The November 27th Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Grow Omaha! We hope you enjoy some time off with family and friends.

Very Important Pizza has signed a lease for the former Voodoo Taco space at 2502 Farnam Street downtown. According to Oak Investment Real Estate, the restaurant will sit along the future streetcar route and will feature a fully built-out layout with a large kitchen, full bar, open seating area and outdoor patio.

Revival House has opened its second Omaha bar ahead of schedule at 16939 Wright Street in the former Parliament Pub space at the Shoppes at Legacy. The Flagship Restaurant Group concept, which debuted in Blackstone earlier this year, is now open daily with all-day happy hour on Sundays.

Talus’ West Maple Road location is targeting an opening day after Christmas as interior work wraps up at 17205 Evans Street in Whispering Ridge. Owner Aron Mackevicius said in a Facebook Live that the restaurant is finishing its 25-to-30-seat bar, booths and seating. The Maple location will offer a slightly different menu than the Papillion restaurant while keeping several classics.

Shoeman’s Liquor & More opened for business this week inside the recently completed 37 West Farnam Building in the Blackstone District. The exact address is 3737 Farnam Street, Suite 112. The wine, beer and spirits store is locally owned by Chad Shoeman, who also has the Red Lion Lounge a block to the west.

Rally Cap Brewing Co., a Baton Rouge, La.-based sports bar, announced earlier this year that they would open a satellite location in Omaha in the under-construction Nova mixed-use building in Millwork Commons. According to a recently filed building permit application, the bar will take 2,840 sq. ft. of commercial space on the ground floor. The interior build-out will cost nearly $200,000. The owners previously announced a possible opening as early as the first quarter of 2026.

Tradishish, a Native American cuisine concept, plans to launch a food truck in spring 2026. The “tradition with a twist” eatery continues to operate out of its Bushwackers location at 7401 Main Street in Ralston, serving burgers, NDN tacos, fry bread and more since August 2025.

Toys R Us held a soft opening yesterday at Westroads Mall. The soft opening wasl be limited to only one of the store’s two levels. The full store will open tomorrow – Black Friday – but there will still be some inventory set-up not fully completed. A formal, grand opening is planned for next week. Toys R Us is opening in a 2-level, 30,796 sq. ft. space formerly occupied by Forever 21. Toys R Us went out of business in 2017. The Westroads store is one of the brand’s first “come-back” stores.

Kittie Krystals and More has opened on the lower level of Westroads Mall next to The Cookie Company and near JCPenney and DSW. The shop sells hair and fashion accessories along with men’s jewelry.

Shaheen’s Afghan Cuisine will close its Benson location at 6121 Maple Street on December 7. The family-owned restaurant, known for its made-from-scratch Afghan cuisine, has operated in Benson for one and a half years. Its first location at 1115 South 119th Street was open for four years. The restaurant’s buffet will be available daily until the final day of service.

Learn more about Anderson Convenience market at www.Anderson1952.com

Proposed Union Omaha Stadium Would Dramatically Change North Downtown

Union Omaha, in partnership with the City of Omaha, announced an agreement to develop a professional soccer stadium in North Downtown. If approved, groundbreaking could occur in 2026 with completion scheduled prior to the 2028 season.

The future stadium will house Union Omaha and a future women’s professional team and will anchor a 20-acre, mixed-use district with retail, dining, housing and green space northeast of 10th & Cuming Street.

Hines, a Houston-based real estate developer, would handle the adjacent private development, which would include up to 500 mixed-income residential units and commercial space.

The stadium and connected development will lie on a mostly unused site currently owned by Union Pacific directly east of Millwork Commons and north of Abbott Drive. Union Pacific uses part of the site to display specialty trains especially during the Men’s College World Series each June.

“This is huge for Omaha,” said Omaha Mayor John Ewing. “The stadium and surrounding district would offer another reason to live, work and play downtown, strengthening our urban core. It will be an engine for jobs, housing, entertainment and urban living. It demonstrates what’s possible when public and private partners share a vision for growth that benefits the entire community.”

The Omaha City Council must approve a land purchase agreement with Union Pacific Railroad and then a resolution permitting the city and Union Omaha to apply for turnback financing from the State of Nebraska. Subsequent approvals by the State of Nebraska and Omaha City Council will be required for financing.

The city would own the $114 million stadium. Union Omaha and an entity called, “Downtown Soccer Stadium, Inc.,” will lease the facility.

Several resolutions and ordinances will be reviewed by the City Council over the next few weeks related to this development. According to one ordinance, the city will purchase the land from Union Pacific for $18.7 million.

According to the related purchase agreement, Union Pacific will remove possibly hazardous materials that are located under the parking lot south of Charles Schwab Field, known as Lot B, if the city decides to develop it. As part of the CHI Health Center’s expansion and renovation project, the city and the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority leadership plan to add another convention hotel. Lot B is possible development site.

In a separate but related ordinance, Union Pacific will buy back the site of its previous headquarters building at 14th & Dodge Street from the city for $7.3 million. That property has remained vacant for nearly two decades despite different development proposals. The most recent plan was announced by Lanoha several years ago, which included a new skyscraper with office and hotel space. However, that plan fell through and the city re-acquired the site in December 2022 as part of land swap to develop the Central Library property for Mutual of Omaha’s new headquarters.

Years earlier, a Kanas City-based developer planned to build Wall Street Tower, a 32-story condo building. That plan failed during the 2008 financial crisis.

For its upcoming 2026 season, Union Omaha will play at Creighton University’s Morrison Stadium.

This section is sponsored by NAI NP Dodge, the commercial real estate division of NP Dodge, Omaha’s largest full-service real estate company. Founded in 1855, NP Dodge is the longest running real estate firm in America.

Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

Grow Omaha reported in October that the City of Omaha began demolishing vacant industrial buildings in Millwork Commons for a 600-stall parking garage on the northwest corner of 11th & Nicholas Street. This week, the city filed a building permit for the garage, revealing additional details. The parking garage will be a five-story structure, totaling more than 240,000 sq. ft., with ground-floor commercial space. Millwork Commons is a mixed-use district just north of Charles Schwab Field. There is a significant amount of other construction activity in the area, including a mixed-use apartment building by White Lotus called the Nova and an apartment building named The Frame.

The Harney Street bridge over Interstate 480 reopened yesterday after being closed for nearly a year. The bridge was demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the future streetcar line.

The Omaha City Council unanimously approved a $310,000 contract to demolish a long-vacant hotel southwest of 108th & L Street. The city had issued a demolition order earlier in the year but didn’t have the budget to pay for it. The city finance department determined that surplus keno revenues could pay for the demolition. The building has been an eyesore for many years and has attracted criminal activity.

Construction is underway in northwest Omaha on the 106-acre Marlin Petermann Recreation Area also known as Damsite WP1. The site is northwest of 180th & West Maple Road and west of Elkhorn North High School. The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District is responsible for the rec area, which will include a 20-acre lake, a 2-mile bike trail loop and both traditional and accessible canoe/launching facilities. The lake will be stocked with game fish.

Nodest Home Plants is moving to the Blackstone District. According to a Go Fund Me page, the owner reported significant reduction in sales at its original location at 25th & Harney Street because of streetcar construction. The new location will be on the ground floor of the 37 West building, a mixed-use building with ground-floor commercial space, a few floors of city-owned parking with a private apartment complex taking up the upper floors.

The Capitol District will have a new office user at 1100 Capitol Avenue. Wabtec Corporation, a Pennsylvania-based rail-and-freight equipment and technology company, will lease 8,500 sq. ft. on the second floor, according to a building permit filed for tenant build-out,

The Federal Public Defender’s office will relocate to the Redfield Building at 1901 Howard Street from the office towers formerly known as Central Park Plaza. NuStyle Development is currently transforming the iconic twin towers into an apartment complex. In addition to the renovation of the existing towers, an 11-story building with apartments built on top of several stories of parking will be located west of the towers on the former Parkfair Mall site. The Federal Public Defender’s office will be joining Modus Coworking and Luli Creative House, among others, in the Redfield Building.

