What Is The Worst Town In Nebraska? (Omaha, Lincoln: rent, sex offenders)
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I wish I'd found this forum when this thread was started.
"Stay away from Laurel" Well, You were right about finding a restaurant there. There really is no longer a 'cafe' in town. And the truck stop you refer to is NOT a cafe- it is a sandwich counter at a gas station with a few plastic booths to sit at to sip coffee, etc. SO yes, Who would choose to eat there? Mostly microwave sandwiches, not really a truck stop, though. Some Truck stops do have good restaurants.
If you are looking for a place to eat lunch, very few choices in Laurel anymore. There used to be 2-3 cafes downtown and 2-3 on the highway. Pizza Ranch is only restaurant left, besides the 'truck stop',Ice Cream stand,drugstore soda fountain(and it is newer, not from the 40's!) or the 2 bars in town.
The town of Laurel never seemed unfriendly to me, just stuck in their ways. And they are paying for that, cannot get their population above 1,000 now.
My dad grew up there.We came back every summer for a few weeks vacation to visit. I was from a big city, was impressed at 'the wave' from every passing motorist or tractor. AND though very few knew me, I rarely had to walk the 5 miles in to town, someone would always stop and offer a ride.
So I'll offer both perspectives. Did not grow up in Laurel,Never have lived there.Did want to move there as a teenager. I always used to think it was a friendly town myself. BUT without the card I hold- family connections, It might be a little different.
Laurel just seems like alot of small towns now. Losing people, culture to bigger cities. And failing to find a way to keep the town vibrant and growing, or try? Losing most retail was bound to happen, with easier car travel to big cities. But losing the local cafe's is not a good sign, is it? I've seen several come and go there.
And there are some towns near there that are unfriendly to 'outsiders', you just had a bad experience at a franchise pizza restaurant in Laurel. Alas, in Laurel now, you'd have to go to one of the bars to see any locals and buy a lunch.
See that is exactly why western nebraskans don't like big city type people because they are "too good" to eat at a truck stop with us "common folk". maybe you should stop into that truckstop and get know some of those people. I bet you could learn a thing or too about morals and values. No, western nebraskans do not tend to worry much about big city people or their money. Not that they aren't welcome everyone is welcome. Your just gonna find that a smile and a kind word will get you a lot further in western nebraska than a snooty attitude and a hundred dollar bill!! It has nothing to do trying to grow or, ignorance, or stupidity, it is a simple matter of our morals and values. If you want to see a smile come to western ne and smile at someone, you'll get a smile and kind word and probably a handshake (which actually means something here), and if you wanna get knocked on your ***** come to western ne and raise a fist to someones, brother, friend, coworker, etc..... that is how our class of hard working "blue collar, rednecks" thinks and for those that don't like this way of thinking your better off stayin in your office in the city. but anyone else is more than welcome to come on down and vist, you wont find people here hiding behind bullet proof glass. Walk down a street and you'll see cars with keys left right in the ignition. I wouldn't advise tryin to drive off in one of those cars though because in rural nebraska everybody knows who owns that car, most have a weapon, and everbody likes a little highspeed chase down a gravel road every now and then. If you really want to know my honest opinion on the worst town in nebraska I've ever been to is, and I've been to most of them. I'd have to say Omaha, by far, I don't feel safe even leavin my car unattended there, let alone with keys in it! and talk about unfriendly! Now I have a few very close friends in Omaha so don't think I'm judging everyone there, but people there are more apt to run away from you if you smile at them or approach them for help, then talk to you or help you (I've seen it happen)! And half the smiles that you do see are so obviously fake you wonder why they even waste their time trying! Oh and I am a cook at a truckstop in western NE. It's a very rare occasion when I get a complaint, about food or sevice. So if you don't like Italian food and values don't go to Italy, and if you don't like our rural food and value's then stay in the city. But if you do we'll always have a big helping of whatever your favorite "rural" food is cooked just the way you like it, and severd with a big smile and a kind word out here in "Western Nebraska"
You are absolutely right! You couldn't have made my thoughts any clearer. I went to Omaha to visit a friend once, and the area they lived in, the apt. building had to have big iron bars on the windows - and trust me - it was to give it a certain appeal - it was a need to keep from getting broke into at night. And yes, we have guns, to protect ourselves from the people from the big towns that don't share our values. And yes, we do look after each other. Even in Norfolk, I am looked at as one who is too trusting, but the other day, my dog wouldn't quit barking, so I knew something serious was afoot. I went out the front door to find the next door neighbor threatening the land lord (who by the way - isn't even my land lord- but every winter he cleans my sidewalks, and I try to give him something in return, even though I know it isn't enough to actually pay for the kindness he shows me!)and I think he was going to hit the landlord and evidently so did the landlord as he hobbled back to his truck on his crutches. Then the tenant followed him to the pickup and was attempting to pull him out of the pickup and I dialed 911. This tenant not only had no respect for the man, but couldn't even respect the fact that he was on crutches and at a definite disadvantage. I can only guess that fine tenant came from one of your finer large cities, and guess what - when I talked to the landlord later, yep, the tenant was from Omaha. So yes, maybe we would rather you stayed in your big cities if this is how you act when you are way late on your rent. I know the landlord, if he would have just been civil to him, the landlord probably would have worked with him. Instead this guy just chose to attack!
