Top Journal Star photos and videos for July 2026

The winner's prize? A trip to Croatia and a chance to win $700,000.

Joseph's College Cosmetology will shut down on July 31 when L. Jane Nims, its owner and longtime president, retires, the college said in a social media post last week.

Zoo Bar owner Pete Watters said ZooFest, the annual outdoor music festival, will continue as normal at North 14th and P streets on Friday and Saturday despite Project O Street shutting down the surrounding area.

Elizabeth-Ali Schade, the director of operations at a theater in Salina, Kansas, will take over for Morrie Enders in August.

Joshua Meyers got 60 years to life in prison Thursday for the slaying of Tracy Henman, a mother of four and beloved Hy-Vee worker, in October.

The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment issued a health alert for Maskenthine Reservoir and Rockford Lake after high levels of toxic algae were found during weekly sampling procedures.

A missing 12-year-old from Lincoln was located in Texas on Thursday after taking a bus with a friend and his friend’s mother, police said.

The residence hall, which will feature shared kitchen areas, study spaces, laundry facilities, a pickleball court, and a sand volleyball court, will be the first at Central’s Grand Island location.

Lincoln police have arrested the vice president of Yasufuku USA on an employee's report that he tried to record her with his phone under the table at a work meeting.

Cory Worrell announced his resignation, coming at the end of the 2026-27 school year, at the Waverly Board of Education's meeting Thursday.

One of the staff members sustained a serious injury that required medical treatment, including stitches for a facial laceration.

The University of Nebraska passed its 2026-27 budget in June but now may face an additional $36 million in cuts after Gov. Jim Pillen directed state agencies to reduce spending.

The unprecedented $6 million renovation created an entirely new strategy for holes members thought they knew by heart.

Portions of four streets will close beginning Monday, according to Lincoln Transportation and Utilities.

The FBI is seeking to identify victims at Isanti Community Schools as it investigates sexual misconduct.

Nick Hegge, one of five educators across the country chosen for a multi-year fellowship, will soon help other Nebraska teachers in rural and remote communities enhance their civics lessons.

The owner and operator of the Keystone Pipeline has agreed to pay over $26 million for violating the Clean Water Act after the pipeline’s rupture in Washington, Kansas.

Jim Palmer, a retired photojournalist from Davey who now resides in Lincoln, worked across three continents and captured countless moments in 20th century history over his career.

Ibrahim Sabiel, who hails from Sudan, and Mohamad Obaed, from Syria, are bringing Crepe House to downtown Lincoln.

University of Nebraska President Jeff Gold said he wants the next permanent chancellor of the Lincoln campus to be in place by July 1, 2027.

Police are searching for vandals who broke 10 windows at a north Lincoln pediatric clinic over the weekend.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on final budget amendments Aug. 12 and vote on the adoption of the budget Aug. 24.

A 23-year-old parolee is facing a new felony assault charge after allegedly stomping on a man's head in the Haymarket after bars closed early Friday. 

A man who drove an 8-year-old child away from a Lincoln park in what police initially described as a kidnapping has been sentenced to three years in prison for it. 

On May 19, a 42-year-old woman told police she had attempted to sell a gift card on Facebook Marketplace when she was robbed.

A Valparaiso man has been jailed on allegations that he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old Lincoln girl he met online through a social networking app.

A Nebraska inmate is facing six new felony charges in connection with a physical assault and attempted sexual assault on a mental health specialist last year at the Tecumseh prison. 

Progress is being made on two 7 Brew locations slated to open this fall in Lincoln.

A former Palmyra teacher who had been nearing an August trial date pleaded guilty to sexual abuse by a school employee Tuesday in a deal with prosecutors.

The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is visiting Madison to take a close look at several food halls, as well as the city's convention center while there.

Bach to Rock, a franchise music school, is coming to Lincoln thanks to former Lincoln Public Schools superintendent Paul Gausman. The school is set for an Aug. 1 grand opening.

A 37-year-old man, as well as two other workers, were cleaning and making repairs inside a grain bin when the man slipped and got his leg caught in an auger.