The UNO athletic department plans to build a $55 million, 75,000 sq. ft. athletic training facility next to Baxter Arena, according to the Omaha World-Herald. The 2-story building would have practice gyms/courts for basketball and volleyball as well as a 1,300-seat competition gym. The building, which would be connected to Baxter Arena via skywalk, would also house offices for 15 of the Mavericks’ 16 sports. Hockey would remain at Baxter. Athletic Director Adrian Dowell will present the project to the NU Board of Regents on December 5th.

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Allegiant announced it will offer seasonal nonstop flights from Omaha’s Eppley Airfield to Gulf Shores, Ala. Allegiant will fly the route two times per week starting May 21, 2026. Allegiant already offers nonstop flights between Omaha and Destin, Fla.; Las Vegas; Orlando (Sanford); Mesa, Ariz.; Punta Gorda, Fla.; Sarasota, Fla.; and St. Petersburg, Fla. With the addition, Omaha will have seven airlines serving 35 nonstop destinations.

Union Pacific Corporation declared a quarterly dividend of $1.38 per share on the company’s common stock, payable Dec. 30, 2025, to shareholders of record Dec. 5, 2025. The Omaha-based company has paid dividends on its common stock for 126 consecutive years.

Werner Enterprises, Inc. has been named among the 2025 “Top Companies for Women to Work in Transportation” by the Women in Trucking Association’s Redefining the Road magazine. This marks the eighth consecutive year Werner has earned this distinction. The award recognizes companies with corporate cultures that foster inclusion, offer competitive compensation and provide flexible hours, professional development and career advancement opportunities. The final list was determined through an industry-wide vote that garnered more than 21,000 ballots.

Maracuba, a travel agency, has leased 1,800 sq. ft. of retail space at 8414 Q Street in the Ralston area, according to Gary Petersen of NAI NP Dodge, who represents the landlord.

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and Union Pacific Railroad reached an agreement that guarantees job security for union employees after Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern complete their planned merger. The IBB is the latest union to reach an agreement with the railroad that ensures employees who are employed at both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern at the time of the merger will have job security for life, subject to the usual requirements for continued employment.

A Nebraska husband-and-wife team has launched a melatonin-free sleep gummy. Brik Sleep Gummies, created by Scott Utech and Tessa Porter, a candy scientist and longtime pioneer in the gummy vitamin space, offer “peptide-powered sleep support without the grogginess often associated with melatonin-heavy supplements.” Their “Berry Bliss” flavor was developed in Omaha at Porter’s candy development lab, Sprinkk. The product is manufactured in Albion, Neb. The founders officially launched the brand in early September, just one week before their wedding.

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The University of Nebraska Omaha’s Maverick Food Pantry, which provides food and other basic items for students and staff from UNO, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the College of St. Mary, has seen a 55 percent increase in student visits from the first week of November 2024 to the first week of November 2025, according to pantry officials.

The Tangier Shriners are hosting their annual “Feztival of Trees” fundraiser at the Shiners Temple near 84th and Center Streets from November 22-29. At the event, local businesses, organizations and individuals transform beautifully decorated trees into breathtaking works of art. Guests can purchase raffle tickets and enter for a chance to win their favorite tree.

The City of Omaha’s Holiday Lights Festival Lighting Ceremony is taking place at 6 p.m. on November 29 at Gene Leahy Mall. The event is paired with the Shine the Light on Hunger campaign, with this year’s focus being on food insecurity and proceeds benefitting the Food Bank for the Heartland.

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What Happens Next in Residential Real Estate?

By Jill Anderson

Looking back at the beginning of 2025, hopes of a quick housing market turn-around danced in many of our heads. In reality, here’s what we have been experiencing:

• Affordability challenges have kept many buyers on the sidelines. Home prices near record highs and borrowing costs remain elevated, causing the number of sellers to outweigh the number of buyers.
• Sellers unwilling to give up their low mortgage rates. More than 70 percent of mortgaged U.S. homeowners have a rate below 5 percent, well below the current rate of 6.17 percent. While the share of mortgages above 6 percent is at a 10-year high, many homeowners are still rate-locked and unwilling to sell.
• Economic uncertainty has made buyers cautious. Concerns about job security, inflation and broader instability caused many would-be movers to delay major purchases, further slowing the pace of transactions.

But, after a prolonged slump, the existing-home market is showing signs of recovery. Why?

