the Food Bank of Lincoln. This week Tom Stanton talks with Mission Director Malissa Pauling about the work that goes into planting, maintaining and harvesting the garden.

This past week Lincoln Airport officials announced that LNK was getting a new airline. Breeze Airways will begin nonstop service from Lincoln to Orlando International Airport on December 10. This week Tom Stanton talks with two men who were instrumental in making this project a reality.

45 members of Nebraska Task Force One returned home to Lincoln after spending 14 days in flood-ravaged areas of central Texas. This week Tom Stanton talks to a few of those members about their experiences, including grueling searches along the Guadalupe River in scorching heat.

Lincoln will soon be hosting a unique soccer event that brings together the city’s diverse communities for an evening of sport and fellowship. This week Tom Stanton talks with two people who are involved in the first annual Youth World Cup Celebration on July 23.

Lincoln's Downtown Rotary 14 has connected with the Rotary Club in Kharkiv, Ukraine to help purchase used laptop computers so the students can participate in their education online. Randy Bretz is past president of Downtown Rotary 14 and this week he talks about the support coming from Nebraska and past efforts to help the people of the war-torn country.

It's been nine months since ground was broken on the brand new Clyde Malone Community Center at 23rd and ‘U’ Street. The three story facility is expected to be completed next spring and this week Tom Stanton talks with executive director John Goodwin about the construction progress and how the new building will help them continue their mission of breaking the cycle of multi-generational poverty.

We are just days away from the Fourth of July and for many that means celebrating with fireworks. This week Tom Stanton talks with Dr. Alex Louis, trauma medical director for Bryan Health, about some of the serious injuries they see in the emergency room each year and advice for ensuring that you and your family have a safe Independence Day.

This past week 12 new LPD recruits received their badges and officially joined the force. This week Tom Stanton talks with two of those new officers about the 22 weeks of training they went through and why they decided to pursue a career in law enforcement.

Last year a Lincoln non-profit called Sleep In Heavenly Peace began the task of building beds for thousands of Lincoln children who don't have one to sleep on. This week Tom Stanton talks with Doug McCallum, Director of Special Events at St. Marks Methodist Church in Lincoln about their efforts to raise thousands of dollars to help the non-profit build more beds for needy children.

A local task force has issued a call to action following a disturbing report that shows a decline in the number of school children successfully completing an aerobic capacity test. This week Tom Stanton talks with task force members about plans to boost youth fitness citywide.

This past Thursday a record $9.3 million dollars was raised during the 14th annual Give to Lincoln Day. It's a community-wide event that supports 502 local non-profit organizations. This week Tom Stanton talks with Tracy Edgerton, president of the Lincoln Community Foundation, about the success of the program and how it benefits the entire community.

The Special Olympics Nebraska annual Torch Run ended in Lincoln this past week and KLIN’s Tom Stanton was there as the torch was carried to the steps of the Hall of Justice. This week Tom Stanton talks with president and CEO Carolyn Chamberlain about the positive impact the organization has made on the lives of thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Last year there were 251 people were killed in traffic accidents across Nebraska making it the deadliest year in nearly two decades. Many of those crashes involved distracted driving.. This week Tom Stanton talks with Brian Ortner with AAA Nebraska about a new study about how “Do Not Disturb” technology on our cellphones could limit distracted driving.

The BraveBe Child Advocacy Center is Lincoln has seen a dramatic increase in the number of child abuse and neglect victims they serve. This week Tom Stanton talks with BraveBe's ACES Community Awareness Coordinator Abby Worster about the challenges they face and how the public can help support their mission.

The summer travel season will be here soon and so will the long-delayed deadline for having a REAL ID to get through security for U.S. flights. This week Tom Stanton talks to TSA spokesperson Patty Mancha about what travelers need to know before they arrive at the airport.