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 ever...

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.