Meet In CommonNews

Local news in and around Union, NE

EcoPortal.net · Nebraska City, NE

Nearby: Nebraska City, NE

A 4,000 foot stretch of Nebraska city road got paved with asphalt carrying two million shredded plastic bags, and crews are watching how it survives winter

The old road outside South Sioux City used to be just gravel and cracked blacktop. Then a paving crew showed up with a mix nobody in Nebraska had ever poured before. Buried inside the steaming asphalt were the shredded remains of two million plastic bags. Nobody was pretending it was a finished product. It was a test, laid on a real road that real trucks actually use. So what does four thousand feet of melted grocery bags do to a road once winter arrives? Melted plastic film coats the rock instead of filling gaps The trick is not dumping plastic into asphalt like filler. Engineers used shredded low density polyethylene film, the kind used in grocery and trash bags, melted into the hot mix so that it coats the stone rather than sitting loose in the voids between it, alongside the sticky bitumen binder that holds a road together. Why that coating might help is still the part under study.

Falls City Journal · Sidney, IA

Nearby: Sidney, IA

SH Jr. High FB goes undefeated in 2026

The Sacred Heart Irish Junior High football squad finished the 2026 campaign with a perfect 6-0 record. The Irish defeated JCC 36-16, St. Joseph Academy 52-20, Lourdes Central 28-6, Southern 48-22, Johnson-Brock 38-16 and Sidney, Iowa 42-12. The 8th graders on the squad wrapped up their middle school career with a 12-0 mark. Overall, the Irish junior high team has won 15 consecutive contests for Coach Luke Santo.

Springfield Daily Citizen · Hamburg, IA

Nearby: Hamburg, IA

Springfield Army veteran Brandon Schatz dies in plane crash

To read this story, please sign in with your email address and password. You’ve reached your limit of free stories this month. Love our reporting? Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to stories, listening on-the-go, personalized feeds, insider exclusive perks, and easy delivery to all devices. Skip the blur: Unlock a full year of access for just $40, or join our monthly plan for $4! *Offer available for new subscribers. Other conditions apply.* Sign in CLAIM 60% OFF NOW Don’t have an account yet? Register here. A Springfield native and U.S. Army veteran died in a plane crash on Nov. 2. Friends and family members are raising funds for his funeral arrangements. Brandon Schatz, 44, was a businessman who served in the National Guard, according to longtime friend Jeremy Bedard. He was born and raised in Springfield and moved to Kansas City as an adult. A funeral for Schatz with military honors will take place Friday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. at the Springfield National Cemetery (1702 E.

KMBC · Hamburg, IA

Nearby: Hamburg, IA

2 KCK men identified as victims in Iowa plane crash

Two Kansas City, Kansas, men were killed in a plane crash last week near Hamburg, Iowa. Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff's Office in Iowa responded to the area of 2700 block of Bluff Road on the evening of Nov. 2 for reports of a single-engine plane crash. When they arrived, they discovered two individuals at the crash site. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims have been identified by the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner as Brandon K. Schatz, 44, and Kyle J. Ginavan, 45, both of Kansas City, Kansas. The circumstances of the crash are still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and local authorities. The NTSB described the plane as a Piper PA-28-180, which is a four-seat, low-wing aircraft. Deputies say no further information about the cause is available at this time. "The Fremont County Sheriff's Office extends its condolences to the families and loved ones of those involved," the sheriff's office said.

KMTV 3 News Now Omaha · Hamburg, IA

Nearby: Hamburg, IA

2 Kansas men killed in Iowa plane crash, sheriff's office says

HAMBURG, Iowa — The two men killed when a small airplane crashed near Hamburg, Iowa, have been identified, per a news release from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The Piper PA-28-180 crashed at 7:33 p.m. CST on Nov. 2, according to preliminary information provided by the NTSB. First responders arrived minutes later and found two victims. The two men, identified as Brandon K. Schatz, 44, and Kyle J. Ginavan, 45, both of Kansas City, Kansas, were pronounced dead at the scene. No information has been released about what may have caused the crash. As part of its investigation, the NTSB will examine three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. Investigators will gather flight tracking data, air traffic control communications and aircraft maintenance records. They will also review weather forecasts, actual weather and lighting conditions around the time of the crash, as well as the pilot's license, ratings and recent flight experience.

KCTV · Hamburg, IA

Nearby: Hamburg, IA

2 KCK men killed in plane crash in southwest Iowa

HAMBURG, Iowa (KCTV) - Two Kansas City, Kansas, men were killed when a single-engine aircraft crashed in southwest Iowa. Deputies responded to a report of the crash in the 2700 block of Bluff Road near Hamburg, Iowa, just before 7:40 p.m. Nov. 2. First responders found two people at the scene, both deceased. Hamburg is a 2-hour drive north-northwest of Kansas City in the southwestern corner of Iowa. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office identified them as Brandon K. Schatz, 44, and Kyle J. Ginavan, 45, of Kansas City, Kansas. Brandon Schatz’s family, an Army veteran and Springfield, Missouri, native who lived in Kansas City, is seeking support. A GoFundMe is helping Brandon’s brother, Benjamin, arrange military funeral honors recognizing Brandon’s Army service. Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board responded to the scene. The NTSB is investigating circumstances of the crash in coordination with local authorities.