Trentae Clifton, 18, pleaded no contest to second-degree assault for what happened that night at a house party near South 40th Street and Prescott Avenue.

As debates raged on at Red Quill Tattoo about whether a hot dog is a sandwich, Ciara Fortun was crowned "Miss Hot Dog Nebraska 2026."

A 34-year-old Lincoln man has been charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a 21-year-old, court records show.

A Lincoln woman got prison time Tuesday for a violent assault last year where she stabbed a 59-year-old man between the eyes with a soldering iron.

An LPD spokesperson said the department's Criminal Investigations Unit is working to recover the deceased so his identity and cause of death can be determined.

Eleven Lincoln restaurants will throw down at United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County's ninth annual WingFest for the right to be crowned the best chicken wing in the city.

The TADA Theatre announced the lineup of the 2027 production season and a run of "Gutenberg! The Musical!" beginning Aug. 14, 2026. 

The judge denied a defense claim that death-penalty statutes are arbitrary and capricious, an argument the Nebraska Supreme Court rejected in 2005, finding it and seven other claims raised meritless.

A fire was reported in the metal dust collection system before 4 a.m.

Lincoln’s Near South earned the top spot in a national survey of neighborhoods that best reflect Nebraska’s character. Here’s why respondents picked it.

Marcus Theatres district director Brian Shander said the chain expects big crowds for the movie, with strong early reviews generating buzz.

The day before Lincoln's minimum wage ordinance was set to go into effect, a district judge Friday issued an order temporarily blocking the city from enforcing it. 

CEO Emeka Anyanwu said LES will charge the batteries with energy "at the right times" then tap into the power as needed.

More than 1,800 young rodeo athletes and 2,300 horses are headed to Lincoln for the National High School Rodeo Finals. Here’s what to know.

Adrian Paris, a 37-year-old Lincoln man, was found dead in the creek in the area of the Billy Wolff Trail south of N Street.

Four new road construction projects by Lincoln Transportation and Utilities are set to begin this week. Portions of several Lincoln streets will be temporarily closed.

Under a new law that took effect July 17, expenses such as tuition, books, and fees for non-degree programs can now be covered through Nebraska Education Savings Trust (NEST) accounts.

The Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival will bring global music and voices to venues across Lincoln and Omaha beginning Sunday.

After spending the last eight years in the private sector, Joseph Young stepped in as the new president and CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry last week.

Sower Books is celebrating Christmas in July by collecting donations for The Stocking Project, a local initiative gifting books, art supplies, necessities and more to 100 young adults without family ties. 

Sam's Club in southeast Lincoln will close its gas station for an expansion project that will add four new pumps.

Six Lincoln chains offer monthly memberships, allowing customers to pay a fee for unlimited washes. Here's how they break down.

New turning lanes at 70th Street and Nebraska Parkway are among the bew projects.

Officers deployed a Taser on a 45-year-old man who allegedly ran from police early Monday after he was stopped for walking in the middle of the street.

As families get ready for a new school year, some say classroom technology has changed what back-to-school shopping looks like.

The burst pipe prompted several businesses to close indefinitely Monday, including Starbucks, 7 Brew, Edgewood Cinema and Papa John's.

Justin Koder will face at least 20 years in prison and up to life imprisonment at his sentencing Aug. 20. 

A Lincoln group says it submitted enough signatures to put three charter amendments before voters in November. Here's what the proposals would do.

Proposals to appropriate $82,500 to support a program that helps low-income families prepare their taxes and $152,000 to open Meadowlane Pool both failed by one vote.

A husband and wife from Wahoo died after a fatal two-vehicle accident near Prague on Sunday afternoon.

The Fazoli's at North 46th and Vine streets closed Monday.

Four people from Kearney, York and Hastings on Monday were charged in connection with a FedEx parcel with 16½ pounds of methamphetamine being delivered to a Lincoln home on Friday. 

NU's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR, will use the grant funding to connect talent at Nebraska's public and private colleges with students and teachers across the state.

A section of O Street is closed after a crash near 35th and O streets Tuesday.

