What Is The Worst Town In Nebraska? (Omaha, Lincoln: sales, insurance)

[mattpoulsen]

I grew up in a town of about 100 people (about an hour north of G.I.) I then went to college and grad school in Lincoln, where I lived for about 10 years, and I've just recently moved to Omaha. I still get back to my old hometown about every 2 or 3 months though and it used to be a lot more frequent. I don't get the "city slicker" treatment because I grew up there, but I don't give rural people the "redneck" treatment either. Like a few others posted above, I've been lucky enough to have both experiences, which makes me appreciate both sides of the coin. (its also lets me recognize the down side of each side too).

Yeah, I understand why there is a divide, but I think it could certainly be narrowed. Both groups need to realize that we need both Omaha/Lincoln and the rural areas. The idea that one area is superior is just silly.

I actually know a couple people who have lived in Omaha and Lincoln their entire life and have never been further west than York. That just seems ridiculous to me...and these people are in their mid-30s.

[Vera_ewash]

Wow. My experience is totally good with rural small town NE! My other half grew up in the Ainsworth/Long Pine and Basset and Valentine area his whole life. I am from North Dakota but we met and have lived/live in Eastern WA. We have visited back there many times and never once was I treated with disrespect! We even lived in Valentine and Gothenburg for about 1.5 years a piece. We are are now making a move to go back to Long Pine, (pop. 345) just because we LOVE it so much and the people are great.
I also should let you know that I am a women of color and that made no difference to the majority.

[pugh1454]

I am not trying to cast obscurisons, I have lived in Fla, GA, ME, OH, and currently in Baton Rouge LA. GA away from the big cities was nice.. people and every thing. Maine was wonderful as a local and away from the tourists areas. Tourists from NY, Mass, RI, Con, NJ, and Pen, treated the service people like they were dogs. Couldn't wait for them to go home. In FLA.. every one faked being nice, hated it. Ohio counrty folk were really nice, in a City like Cincinnati 90% rude and crude. With that said I have friends and family in NE and South Dakota and I am currently working my tail off to secure everything to move to North Platte area. Even in Omaha I never found the likes of the people here in Baton Rouge or on the East Cost. Here in LA Blacks (educated) hate Blacks(uneducated), both don't trust the white people, I can't blame them. Antibellum is everywhere. A lot of crooked business men and officals. It took them 5 years to add a 1,000 feet to the runway. FEMA trailors are still full because the people in them have been giving them handouts so long they feel they are owed more. 35% of the FEMA money given out were fraudulent. The Education is 48th in the US. When the Government took over a school last year and forced its closing. Parents protested that the teachers were good poeple! The drop out rate was 23%, The average 5th grade leap test was a 32 and had not gotten any better in the 5 years that I have been here. I had to really search to find a good school for my kids, and deal with finding a place to live. Through march of this year Baton Rouge was the murder capital of the US. It was not that great before Katrina, but now it is bad. They have spent over 20 million to look at buliding a by-pass around the city, and are just now really doing something serious about it. A co-worker rent increased by $250 after Katrina. The worst thing that I can find in North Platte so far is the number of Child sex offenders. 33 are listed on the State patrol web site with pictures and where they live. Out of 28,000 people that is not bad. So I think that dropping $55k job with the airlines is an easy thing to drop in favor of Nebraska has to offer. Oh for college football fans. LSU has a lot more wealthy Alum than the Huskers.. We can't keep a coach because of what I have written before plus All of the Oil refineries pollution. Was your coaches making 2 million a year? WES wants the money but like Saben, but anything that looks nice will get him out of here.

[Chris19]

I have been in both small and large communities and find there to be many nice people in Nebraska. Obviously, there are going to be a few bad apples and grumps out there, but that is with anywhere one goes.

[ocean/sunlvr]

Iwas born here,In the army almost six years back and have lived here about
25 years,and wait to leave permantly !!!
Every time I leave I feel Great
And when I have to come back its Any body who says they love it,proabably never been out of the state!!!

[vasoprano]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

The idea that a few bad experiences by individuals in a small town does not mean all of the small towns in Nebraska are rude! In fact, Nebraskans are renowned for their politeness!

