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Tom Mangelsen knew as a college student that he wanted to have something to do with the outdoors, but he just wasn’t sure what. Today, Mangelsen (who graduated from Doane with a degree in zoology in 1970) is world-renown for his skills with a camera, having works in the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History among many other prestigious locales. He was one of a few photographers to capture years of images of the bear known as Grizzly 399. Mangelsen’s journey as a photographer is one of many adventures readers will be taken on throughout the pages of this May 2025 edition of Omaha Magazine.
The magazine features adventurers of all ages. Andrea Barnes, DDS, likes to spends her free time traveling. She is considered a “queenager,” a woman who is affluent enough to travel and does so often. How she travels around the world while running her own dental practice is the idea behind one great profile story. On the other end of the spectrum, 6-year-old Grady Strickler took the trip of his young lifetime as a 4-year-old, traveling by train to Colorado.
While these grand adventures are amazing to read, and dream, about, there’s plenty of excitement to be found in Nebraska. This is the 30th anniversary of the Cowboy Trail, encompassing 317 miles across the state of Nebraska. This hiking and biking trail was originally part of Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad.
Taking an adventure could also mean starting a new hobby. Nebraska’s own Johnny Rodgers has taken up a sport that has become a national sensation in recent years—pickleball. Teaching him the pastime was his own daughter, the Nebraska state poet Jewel Rodgers.
Dining articles are often some of the most-read in this publication, and we are giving you, our loyal readers, one more option to read about food starting with this edition. This new dining feature will send readers to several places in the area around a theme—and we couldn’t think of a better place to start than with ice cream.
There’s plenty of adventure to be found in this city, in this state, in this country, and in this world—luckily, our readers can find adventure from their reading chair with this edition.
Some final notes for you all. First, my friend, and our back-page columnist, is not in this May edition due to a surgery. Fear not, Otis Twelve's "Not Funny" column will resume in June. Also, Omaha Publications recently lost one of our own when branding specialist George Idelman (pictured on this column) passed away March 29. He was a loyal Cubs fan and devoted friend, and we at Omaha Publications miss him dearly.
Read the new issue here:
