Once Again

Mexican immigrants first arrived in Nebraska to harvest sugar beets in the early 1900s. For over a hundred years, the demand for their labor and policies to turn them away have shaped parts of Nebraska's economy. In this episode of Once Again, we visit Scottsbuff to talk with those familiar with history and people who worked in the sugar beet fields. We'd love to hear your feedback on the podcast!...

In 1962, homes and businesses in Nebraska received electricity generated by nuclear energy for the very first time. The Hallam nuclear power plant, known as Sheldon Station, was a demonstration project of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in partnership with Consumers Public Power. It was one of the first nuclear plants in America. Its unique design made it the first and only sodium-graphite react...

In the 1990s, a Methodist Church in Omaha began blending talk of religion with talk about sexual orientation – a conversation far out of the norm. Next came a controversial wedding. Normally a happy occasion, it quickly turned ugly, and the pastor who performed the wedding ended up on trial, cracking the foundation of the Methodist Church. The fight within the church spanned months with Reverend J...

Since the tracks were built, trains have moved goods across America around the clock – traveling through big cities and small towns alike. But the history of passenger rail in the United States is not so cut and dry. People have long shown interest in hopping aboard a train, and in the early 1900s, it was the only way to get from one coast to the other. Through the middle of the century, a trip by...

More than a century ago, one of the most popular horse racing tracks in America called Nebraska home. Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha drew race fans from across the Midwest, flourishing in the state’s largest city. That is until the 1990s when the track vanished. But how did Ak-Sar-Ben go from being the place to be to shuttering its gates for good? Nebraska Public Media’s Bill Kelly finds out, and explains ho...

In the 1920s, a Nebraska law made teaching German to children illegal. Soon after the law went into effect, Robert Meyer was arrested, charged and convicted. Rather than paying a fine, he fought. Meyer’s defiance rippled through the United States legal system for years to come. He challenged the ruling, taking it all the way to the United States Supreme Court. This decision sparked conversation ab...

“Once Again” is a new history podcast where the past meets the present. On Thursday, May 1, 2025, the first two episodes of “Once Again” will drop with new episodes releasing each Thursday. Senior Producer Bill Kelly is on a mission: digging through archives, dusting off documents and uncovering compelling stories that matter – once again. Devoted history hunters and those who are casually curious...