I'm from Virginia and chase severe weather (tornadoes) for a month or so on vacation in the Southern and High plains every year. We get about 14,000 miles on the vehicle in 6 weeks, so we get to see a lot of country and meet a lot of people!

I truly fell in love with central and western Nebraska and plan on retiring somewhere in central/western Nabraska. The people are great and the state is beautiful.

Virginia, where I have resided for most of my life, is a lovely state. But central and western Nebraska (of all the states we chase severe weather) is my favorite.

With regard to Ogallalla, I spent four nights there during the 2007 season - and I can say that even the housekeeping staff at the motel were fantastic. The local restaurants were most hospitable.

I've found the people (without exception) in Nebraska and western Kansas to be fine people, very accomodating, and outgoing. We chase mostly in Texas, Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota. I find warmth that we don't see anymore on the east coast, in the states of the high plains.

This chase season (May and June 2008) I will be looking at central and westerm Nebraska for a place to retire. Initially, North Platte looks promising - I love Scotts Bluff. Neither are written in stone, but as I retire in 2008, I will be looking very hard for not only severe weather, but for a nice town or city in Nebraska I can feel at home in.

All of my experience tells me the people of Nebraska are great - and its a lovely state.

[itsMeFred]

Any body who says they love it,proabably never been out of the state!!!

Actually, I tend to see the converse most often. Most of us who love our state have been elsewhere.

vasoprano, we'd love to have you.

[GLS]

Originally Posted by vasoprano

I'm from Virginia and chase severe weather (tornadoes) for a month or so on vacation in the Southern and High plains every year. We get about 14,000 miles on the vehicle in 6 weeks, so we get to see a lot of country and meet a lot of people!

I truly fell in love with central and western Nebraska and plan on retiring somewhere in central/western Nabraska. The people are great and the state is beautiful.

Virginia, where I have resided for most of my life, is a lovely state. But central and western Nebraska (of all the states we chase severe weather) is my favorite.

With regard to Ogallalla, I spent four nights there during the 2007 season - and I can say that even the housekeeping staff at the motel were fantastic. The local restaurants were most hospitable.

I've found the people (without exception) in Nebraska and western Kansas to be fine people, very accomodating, and outgoing. We chase mostly in Texas, Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota. I find warmth that we don't see anymore on the east coast, in the states of the high plains.

This chase season (May and June 2008) I will be looking at central and westerm Nebraska for a place to retire. Initially, North Platte looks promising - I love Scotts Bluff. Neither are written in stone, but as I retire in 2008, I will be looking very hard for not only severe weather, but for a nice town or city in Nebraska I can feel at home in.

All of my experience tells me the people of Nebraska are great - and its a lovely state.

Very interesting vacations!!! I wonder if there is a correlation between severe weather and hospitable people? Nothing like a Tornado to put you in touch with your mortality and humble you to the existence of a higher power.

[vasoprano]

Originally Posted by GLS

Very interesting vacations!!! I wonder if there is a correlation between severe weather and hospitable people? Nothing like a Tornado to put you in touch with your mortality and humble you to the existence of a higher power.

I don't think there are any emperical studies on that question

However, you can take a look at last years chase season web page www.tornadoadventure.com (non-commercial) and there are some very sobering pictures and video. Greensburg was most depressing to me. We chase not to see destruction - its more to see just how close you can come to figure out where mother nature will drop some bad weather out of thousands of square miles. We look for "out in the open" severe weather events - and most certainly don't care to see any property or persons hurt. We also report the severe weather to NWS in real time so they can get out warnings to the public.

Mother nature is very sobering, and demonstrates just how fragile we are.

[vasoprano]

Originally Posted by itsMeFred

Actually, I tend to see the converse most often. Most of us who love our state have been elsewhere.

vasoprano, we'd love to have you.

Well, I checked out Lincoln Omaha last year - both too big for me (trying to downsize and tired of the daily grid-lock). Stayed overnight in North Platte, which caught my attention. That's where I am headed first (providing the weather permits) and plan to spend a week in the area.

I think it safe to say that by November '08, I will be a resident of Nebraska