More than a month later, Jen Schmidt remains in recovery from multiple broken bones as her case becomes the first in Lincoln to result in a citation under Nebraska’s revised vulnerable road user law.

Jon Watts will provide leadership for UNL's Office of Business and Finance, which includes units related to Finance, Budget, Human Resources, University Operations and the University Police Department.

Lincoln Airport, which is undertaking an estimated $104 million project to reconstruct its runway is selling limited quantities of concrete from the old runway on custom plaques.

"We're here today because of your actions," Lancaster County District Judge Ryan Post told Jones at his sentencing Tuesday.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong said while Dominique Christ hadn't participated in creating the images, he had downloaded and sent them to others, "basically trafficking in them."

A 20-year-old Firth man was cited for driving under the influence after a rollover crash in central Lincoln that sent one person to the hospital Tuesday, police say.

The proposed improvement project for A Street from 40th to 56th streets is expected to cost $9.79 million.

A 70-year-old Waverly woman lost $39,000 to a scammer she thought was the lead singer of the country band Alabama.

So far, deputies have responded to 14 damaged mailboxes between Saturday and Tuesday.

A budget meeting Tuesday followed about five weeks of budget request hearings for each of the approximately 38 governmental departments fully or partially under the county.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office hosted a training using a series of simulated active shooter scenarios to help deputies and medics practice response tactics and coordinated emergency protocols.

After arriving at a Marquette residence, investigators heard gunshots fired inside the house.

During his arraignment, Lancaster County Court Judge Ryan Decker set Cody Marshalek’s percentage bond at $750,000.

Ahmad Al Kadah will face up to three years of imprisonment at his sentencing in September on the felony motor vehicle homicide charge.

A Lancaster County judge heard arguments over whether Nebraska's constitutional carry law overrides Lincoln's firearms ban in city parks.

Lincoln Lutheran's Warrior Wellness Center is open to students for the first full academic year, and school leaders believe the space will boost students' physical and mental well-being.

All nine of the city of Lincoln's pools have teams in the 14-team municipal swim league. The Irvingdale Frogs finally got their long-awaited title.

The judge said the jury "likely surmised that part of Evans’ plan to avoid prosecution was to frame Jones for the crimes. The evidence against Evans was substantial."

Wing lovers and judges crowned Lincoln's top chicken wings at the ninth annual WingFest, with hundreds attending the fundraiser benefiting classroom and learning space improvements across Lincoln and Lancaster County.

Can you learn a play in one day? Lincoln Lutheran students are giving it a shot with an overnight theater challenge before a free Saturday performance.

The last of three Nebraska inmates charged for a planned attack on correctional officers with improvised weapons inside a state prison in Lincoln entered a plea Friday. 

About 200 Hallam residents and concerned neighbors alike packed the village's auditorium for a town hall on carbon black company Monolith's proposed modular data center and Olive Creek expansion.

A Seward man is facing a first-degree assault charge in connection to an assault that left a Lincoln man with bleeding on his brain and in a medically induced coma. 

A rare parasite is driving Nebraska's biggest cyclosporiasis outbreak in years. Here's what health officials know — and what they don't.

Lincoln has experienced a rollercoaster of temperatures over the past week, which meteorologists say isn't uncommon for this time of year. Another heat wave is expected for the weekend.

The mountain bike trail at Van Dorn Park will be temporarily closed for an improvement project from Monday, July 27, to Friday, Aug. 7.

The Journal Star earned 12 national Top 10 honors in the 2025 APSE awards, joining just two other news organizations in achieving a prestigious "Grand Slam."

A 27-year-old Lincoln woman has been arrested for allegedly intentionally starting a fire in a south Lincoln apartment, police say.

A 22-year-old is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after his motorcycle crashed into a house Saturday night, police say.

Nebraska weather forecaster Kent Boughton, who spent time at multiple stations across the state, died Sunday after a battle with cancer.

The Lincoln Board of Education will discuss contracting with Gallagher to find alternative, cheaper health insurance plans for the some of the district's employees.