1. Mortgage rates have been decreasing for most of the year and are lower than they’ve been in the last couple years.
2. As the lock-in effect eases, more homeowners are selling, and inventory is rising back to normal levels.
3. Lower rates and more homes to choose from are leading to more buyers in the market.

More homeowners are deciding it’s worth moving even if it means giving up a lower mortgage rate. Life doesn’t stand still—people get new jobs, grow their families, downsize after retirement or simply want to live in a different neighborhood.

Those needs are starting to outweigh the financial benefit of clinging to a rock-bottom mortgage rate. (Chen Zhao)

As of mid-September, with 30-year rates at 6.26 percent, it required 30 percent of the median household income, to make the monthly principal and interest payment on the average-priced home, down from more than 32 percent early this summer and a peak of more than 35 percent in late 2023. (Intercontinental Exchange)

So, if you’re thinking it’s time to move, let’s connect now. Being armed with the right information is the best preparation you can have. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Grow Omaha Residential is developed and sponsored by Jill Anderson, President Residential Sales, NP Dodge Real Estate 402.255.5099 or jill.anderson@npdodge.com.

We’re not just real estate. We’re NP Dodge.

Cole Young, Contributing Writer

The Bluejays will learn their NCAA Tournament outlook on Sunday at 5 p.m. in a nationally televised selection show on ESPN. The team will gather at the Old Mattress Factory Bar & Grill near campus in downtown Omaha.

Ava Martin and Annalea Maeder were recognized as Big East Player of the Year and Setter of the Year, respectively, announced by the league last Friday ahead of the Big East Volleyball Championship. Martin was the 2025 Big East Preseason Player of the Year and secured the season award by leading the league in kills and points. This is the fourth consecutive season that a Bluejay has won the award. Maeder led the Big East in assists, setting up Creighton to hit a league-best .349 hitting percentage this season. She is the second consecutive Bluejay to be named Big East Setter of the Year.

Ava Martin was also named AVCA National Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Tuesday. She is the fourth player in program history to earn the recognition, joining Michelle Sicner, Keeley Davis and Kendra Wait.

Omaha Hockey was swept by No. 8 Western Michigan in a home series over the weekend, falling 7-2 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday at Baxter Arena. The Mavericks travel to New Haven, Conn, this weekend for a series against Yale. Puck drop is at 6 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. This weekend’s games will be the Mavericks’ first against unranked opponents.

Omaha Volleyball’s season ended on Sunday at the hands of St. Thomas, who swept the Mavericks in the quarterfinal of the Summit League Women’s Volleyball Championship. The Mavericks finished the season 10-16 overall and 7-9 in Summit League play. Three homegrown Mavericks earned All-Summit League honors, the league announced on Saturday. Kali Jurgensmeier (Wahoo) earned a spot on the All-Summit League First Team, while Emily Huss (Fairbury, Neb.) was named to the Second Team. Faith Venable (Lincoln) earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team.

Creighton men’s basketball forward Jackson McAndrew will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury, head coach Greg McDermott announced on Friday. McAndrew, a Third Team Preseason All-Big East selection, was positioned for a breakout season after setting a Creighton freshman record with 69 three-pointers made last season. McAndrew received surgery for the injury on Monday in New York.

In an eventful weekend for Creighton Volleyball, Ava Martin and Kiara Reinhardt capped off the excitement with their selection in the Major League Volleyball Draft on Monday. Ava Martin was selected No. 2 overall by the Atlanta Vibe following her outstanding season for the Bluejays. Kiara Reinhardt was selected with the last pick in the first round at No. 8 overall by the hometown Omaha Supernovas. The pair is Creighton’s third and fourth professional draft picks in the past two years. Last year, Norah Sis and Kendra Wait were selected third and 37th overall by the Orlando Valkyries and Omaha Supernovas, respectively, in the Pro Volleyball Federation (now Major League Volleyball) Draft. After today, Creighton is the first school in Big East history to have two selections in the first round of the same draft.