KETV · Hamburg, IA

Nearby: Hamburg, IA

Kansas City men identified in deadly plane crash near Hamburg, Iowa

Two Kansas City men in their 40s were killed in a plane crash near Hamburg, Iowa, last Monday. The cause is still under investigation. Two Kansas City men in their 40s were killed in a plane crash near Hamburg, Iowa, last Monday. The cause is still under investigation. Two Kansas City men in their 40s were killed in a plane crash near Hamburg, Iowa, last Monday evening, according to the Fremont County Sheriff's Office. First responders at the scene said the men were already dead by the time they arrived. The Fremont County Sheriff's Office identified the men as Brandon Schatz, 44, and Kyle Ginavan, 45. The sheriff's office extended its condolences to the families and loved ones of those involved. The sheriff's office said the NTSB is still investigating the cause of the crash. Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.

WOWT · Hamburg, IA

Nearby: Hamburg, IA

Authorities identify 2 killed in plane crash near Hamburg

HAMBURG, Iowa (WOWT) - Two people killed in a small plane crash in Fremont County on Nov. 2 have been identified. A release states that the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner identified the victims as Brandon K. Schatz, 44, and Kyle J. Ginavan, 45, both of Kansas City, Kansas. Initial notes from the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday, Nov. 3, confirm a pilot and one passenger were killed when a Piper PA-28 aircraft crashed into a ditch under unknown circumstances. According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, emergency crews were called around 7:30 p.m. to an area along Bluff Road north of Hamburg. The sheriff’s office said first responders found both victims at the crash site. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed on social media that it is leading the investigation into the crash of the aircraft, which is registered as N9342J. Representatives from the FAA and NTSB also responded to the scene.

Falls City Journal · Peru, NE

Nearby: Peru, NE

Peru State College to host Homeschool Discovery Day

Peru State College invites homeschool students and their families to explore the possibilities of higher education during Homeschool Discovery Day on Monday, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is designed to help homeschool families learn more about preparing for college while experiencing firsthand the academic opportunities, campus life, and welcoming environment Peru State has to offer. Throughout the day, students and families will have opportunities to: • Learn about the college admissions process • Explore financial aid options and ways to pay for college • Tour Peru State’s scenic Campus of a Thousand Oaks • Discover student life, campus activities and available resources • Hear from current students and campus leaders • Get answers to their questions about the college experience Susan Hogg, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Peru State College, emphasized the importance of campus visits, particularly for students who have been homeschooled.

Kearney Hub · Omaha, NE

Nearby: Omaha, NE

Jim McKee: Eugene Eppley, hotelier

Although Eugene Eppley’s interests centered around airplanes and the hotel business, underlying everything was a deep interest in philanthropy. Today his name is prominent on libraries, civic buildings, hospitals and programs but is most frequently remembered in Omaha’s Eppley Airfield.

The Rogersville Review · Omaha, NE

Nearby: Omaha, NE

Tenaska introduces Bess and Bobwhite at meeting

Tenaska, an energy company, gave a presentation hosted by Care NET in the Holston Electric Co-Operative (HEC) Auditorium on Monday, Nov. 9. The subject of the meeting was a new facility Tenaska is building in the Phipps Bend Industrial Park. The Bobwhite facility will be a battery energy storage system, known as BESS.Located in the southern end of the industrial park, the new construction will occupy about four acres of a six-acre plot. There will be about 75 jobs created during the two-year construction period. Bobwhite has been in the planning stages for about three years, and will begin construction in early 2028. Plans call for completion by the third quarter of 2029, with an investment by Tenaska of about $300 million.BESS provides a way to store electricity during times of low demand and provide it to the grid within seconds of high demand. At Phipps Bend, the battery collection will store about 225 MW of electricity.

WOWT · Omaha, NE

Nearby: Omaha, NE

LOVB Nebraska releases 2026-27 schedule with matches in Omaha, Grand Island and Lincoln

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - League One Volleyball’s LOVB Nebraska has released its 22-match regular-season schedule for next season. The schedule, sent Friday morning, includes 11 home matches across Omaha, Grand Island and Lincoln as LOVB Pro expands to 10 teams and introduces conference play. According to a team news release, Nebraska will open its season against two-time defending champion LOVB Austin on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. After a road match against LOVB Madison, Nebraska will host the expansion San Francisco Signal in its home opener on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at Baxter Arena. The season will be Nebraska’s first under head coach Giannis Athanasopoulos. The team will play eight home matches at Baxter Arena, two at BigIron Events Center in Grand Island and one at Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Nebraska will host Miami at the Devaney Center on March 27.

Burt County Independent · Omaha, NE

Nearby: Omaha, NE

Ardith Maxwell obit

Ardith Allene “Ardie” Maxwell was born Dec. 8, 1935, in rural Craig, to Oscar “O.W.” and Gladys (Shaw) Begley. She passed away on Oct. 26, 2026, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, at the age of 90 years, 10 months, and 18 days. She attended Craig High School and graduated in 1953. Following High School, Ardie worked in Omaha for a brief time until she got married. She then helped on the farm, was a housewife, mom, chauffeur, cook, and bookkeeper. She worked for Bill Cameron, then JC Penney in Tekamah and Tekamah-Herman Schools after the kids were older and out of school. Ardie was united in marriage to Vaden Leroy Maxwell on Jan. 16, 1955. To this union were born three children. Donald Eugene, Raymond Louis, and Rita Lynn. Her love was her family and spending time with them, including having all the grandchildren for summertime visits. She spent her time helping with the farming and raising livestock. She loved spring during calving season and watching the new babies running around.