PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 389
A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
New Horizons April 2026 | Vol. 51 | No. 4
Nebraska author brings innate curiosity, deep passion to all things Native American N By Leo Adam Biga ebraska is replete with Plains Indian history. While many non-Natives appreciate that rich heritage, writer Joe Starita has applied his “obsessive personality” and social justice bent to telling indigenous stories. As journalist, educator and author, he documents and champions Native lore, mentors Native journalists, and supports Native students. Along the way, he’s shed light on little known stories of remarkable individuals and families in three acclaimed nonfiction books. I Am a Man, a 2012 One Book, One Nebraska selection, has been adapted into a dramatic feature script by Andrew Troy, who will co-direct the ensuing motion picture with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jim Sheridan. Chaske Spencer will star in the indie historical drama. Production is to start in April, with some scenes slated to be filmed in Nebraska. Starita, who consulted Troy during the decade-in-development project, expects to be on set. Starita traces his Native fascination to a childhood visit to Fort
COURTESY PHOTO Robinson in northwest Nebraska, where the legacy of Chief Crazy Horse entranced him. The Lakota warrior resisted U.S. Army efforts to remove his people from tribal lands. After being pursued he was captured and detained at Camp Robinson, where in 1877 an Army soldier fatally bayoneted the unarmed leader. The story stoked Starita’s natural curiosity and storytelling instincts. He set about learning more after assigned to write a four-page paper on someone he admired. He fixed on
Crazy Horse. Already in love with reading-writing, he submitted a 40page treatise that presaged his career as a reporter and author drawn to stories of oppressed underdogs. “The interest in Native American culture in all its dynamics has been beating in me since sixth grade,” said Starita, “and it’s never stopped beating, The drum beat has only gotten louder as I’ve gotten older.” For a time he balanced his passion for storytelling with athletics. He became a scholarship baseball pitcher for the University of Ne-
braska. An injury ended his pitching dreams. Wanderlust led him to travel. Among his adventures as a “world roustabout,” he played professional basketball in Turkey, herded cattle on an Israeli kibbutz, and worked odd jobs in Paris, London, Rome, Athens. and Barcelona. His bumming around extended to the States, collecting water samples from polluted New Jersey rivers, laboring on loading docks at a bottling plant in Lincoln, and operating a jackhammer in Oakland, California. He settled in Florida as a Miami Herald investigative reporter, where his “hyper competitive” personality drove him to expose the exploitation of migrant farm workers, police misconduct in the fatal shooting of a Black Miami youth, and unethical practices of lawyers and doctors, a judge, and a social service agency director. His work uncovering wrong earned him Pulitzer Prize nominations and other peer recognition. He circled back to Nebraska, working on his master’s degree and --Starita continued on page 9.
New Omaha Central Library to open in April By Andy Bradley Contributing Writer his isn’t your mother’s library. Yes, you can still borrow a book or two (or three or four). You can still browse the magazine racks. But the features and services of the brand new Central Library at 72nd and Dodge Streets, set to open April 19, would set your parents’ heads spinning. Such as indoor and outdoor children’s playscapes, complete with toys and a story time theater (no shhhhing! allowed); a coffee café managed by Zen Coffee; an entire floor dedicated to genealogy and local history research; space dedicated to ultra high tech gadgets and equipment (Do Space); and personalized, face-to-face assistance and support throughout. This 96,000-square-foot complex,
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actually a shade smaller than the former W. Dale Clark Library at 14th and Farnam Streets, has been under construction since 2022. The W. Dale Clark library served the community from 1977 to 2022 and was demolished to make way for the Mutual of Omaha Tower. The new three-floor facility will offer 262 parking stalls, including some covered parking. Patrons who just want to pick up or drop off books can use the convenient driveup feature. Maggie Petersen, Omaha Public Library (OPL) outreach manager, told Kiwanis members at a recent meeting that “I’m most excited about the variety of gathering spaces.” She said 16 meeting rooms, which can accommodate one to 250 individuals on the second floor, can be reserved for private study or --Library continued on page 6.
Golf Simulators: The future of indoor golfing Golf simulators offer year-round play, ultimate convenience, and significant game improvement through detailed swing analysis. This allows golfers to play famous courses and refine skills in any weather without travel, all while providing entertainment and a social setting. Learn more about golf simulators on Page 10.