As cyclosporiasis hits Nebraska, some restaurants have pulled leafy greens off the menu.

The city announced Monday it's hosting four "fire hydrant parties" in August after the end of city pool season.

The Lincoln Board of Education is asking for progress on four priorities throughout the year related to district achievement, technology, early childhood and community engagement.

Two Lincoln men, one a local real estate agent, are facing felony charges for their alleged roles in a plot to make and sell steroids and deliver them by mail in a case that led to multiple searches late last week.

As participation in athletics and activities grows across Lincoln Public Schools, some of the increase is owed to a steady climb in the number of girls who wrestle.

"It doesn't hurt the state's case. It only undermines and prejudices our defense of the case if we're not allowed to do that," her attorney argued.

A two-vehicle accident at the intersection of North 27th Street and Cornhusker Hwy resulted in one party sustaining serious injuries. The investigation is ongoing. 

Two others taken to the hospital after Tuesday night crash.

One lucky Nebraskan purchased a Nebraska Pick 5 ticket worth $230,000 on Tuesday at a Pump & Pantry gas station in Ogallala. 

Michael Merten's appointment, which is effective Aug. 4, follows the departure of College of Education and Health Sciences dean Jeff Reese, who retired from higher education earlier this year.

Southeast Nebraska Development District is buying three properties from Lincoln Public Schools and moving them to a rural Nebraska community in need of more homes.

The project from architecture firm Clark & Enersen and a developer called Apples' Way LLC has several opponents, including five neighbors who showed up to a Planning Commission meeting.

The Capital Humane Society Pieloch Pet Adoption Center was closed on Monday and Tuesday due to HVAC system issues and the temporarily relocation of 75 animals. 

A 21-year-old Beatrice man ended up arrested for DUI in Lincoln after hitting an ambulance head-on early Wednesday after he was found passed out in his pickup. 

Facing rising meat costs and a brutal slump, Smoking Gun Jerky put out an urgent cry for help. Lincoln responded by nearly clearing out the store.

Police say four Omaha teens went on a crime spree Tuesday night, taking off with $14,000 in iPads and $3,200 in Nike clothes from Lincoln stores. 

"There is just no question in my mind that Mr. Gomez went about seeking an underage female for sexual pleasure and thought he had found one," the judge said.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jason Cooper alleged that as the woman got of out of Matthew Miller's pickup he told her: "Thanks for riding in the rape mobile."

Some Lincoln Board of Education members are wary of a potential agreement with a consultant to explore cheaper health insurance plans for some of the school district's employees.

Police have apprehended a fourth teenager from Omaha after a Tuesday night crime spree in Lincoln.

Voters on the list should receive the green, postcard-size form within the next few days, Commissioner Todd Wiltgen said in a news release Thursday.

Crete Police Chief Gary Young, a 41-year department veteran, died Monday. Gov. Jim Pillen ordered flags lowered on the day of Young's interment to honor his decades of public service. 

Ars Nova, Lincoln Southeast High School's advanced vocal choir, will take the stage Aug. 13 with rock band Foreigner to sing one of the group's most iconic hits.

Over 100 customers waited for Cheba Hut "Toasted" Subs' grand opening Thursday morning — right next to a giant inflatable cup of Kool-Aid at 200 S. 21st St.

A 26-year-old Columbus man has been sentenced to 75 years to life imprisonment for fatally shooting his girlfriend last September.

The UNL Athletic Department has once again proven money over loyalty. We were loyal volleyball program and season ticket holders (two) since 2011 who were notified that we lost out on the 2026 reseating lottery. Most of those years, we also attended the postseason regional tournaments in Lincoln.

Lincoln's Kris Rutford, 66, is set to take on a 28.5-mile swim around the Manhattan Island in New York for the 29th time on Thursday, Aug. 6. 

A 22-year-old Sterling man was allegedly driving under the influence and fleeing from troopers before crashing into a historic Haymarket building Friday morning, according to the crash report.

Known as Atomically Engineered Materials, or AtEM, the new UNL center will feature two interdisciplinary research groups, as well as educational outreach and workforce development programs.

