For me, growing up in Omaha didn't ever mean very much. I have always been well aware of the history of my people and the great things that have happened in my city and in and around my state. Even so, I didn't live in New York or LA or Chicago. I've always heard things about how cool living on the east coast is or that California is a dream land. I have since learned that California is for the most part a ...

Throughout life we meet different people who make a deep impact on who we are and where we go.  I have a person like that, his name was Mike.  When I lived in Maine we met through a mutual friend.  It did not take long until we ended up becoming as close as brothers.  Mike was the brother I never got to have, and my parents represented the stable parental unit he did not get to have.  Mike was the type of p ...

Omaha has been known for many things.  The railroad has had a giant presence here for well over 100 years.  With the railroad came the stock yards, putting Omaha on the map for a uniquely Nebraska export.  What we havn’t had in Omaha, is the culinary recognition that a lot of larger cities have been enjoying for years.  That’s not to say that good food doesn’t exist here.  Benson’s own Lot 2 Restaurant and ...

I went over to Krug Park last week after seeing their Facebook post about a good small batch bourbon they had gotten in.  Being a boilermaker fan (the beer & bourbon combination, not the college team from Indiana!), I had to have a beer as well, and it made for a wonderful afternoon. Let me tell you about it. The Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon is not for amateurs.  It is a 10 year old, 107 proof shot that l ...

The owner of the Benson Brewery sent us this update to share with the neighborhood: "We were finally able to secure the long-term rights to 6057 Maple Street this afternoon. This will allow us to build the outdoor seating area sketched in the attached file and eventually expand into the building next door, tripling our seating capacity and freeing up space for a few home-brew systems for the home brewers to ...

Jake’s Cigars & Spirits has been a fixture in Benson since I moved back here. They are a combination package store – cigar shop & tobacconist – local pub, and the combination works very well! The building has a distinct section for each of these functions. There are two bar areas inside, one for cigar and pipe smoking, one larger non-smoking, and a relatively new patio area outside. I haven’t been t ...

A number of cities hold “First Friday” art walks, in which various art galleries, businesses, streets, or artists' studios open up to the public. The idea is that among open galleries, an “anything-goes” mentality enriches the art community by pooling openings together into one monthly event and forming an arena for artists, art collectors, socialites, art appreciators, and the general public to convene. Th ...

April 8, April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6 & May 13 Enjoy a delicious brunch while helping raise funds for the Benson Theatre at the Pizza Shoppe. Sunday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The goal is to aquire and restore  the historic Benson Theatre to serve as a cultural center and a working business model of the development of self-sustainable revenue streams through the presentation of educational workshops, selec ...

On Tuesday, December 20th the Omaha City Council unanimously approved $45,250.00 for OPPD to install new, brighter, energy-efficient LED streetlights along Maple in downtown Benson. The Benson Business Improvement District will repay the costs (with interest) to the City over the next 10 years. ...