In addition to Kiara Reinhardt, the Omaha Supernovas rounded out their 2025 draft with three additional selections. In the second round, with the 15th overall pick, the Supernovas added Pittsburgh setter Brooke Mosher. Mosher has averaged 9.79 assists per set for the No. 4 ranked Panthers. Omaha selected another setter in the third round, No. 22 overall, this time taking Claire Ammeraal from Iowa. Ammeraal has done it all for the Hawkeyes this season, averaging 9.45 assists per set while adding 76 blocks and 164 kills. Rounding out their draft at No. 29, the Supernovas selected Nebraska Volleyball’s Allie Sczech, who is averaging 1.65 kills per set on a .394 hitting percentage for the nation’s top ranked program.

Creighton men’s basketball is 0-2 in the Players Era Men’s Championship following matchups against some of the Big 12’s best in Baylor and No. 15 Iowa State. The Bluejays will play in a consolation game against Dana Altman and Oregon today, November 27, at 1 p.m. on TruTV. Creighton won its last meeting with Oregon in the Second Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, 86-73 in double overtime.

Creighton women’s basketball is playing in a Thanksgiving tournament this week at UNLV. Wednesday, the Bluejays fell to UNLV, 76-67. They will be back in action on Friday against Northern Arizona at 2 p.m. That game will be broadcast locally on 1290 AM and streamed live on YouTube.

Upcoming Games

• Creighton men’s basketball vs. Oregon | Thursday, Nov. 27 | 1 p.m.
• Creighton women’s basketball vs. Northern Arizona | Friday, Nov. 28 | 2 p.m.
• Omaha Hockey at Yale | Friday, Nov. 28 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha Hockey at Yale | Saturday, Nov. 28 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha men’s basketball vs. Mid-America Christian | Saturday, Nov. 29 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha Lancers at Lincoln Stars | Saturday, Nov. 29 | 7:05 p.m.
• Creighton men’s basketball vs. Nicholls | Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 8 p.m.
• Omaha men’s basketball vs. Northern Colorado | Wednesday, Dec. 3 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha women’s basketball at Idaho State | Wednesday, Dec. 3 | 8 p.m.

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Old Market Passageway Evolves After 50 Years

By Patrick Wyman

One of Omaha’s most unique spaces is located in what was once an alleyway in the Old Market, flanked by the E. Meyer Building on the east and the Poppleton Block on the west.

Constructed in 1912 for Ernest Meyer, a wholesale fruit dealer, the E. Meyer Building at 1016 Howard Street served as both his office and storage facility. He rented space on the second floor to other wholesalers and brokerage firms. Andrew Poppleton, an attorney for the Union Pacific Railway, built the second Poppleton Block in 1886 as investment property. Oriented toward 11th Street, this building too was mostly utilized as office and storage space by wholesale produce and fruit dealers. The corner storefront intersecting Howard Street often served as a restaurant or saloon.

Between the two buildings was the alley where produce was stored at cooler temperatures in lower-level cellars. The idea to convert the alley into a distinctive space that would complement the produce market-turned-entertainment district was the brainchild of Nicholas Bonham-Carter, nephew of Sam Mercer—the “grandfather” of the Old Market—and relative of actress Helena Bonham Carter.

To realize this vision, the alley was excavated to create storefronts in both buildings facing a central walkway. Salvaged bricks from the old road to Fort Calhoun were used to pave the below-grade ground floor. A fiberglass roof allowed for natural light during the day. Arches were created from old windows on the upper floors, opening toward the exposed ground level. Wrought-iron gates, flowers, and hanging plants completed the transformation.

Early plans for the Old Market Passageway called for not only a restaurant and bar but also a grocery store, clothing stores, and furniture stores. When the Passageway opened in 1977, two of its first tenants—V. Mertz and Trini’s Mexican Restaurant—began operations and remain open today. One, Souq Limited Boutique, pre-dated the Passageway and remains on the main level of the E. Meyer Building. The Poppleton Block is occupied by Omaha Prime, Old Market Gallery and Godega among others. Other early tenants included Remains to be Seen Antiques, Homer’s Music, Old Market Puppet Theater and the offices of the historic preservation group Landmarks, Inc.