Nathan Matthews, a Lincoln native, died on July 24 from injuries suffered in late June while battling the Knowles wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border,

Cornhusker Liquor announced its plans to shut down Friday.

Nebraska schools put students with challenging behaviors in seclusion rooms. The practice — not regulated by state law — disproportionately impacts children with disabilities. Advocates see it as child abuse. 

The public is invited to join in honoring the life and service of Crete Police Chief Gary Young on Monday in Crete and Lincoln.

A new exhibition, "Like a Moth to the Flame," is coming to the Great Plains Art Museum, featuring Jennifer Angus' use of dead and dried insect specimens to create otherworldly environments.

Lincoln drivers should expect new road closures and lane restrictions starting Monday as utility, water main and pavement repair projects begin.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will confer about 600 degrees during its summer commencement ceremony Aug. 15 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

While LPS' 10-year plan will address playgrounds at all elementary schools, it also means some schools will wait the greater part of a decade to see upgrades they've been seeking.

Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen said Monday his office received and verified enough signatures from district residents to get Seck on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The new gravel lot, which includes two handicap stalls, is not intended for employees.

Nonprofits and organizations across Lincoln are hosting back-to-school item drives. Find out how you can support their efforts and where to drop off donations before students return to the classroom.

Shaquala Robertson will face up to a year of incarceration at her sentencing on the misdemeanor charge in September.

Nominations are open through Aug. 31 for the fifth annual Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska competition, intended to celebrate National Manufacturing Month.

From childcare to mental health to infrastructure, Lincoln residents urged city leaders to keep funding key programs during Monday's budget hearing.

"Sometimes law enforcement and the prosecution get it wrong," said Lancaster County Public Defender Kristi Egger, whose office represented the 53-year-old Lincoln man.

A phone bomb threat prompted a full search of Bryan East Campus on Tuesday evening. Officials say no credible threat was found.

The alleged incident occurred on Saturday around 11 p.m. at a hotel near North 48 and Superior streets.

Union Adventist University is planning to build an outdoor recreational facility with soccer fields, baseball fields and pickleball courts where College View Academy currently stands at 5240 Calvert St.

An 18-year-old Lincoln man has been charged after allegedly trapping a 17-year-old girl in his car before fleeing from deputies in rural Lancaster County on Monday, according to court records.

"Every community in the State of Nebraska suffers from the opioid crisis of addiction and death," Assistant Attorney General Derek Bral wrote in the complaint.

Lincoln has joined nearly 40 other cities in a global pact aimed at guiding how urban data centers are built and operated.

In a news release Tuesday, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said his office has revoked Dr. Steven F. Shannon’s physician license for at least two years.

"These corrections officers are lucky to be alive," the prosecutor said.

Hexagon Agility has agreed to an up to $125 million deal that will help supply data centers across the country with natural gas.

An Ashland daycare owner has been charged with seven counts of child abuse for allegedly mistreating and aggressively punishing children under her care, court records show.

Nebraska’s reported cases of cyclosporiasis are rising amid a multistate outbreak, with the CDC tracking thousands of infections caused by a parasite that can lead to prolonged diarrhea.

As for the intersections in the state with the highest number of crashes? Lincoln topped the list with 14th and Superior streets, which had 37 total crashes in 2025. 

No matter the conditions, the automated feed truck developed by Agriculture Leveraging Automation Engineering can deliver the right amount of feed to thousands of cattle at the right time.

A federal judge handed a Las Vegas man over 11 years for a devastating "metaverse" scam that drained the 401(k)s of thousands of older investors, including many in Nebraska.

Through his 46 years of coaching pole vault, Randy Johnson had an impact on hundreds of students and their families in the York area.

Hallam Village Board chairman Gary Vocasek will be the chief decision maker in the village's ongoing fight on approving a special-use permit for a proposed data center by Monolith.

South 27th Street from Franklin Street to Arlington Avenue is closed indefinitely due to the repairs, LTU announced in a news release.

A 62-year-old Cook man died in a crash east of Syracuse on Sunday, the Otoe County Sheriff's Office said.