Happy Tuesday, Lincoln. In today’s edition: Huskers championship run, breakfast with Santa, Wax Buffalo’s winter market, and more.

Let’s get to it — Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Huskers chase championship run: Undefeated Nebraska earned the No. 1 overall seed and will host opening rounds, playing Long Island on Friday, Dec. 5. The winner faces Kansas State or San Diego Saturday — see schedule, tickets, and streaming.

Quirky roadside rivalry grows: Nebraska’s Carhenge gets competition as Firehenge, a ring of upright firetrucks near South Dakota’s Badlands, rises and promotes Firehouse Brewing, with Doghenge and a gift shop planned next summer — read the full story.

Heroism in a frantic moment: Nebraska State Patrol honored Trooper Braden Heidbrink with a Life Saver Award for saving 4-year-old Percy after a May lawnmower accident, with Governor Jim Pillen and Percy’s family present — read the full story.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Scams are rampant: My step-dad recently got a call from someone pretending to be his grandson, all beat up and asking for bail money. They knew his grandson’s name, how old he is, and what city he lives in. How? Data brokers. They sell your info to anyone willing to pay for it (yup… anyone). Incogni removes your info from all of those sites so scammers can’t use it against you. Cyber Monday discounts are available all week — check ’em out here.

Highlights this week

• Enjoy free soup at Sheldon
• Shop local at Midwest Merry Market
• Dine, bid, and support immigrant legal aid
• Sing carols, wear ugly sweaters, sip cocoa
• Need new windows? Check out RBA’s latest deals

🫶 We got your back

Communal art comes alive: On Dec. 5, Sheldon Museum of Art and University Dining will revive Ken Friedman’s 1967 score “Twenty Gallons” with free soup and bread for First Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Meal plan holders eat free in dining halls. Enter to win a framed event score. “Ken Friedman: 92 Events” runs through Jan. 4, 2026. See times and locations.

New domain and support resources: UNL’s Microsoft 365 migration wraps Jan. 2–5, with campus email offline from 8 a.m. Jan. 2 to 8 a.m. Jan. 5. Canvas and MyRed won’t be affected. Faculty and staff will still access M365 while messages queue. Students will temporarily lose Outlook/OneDrive; expect possible OneDrive/SharePoint link re-shares once everything comes back online. Get dates, logins, and support.

Smoked-meat burrito fix: Craving rolled comfort? Muchachos serves New Mexican BBQ fusion in downtown, with smoked pork, brisket, or chicken packed into the Pipeline, plus breakfast burritos and the Hatch Mac. Add queso, a Mexican Coke, or a margarita, and call it a very good day.

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

Wellness on easy mode: Most probiotics don’t work because they dissolve too early. Seed’s double capsule design means all the right stuff gets delivered to all the right places… at the right time. After decades of gut issues, it’s one of the few things that’s actually helped. Their Daily Essentials Duo covers nutrient gaps and supports everyday health + it’s 40% off right now so it’s a great time to give it a try.

📆 Around town this week

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

This week

♻️ Backyard Composting 101| Tuesday (12/2) at 12:00pm – Nothing beats turning kitchen scraps into black gold, not landfill soup. Conservation Nebraska teams up with forestry pro Brad Kindler for a no-nonsense Zoom on backyard composting, worm bins, and easy setups. Less stink, more soil, and an easier setup than you’d expect.

❤️ Cookies, Claus, & Community | Giving Tuesday with Matt Talbot and Thrivent @ Sheridan Lutheran Church | Tuesday (12/2) at 3:30pm – Do Giving Tuesday at Sheridan Lutheran with cookies, cocoa, Santa, and assembling care kits for neighbors experiencing homelessness. Suggested $25, Thrivent matches $1 per $2 and covers fees, so 100 percent goes to Matt Talbot. Bring the kids, or your inner kid.

🎷 NJO 50th Anniversary Concert II: 1985-1994 @ The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel | Tuesday (12/2) at 7:30pm – Whether you wore shoulder pads or listened to them, NJO’s 50th anniversary rewinds to 1985 to 1994 with charts from Tom Larson, Randy Snyder, and a roll call of Nebraska greats. Expect swing, stories, and names you know, from Luigi Waites to the Gulizia Brothers.

🍲 Twenty Gallons of Soup @ Sheldon Museum of Art | Friday (12/5) at 11:00am – Sheldon is turning a Fluxus score into twenty gallons of free soup, served with a side of wry art world mischief. Slurp, wander the galleries, and maybe win a framed event score, because sometimes culture arrives ladled, not lectured.

🎅 LNK Santa Bash @ Lincoln Airport | Friday (12/5) at 4:00pm – Santa just cleared TSA at LNK for a kid-friendly bash. Wear festive PJs, sip hot chocolate, get a free photo with Santa, and catch Starstruck Dance Academy and Ritmo y Raíz. Free admission, RSVP in advance, free parking, and bring a Toys for Tots donation.

This weekend

🎅 Breakfast with Santa @ Courtyard by Marriott Lincoln Downtown/Haymarket | Saturday (12/6) at 8:00am – Breakfast with Santa is back at The Courtyard Marriott with Lazlo’s breakfast, The Mill coffee, selfies with the big guy, and Santa’s mailbox. Snag swag bags, let them color for a $50 Downtown Lincoln gift card, and actually drink your coffee while it’s hot.

🎨 Craft Fair @ Cooper YMCA | Saturday (12/6) at 9:00am – Bring your reusable bag to the Cooper YMCA craft fair, where local makers sling gifts, home decor, clothing, accessories, kids and pet goodies, skincare, and treats. Free to roam, neighbor-approved, and a cut supports Y programs for youth, families, and seniors, so zero-guilt shopping.

🏰 Mini RenFaire @ Walt Branch Library | Saturday (12/6) at 11:00am – Clear your calendar for a pint-sized RenFaire at Walt Branch, where crafts, booths, and live tunes turn the stacks into Waltingham. Dress like a noble, peasant, or harried parent, costumes encouraged, common sense required, no weapons, inside voices, please.

🧭 Seek and Find workshop @ Frank Shoemaker Marsh | Saturday (12/6) at 2:00pm – This isn’t your typical workshop—think sensory adventure meets playful movement lab. Guided by Mac Kelsey, you’ll wander through the saline wetlands tuning into textures, sounds, sights, and surprises you’d normally breeze past. It’s curious, grounding, and just the right amount of weird in the best way. Dress comfy, bring an open mind, and get ready to explore your senses like you’re discovering them for the first time.

🕯️ Wax Buffalo’s Winter Market on O Street| Sunday (12/7) at 11:00am – Wax Buffalo is turning O Street in the Haymarket into a German-inspired winter market, minus the red-eye, with better parking. Shop local makers, nibble bratwurst, sip cocoa and festive drinks, and let the kids run wild in the museum-fueled Kid’s Zone. Tickets required, cheer included.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/2 Backhand Blue and more @ Bourbon Theatre – 6 pm
• 12/2 NJO @ The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker – 7:30 pm
• 12/3 Brandon Santini @ Zoo Bar – 6 pm
• 12/3 Sevendust and more @ Bourbon Theatre – 7 pm
• 12/4 Open Mic Nights @ Hub Cafe – 5 pm
• 12/4 Jeff Crosby @ Zoo Bar – 6 pm
• 12/4 Anastasia @ McDonald Theatre – 7:30 pm
• 12/6 Mike Semrad & The Riverhawks @ Zoo Bar – 5 pm
• 12/6 ATLiens @ The Royal Grove – 8 pm
• 12/10 American Aquarium and more @ Bourbon Theatre – 6 pm

🏠️ This house is wild

Listed by: Melody Mahony (HOME Real Estate)

Custom 2024 walk-out ranch in Wandering Creek on a quarter-plus acre backing to greenspace. Five beds, four baths, three-car garage, and touches like custom millwork and LVP. Showpiece kitchen adds continuous quartz, a walk-in pantry, custom hood, pot filler, and wood cabinetry. A vaulted office doubles as a bedroom.

Light filled living room with a stone fireplace and built-ins frames greenspace views. Primary suite links a closet to the laundry and drop zone. Downstairs brings a 50 inch fireplace, wet bar, study nook, and workout area, plus three bedrooms including an ensuite. Covered deck and patio watch the woods.

Take a peek inside →