The Passageway continued to evolve with the addition of key features, including the Fountain of the Erinyes in 1982. Located on the ground level, the fountain contains bronze sculptures of the three Erinyes, the goddesses of vengeance in Greek and Roman mythology. The Garden of the Zodiac Sculpture Garden opened in 1987 in a previously unused space behind the Indian Oven. The private garden features a cloister with a brick walkway; 22 bronze statues representing the planets, the Sun and the Moon; as well as the constellations. Surrounding the central sculptures are a variety of plants, flowers, vines and herbs, along with a small pond representing Earth. Both the fountain and the garden were created by Swiss artist Eva Aeppli, the wife of Sam Mercer.

Nearly 50 years later, the Old Market Passageway continues to thrive. In that time, it has become one of the most distinctive aspects of the Old Market and one of the most photographed spots in Omaha.

• Holiday Lights Lighting Ceremony at the Gene Leahy Mall at the RiverFront, on November 28th.
• Winter Wonderland in downtown Papillion on November 29th.
• Holiday Lights Festival: Old Market on November 29th through January 1st, 2026.
• Lights of Aksarben on November 28th in Aksarben Village.
• Holiday Lights Festival: South Omaha Lighting Display at Plaza de la Raza (24th & N Street) on November 29th.

Omaha Community Playhouse will celebrate its 50th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol on the Hawks Mainstage starting November 21st through December 21st. Performances are on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. In addition, there will be a special event on Hawks Mainstage on December 2nd, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. for a deep-dive experience into the creative and production process of A Christmas Carol called “Spirit of Carol”.

Farnam Winter Pop-Up Opening Weekend begins November 29th and 30th on the corner of 33rd & Farnham Street, presented by Midtown Crossing. The event goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Discover 15 locally owned shops with various handmade goods, artisan foods, boutique finds, curated gifts and more. Visit their website for more information.

The Omaha Symphony performs the final installment of the official Harry Potter film concert series with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 on November 29th and 30th. Maestro Ernest Richardson will conduct the Omaha Symphony in performing Alexdere Desplat’s Grammy-nominated score live while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. Tickets are on sale now at omahasymphony.com for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in Concert.

The Orpheum Theatre will feature Jim Brickman performing his show, “The Gift of Christmas” on November 30th, starting 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Jim Brickman is a Grammy-nominated pianist, songwriter and radio host known for his emotional performances and signature piano style. He is currently touring the country and will be performing in Omaha Sunday night. His heartwarming holiday concert will bring piano ballads and festive classics to the Orpheum state for a night of joy, nostalgia and cheer. Tickets are selling fast. Visit their website to learn more.

The Omaha Performing Arts will feature Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas Extravaganza on Dec 5th, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. With a bold performance blending holiday classics with rock anthems and cinematic flair, Blue Violin’s Candlelight Christmas will be lighting up the stage. Expect fiery strings, glowing candlelight and surprise guests.

Durham Museum will be hosting the Holiday Cultural Festival on December 5th, from 4pm to 9pm. It will showcase 30 local cultural organizations and how they celebrate the joyful time of the year. These organizations will have crafts and traditional dress, while musicians and dancers perform throughout the evening. Santa himself will also be there, so bring your Christmas wishlists. Free admission for members, and varying pricing for non-members.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Decisive Leadership – An effective leader must be able to make decisions and stick with them. Leaders should weigh pros and cons of potential actions and choose the option that creates the most significant net gain. Learning to be decisive and acting decisively are critically important to success. That doesn’t mean you fail to include others or fail to seek consensus, but it does mean you avoid vacillating too long between potential options.

For the first time, scientists have identified four ages at which the average human brain rewires: ages 9, 32, 66, and 83. The resulting transitions provide five distinct stages of human brain development, according 1440 Daily Digest. Researchers studied roughly 3,800 people, from babies to individuals age 90, using MRI diffusion scans to examine how water molecules move through the brain.

Companies need to be aware of how they are portrayed in the fast-changing online world. Peec AI, a German startup that helps companies track how they appear in AI searches, raised $21 million. The fast-growing startup says it’s been adding about 300 customers per month and will use the funding to speed up that growth, according to The Hustle.

