Blog
Writing and reflections from investigative journalist Matthew Bovee on journalism, Nebraska, Texas, and the stories that matter.
March 18, 2026 · 5 min read
Note: These are the stories that stayed with me long after the deadlines passed.
As an investigative journalist, I’m often asked about the big cases—the corruption scandals, the government investigations, the stories that made headlines across the state. But the stories that have shaped me most aren’t always the ones that made the news. They’re the quieter moments, the human connections that happened in between the deadlines and the data requests.
Read more →March 18, 2026 · 6 min read
Every investigative reporter has a drawer — physical or digital — filled with stories that never saw the light of day. After twenty years of working as an investigative reporter in Lincoln, Nebraska, mine is overflowing.
The public remembers the stories that made headlines: the TIF district expose that won the Gerald Loeb Award, the aquifer investigation that changed Nebraska water policy, the Camp La Junta scholarship foundation that has helped dozens of young journalists. But behind those victories lies a graveyard of equally compelling stories that, for various reasons, never reached print.
Read more →March 16, 2026 · 5 min read
When most people think about investigative journalism, they imagine the big break—the moment when a story goes public and wrongdoing is exposed. But what happens after the headlines fade? For me, the real work often begins long after publication. Following up on old stories is where true accountability happens, and it’s a practice that has defined my career as an investigative reporter in Nebraska.
Why Investigations Don’t End at Publication
The moment an investigative piece hits the newsstand or goes live on a website, there’s a natural tendency to move on to the next story. News cycles are fast, and attention spans are short. However, the most impactful investigations are those that continue to yield results months or even years later.
Read more →March 16, 2026 · 3 min read
Every journalist has that one story that haunts them. Not because it’s unresolved, but because it took years to get right.
When I first heard whispers about irregularities in Lincoln’s Tax Increment Financing districts, I filed it away as a potential story. That was 2014. The investigation didn’t publish until 2023. Nine years of waiting, gathering documents, building sources, and—most importantly—waiting for the right moment to strike.
Why Investigations Take So Long
The public often wonders why investigative pieces take months or years. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Read more →March 11, 2026 · 5 min read
By Matthew Bovee
In an age of national headlines and viral social media content, community journalism in Nebraska remains the backbone of local democracy. From the streets of Omaha to the small towns scattered across the Plains, local reporters are doing the unglamorous but essential work of holding power accountable and telling the stories that define communities.
The Nebraska Journalism Landscape
Nebraska’s journalism ecosystem is as diverse as its geography. The Omaha World-Herald remains the state’s largest newspaper, providing comprehensive coverage of the state’s largest city and beyond. But between Lincoln, Grand Island, Bellevue, and the dozens of smaller cities, hundreds of local publications keep communities informed.
Read more →March 9, 2026 · 6 min read
Every journalist remembers their first real deadline. Mine came at 4:47 PM on a Thursday in Lincoln, Nebraska—a full 13 minutes before my planned exit from the newsroom. A source had just texted that the mayor was holding an emergency press conference about the TIF district scandal I’d been investigating for months. That moment taught me everything about what it means to handle breaking news as an investigative reporter.
Read more →March 9, 2026 · 6 min read
By Matthew Bovee, Investigative Journalist Lincoln Nebraska
People often ask me what a typical day looks like for an investigative reporter. The honest answer? There is no typical day. Every 24 hours brings new leads, unexpected developments, and stories that demand attention at all hours. But after more than two decades in journalism, I’ve developed a rhythm that helps me stay focused and productive. Here’s a window into my daily routine as an investigative journalist based in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Read more →March 5, 2026 · 6 min read
Photo: The craft of newspaper journalism preserved in time, reflecting the dedication that goes into every Lincoln Journal Star story
Every journalist has stories that define their career—the pieces that challenged them, changed them, and occasionally changed their communities. During my two decades at the Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska’s capital city newspaper, I had the privilege of working on hundreds of investigations that mattered to real people. Today, I want to share some of the stories that shaped my approach to investigative journalism and why they continue to resonate in Nebraska’s media landscape.
Read more →March 4, 2026 · 6 min read
As an investigative journalist who’s spent over two decades digging into Nebraska’s public records, I’ve learned that the state’s transparency laws are both powerful and notoriously complex. Whether you’re a fellow journalist, a concerned citizen, or a researcher trying to uncover the truth, understanding how to navigate Nebraska’s public records system is essential. In this guide, I’ll share the strategies I’ve developed through years of requesting everything from city council emails to complex government contract documents.
Read more →February 25, 2026 · 6 min read
There’s a particular quality of light in the Texas Hill Country that I’ve never found anywhere else. It comes through the cedar oak trees in golden shafts during summer evenings, and it casts long shadows across the limestone hills that I learned to climb before I learned to read. That light taught me something important about truth-telling: sometimes the most important things are the ones hiding in plain sight, visible to anyone who takes the time to look.
Read more →February 24, 2026 · 7 min read
Photo: Investigative journalist Matthew Bovee reviewing documents for the Lincoln TIF investigation
Every investigative journalist has that one story that changes everything—the piece that transforms how a city sees its leaders and how a reporter understands their own capabilities. For me, the TIF scandal investigation in Lincoln, Nebraska was that story. It taught me lessons about persistence, source development, and the delicate balance between public interest and personal privacy that I carry with me to this day.
Read more →February 23, 2026 · 7 min read
Every investigative journalist faces a defining moment—a point where a source looks you in the eye and asks, “Can I trust you?” That question carries more weight than most readers will ever realize. Behind every groundbreaking story about government corruption, corporate fraud, or institutional misconduct, there are human beings who risked their careers, their livelihoods, and sometimes their freedom to expose the truth. Protecting those individuals isn’t just an ethical guideline; it’s the foundation upon which investigative journalism rests.
Read more →February 19, 2026 · 6 min read
Photo: Downtown Lincoln Nebraska at sunset, featuring the historic Haymarket District and Nebraska State Capitol in the distance
As an investigative journalist who’s called Lincoln, Nebraska home for over two decades, I’ve had the privilege of watching this city transform while maintaining its essential character. People often ask me what keeps me rooted here, and my answer is always the same: Lincoln has a way of growing on you in ways that bigger cities simply cannot replicate.
Read more →February 17, 2026 · 6 min read
By Matthew Bovee, Investigative Journalist Lincoln Nebraska
When I filed my first Freedom of Information Act request in 2011, I didn’t know it would change my career. I was a young reporter at the Lincoln Journal Star, chasing a tip about a city council member’s undisclosed business interests. Little did I know that this single request would unlock a decade of award-winning investigative journalism in Nebraska and beyond.
Read more →February 17, 2026 · 5 min read
By Matthew Bovee, Investigative Journalist Lincoln Nebraska
The Nebraska Unicameral is unlike any legislative body in America. As the nation’s only single-chamber state legislature, it has fascinated journalists, political scientists, and reformers since it was established in 1937. Having covered the Unicameral for over two decades as an investigative journalist in Lincoln, Nebraska, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for both its innovations and its challenges.
Read more →February 16, 2026 · 6 min read
The summer of 1999 changed everything for me.
I was twelve years old, spending a few weeks at Camp La Junta on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas — about twelve miles from my hometown of Kerrville. Founded in 1928, Camp La Junta was the kind of place where boys learned to paddle canoes, tie knots, and tell stories around a campfire. I expected swimming and hiking. I didn’t expect to find my calling.
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