Paycheck to Paycheck – Sixty-four percent of American workers report living paycheck to paycheck, up from the 46 percent who said the same in a 2023, according to a recent survey by payroll processing firm ADP highlighted in Newsweek. A separate study from Bank of America, released last week, estimated that the share of lower-income households living paycheck to paycheck—defined as their necessity spending exceeding 95 percent of household income—had inched up to 29 percent from 28.6 percent in 2024 and 27 percent in 2023.

SALES

It’s not enough to make your sales goals for 2026. You also need a plan for accomplishing those goals. I call it your “personal prospecting plan,” and here are some elements you could include in your plan:

1. Target market
2. Ideal client profile
3. Activity metrics (i.e. # of calls per week)
4. Lead sources
5. Prospecting schedule (i.e. time blocking)
6. Personal marketing & promotion (i.e. newsletters, market reports & social media)
7. Networking & involvement plan
8. Social proof efforts (testimonial & referral plans)
9. Pipeline management and activity tracking plan
10. Success metrics & review schedule

Abundance vs. Scarcity – When you focus on what you do have—your skills, relationships, opportunities, resources—you shift from scarcity thinking to abundance thinking, according to sales author Jeb Blount. Scarcity thinking says: “I don’t have enough leads. I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough support. I’m going to miss my number.”

Abundance thinking is a mindset of opportunity and potential. It says: “Look at the skills I’ve developed. Look at the customers who trust me. Look at the opportunities in my pipeline. Look at what’s possible.”

WISDOM

“The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience.” – Mahatma Gandhi

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Did you know Omaha Public Power District has more than 2,000 megawatts of active development project requests? In a sign of Omaha’s growth, those requests include city infrastructure projects, medical facilities, data centers, industrial projects, future developments and the continuing electrification of transportation and buildings.

Did you know the median age in Omaha is 36 and in Council Bluffs it’s 39?

Did you know that Omaha’s future Central Library under development at72nd & Dodge Street will have the first Automated Storage and Retrieval System in any library in America? The 3-story, secured, climate-controlled system can store more than 600,000 materials.

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Santa in the Village happening November 29th: Celebrate a family tradition Saturday, November 29th from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at Rockbrook Village. Bring the little ones to visit Santa and share their holiday wishes. Then enjoy a complimentary horse-and-carriage ride around the village. Kids – stop by Doodle Art Studio for a free cookie and Great Harvest Bread Company for free hot cocoa. Don’t miss out on the amazing Christmas lights around the village come dusk.

Farnam Winter Pop-Up Opening Weekend Winter Local Market happening November 29th & 30th: Discover a handpicked medley of 15 locally owned shops at Omaha’s newest urban holiday destination! Shop handmade goods, artisan foods, boutique finds, curated gifts and more. Learn more about Farnam Winter Pop-Up, opening weekend on November 29 at the corner of 33rd & Farnam Street.

Monster Jam 2025 happening November 29th & 30th: Experience Monster Jam live and become a fan for life. With awesome trucks, amazing stunts and action-packed excitement, it’s the definition of fun for everyone! You’ll be close to the action, watching the world’s best drivers tear up the dirt and show off crazy skills and all-out racing in fierce head-to-head battles of speed and skill. Plus, you get to score the drivers in real time based on their skills, stunts and saves.

Zoolightful happening on select dates through January 11th: There’s no place like the #1 Zoo in the Nation for the holidays. Presented by Hy-Vee and Chesterman Coca-Cola, Zoolightful is an all-new holiday experience at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium filled with larger-than-life lanterns, dazzling lights, and festive fun for everyone. Make it your new holiday tradition and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Falconwood Frosty Nights Christmas Village & Lights recurring daily from November 22nd to January 1st: In partnership with Santa and the North Pole, Falconwood Park is hosting the first Falconwood Frosty Nights – Christmas Village & Lights, an all-new holiday experience. Stretching across 80 acres, Falconwood Frosty Nights will have some serious wattage and shine bright with an infinite number of lights, a dazzling lighted cherry tree forest, a 150-foot tunnel of lights, and dozens of decorated trees—including several towering 15, 25 and 50 feet tall in the central square.

This section is sponsored by Eagle Mortgage, a locally owned, full-service mortgage company helping you with Conventional, VA, FHA and USDA loans in both Nebraska and Iowa. Learn how Eagle Mortgage helps people afford the home of their dreams by clicking HERE!

Baird Holm LLP has welcomed Rose A. Laughlin to its Labor & Employment Practice Group. She advises employers with respect to employment-based immigration in a variety of industries including education/academia, IT, financial services, architecture, engineering, manufacturing, transportation and healthcare. Laughlin splits her time between Baird Holm’s Omaha office and working remotely from Saint Paul, Minn., where she and her spouse reside.

First Westroads Bank has appointed Nathan Christ as president and Chief Lending Officer. Christ most recently served as president of Foundation One Bank but had been with First Westroads Bank in the past. Mark Ellerbeck will continue to serve as First Westroads’ CEO.

CHI Health has named Julie Goebel as president of its Nebraska-Iowa market, overseeing 10 hospitals. She has been with CHI Health since 2022 and has been serving as interim market president for the past six months.

The Greater Omaha Chamber is a catalyst and connector, advocating for businesses small and large. Learn, share and grow with more than 12,000 professionals from 3,000 member businesses across Greater Omaha. Click HERE to see our latest events.

“Tiny bubbles in the wine, makes you feel happy, makes you feel fine.” This is the opening line from a hit 1960’s song by Don Ho. For you young whippersnappers, you’re gonna have to ask Google for help on this one.

What’s whiney bubbles got to do with Wall Street? Last week, I counted 11 articles in the Wall Street Journal about an AI bubble, and I found 35-plus AI bubble postings on the Yahoo Finance website.

These articles all claim that the AI hype is overdone, sending the stock prices of tech companies to unrealistic levels, and that any day now, the bubble will burst, and the market will come crashing down, throwing thousands of naïve, amateur investors out on the streets to forage for food and sustenance.

All this blabbering begs the question, “What is a financial bubble?” Like a lot of the crapola that can be found flooding both the financial and popular media, “financial bubble” is a term that everybody assumes that everybody understands, and if you don’t know what it means, then you’re the dumb a** in the room.

In my 60 years’ experience with the market, I can only think of one time when I witnessed what I would truly call a financial bubble bursting. My definition of a financial bubble is when stocks get dramatically overpriced, and one night a bunch of professional traders wake up and say, “This is crazy; let’s sell before everybody else does.” And the market goes down a bazillion percent.

The only time I can remember this happening was during the dot.com bubble of the early 21st century. The other market crashes I have witnessed were usually caused by some power-grabbing thing the government did. In my mind, if somebody’s predicting a bubble, it ain’t gonna happen. The only time bubbles burst is when nobody sees them coming.

Last week was a prime example of how silly this AI bubble nonsense can get. After the markets closed, NVIDIA, which along with Open AI is the epicenter of the AI feeding frenzy, announced earnings that vastly exceeded what the Wall Street brainiacs had predicted.

That night, the stock was up more than 5 percent. And then the next day, when the market opened up, the major indexes were up over 2 percent. Then sometime in the middle of the day, somebody said, “Oops,” and the market ended down more than 2 percent. Folks, this is not rational calculation. This is simply the high-speed computers and the money-grubbing Wall Street traders, messing with your head and making big bucks.

Is there a bubble out there? I don’t have a clue, and if somebody tells you they know, and they know when it’s gonna happen, run for cover.

The best way for rational 401(k) investors to deal with this silliness, is simply to forget the needle and buy the haystack. In the long run, you will prosper and spend your golden years sipping pina coladas in Cancun.

For those of you who listen to the media chatter, no problem – Walmart has a greeter’s vest with your name on it.

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Quantum Fiber in Omaha, Nebraska, is super-fast, reliable internet. We did away with data caps, bundles, and pricing gimmicks because you don’t want them. Instead, you get game-changing customer service, transparent pricing, and a powerful app for freedom, simplicity, and control over your internet. Quantum Fiber is what internet service looks like when it’s built for the world of you.

The Grow Omaha radio show broadcasts live every Saturday morning at 9:00, but now you can watch videos of each episode instead of just listening.

Grow Omaha’s brand-new website features video footage shot inside the radio studio during each week’s show!

Videos include News of the Week, Lightning Round, guest interviews, and “Grow Omaha Uncut,” a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during commercial breaks.

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