And as petty as this is, I am going to address the restaurant issue. If what you want is 24 hour a day fancy dancy restaurants, you better stay in your big towns. As I have said before, out in western Nebr. the cows out number the people, and no matter how many tourists come through town, it just isn't profitable to run a restaurant 24 hours a day unless it is a truck stop in a bigger town. So if you don't like the menu and hours of service - move to a bigger town, like Chicago where I hear the public totes guns too, and it isn't to protect their own belongings or their families. You would fit in well in a town like that. They have 24 hour restaurants that are very fancy I am sure!!
Here I go again, probably on a hopeless situation. If a restaurant is open for business, the staff should be ready to provide service, politely.
RE: Omaha - My DH is from Omaha, right in the city. Went to Central High. His family did not have bars on the windows, nor did they carry guns to "protect ourselves from the people from the big towns that don't share our values."
I grew up in a town of about 100 people. I now live in Omaha. I absolutely disagree with your idea of the "big city" of Omaha. There is no "moral superiority" to be had in a small town. I'm not saying its worse, but its not better either.
Furthermore, while I'm sure there are places in Omaha with "bars on the windows" I can't say that I have ever seen them.
Also, while I can see both points on the "restaurant issue" the contention that a person should just stay in the "big city" for that kind of service is pretty ridiculous. The restaurant is open and its charging customers...it should provide appropriate service. If they don't want to serve the customer then put the "we're closed" sign up. My original issue (many many months ago) was that it wasn't any worse in Nebraska than any other state. But that's not the issue here.
Even furthermore, your ridiculous suggestion that the people from Omaha are some how of lesser moral fiber kind of makes me want to puke. Like I said, I grew up in a very tiny town and I still visit often and on a per-capita basis...there are just as many puke bags in rural Nebraska as there are in Omaha.
As a western Nebraska (who live in Omaha for two years), I get really tired of the east vs west problem this state has. It goes both ways, comments like above from western and comments like, there is nothing west of Lincoln from the east. I don't believe these are the norm, but you sure hear about it alot. Fact is we could have alot worst cities than Omaha and Lincoln in our state and we should be proud to have them. They are great cities. Fact is that west of Lincoln there is a lot more to see than people realize. Read comments on the Journal Star about Kearney being interested in the State fair and it really brought out the west vs east. Just sometimes wish our state would get along and realize we need each other and probably the majority do.
I agree. I saw the same article and got pretty torqued by some of the arrogant comments from the "eastern" residents and the "you city slicker" comments from the more rural residents.
I love Lincoln and Omaha, but also love my small town. I don't understand why there has to be a divide either and I actually think an out-state state fair could maybe help close that gap...maybe just a little.
I agree. I saw the same article and got pretty torqued by some of the arrogant comments from the "eastern" residents and the "you city slicker" comments from the more rural residents.
I love Lincoln and Omaha, but also love my small town. I don't understand why there has to be a divide either and I actually think an out-state state fair could maybe help close that gap...maybe just a little.
I got an idea, lets leave Lincoln alone to represent Nebraska, sell the panhandle to Wyoming or Colorado, Omaha and the rest of the east to Iowa, the north to South Dakota and the south to Kansas. Then take the money to make our football program the most powerful in the country. That should make everyone happy! Ha ha
I grew up in eastern Nebraska but went to college in Chadron. I got a *lot* of "city slicker" comments my first couple of years out there. It always bugged me.
But after a while, I could see why. Folks in the panhandle always complained that we're forgotten out here. In fact, I vividly remember the year the state's Republican convention was held in Scottsbluff.
KDUH was interviewing a rep from my home town, which is why I was paying attention, and asked what he thought of the area and he actually said, "It's so much different than Nebraska! Er, I mean, er, the rest of Nebraska"
My then-boyfriend, a Sandhills ranch kid, was sitting on the couch with me, grinned and said, "See?"
For the last 15 years, I've lived in extremely rural areas of various parts of the western half of the state. Most of this state (keeping in mind, 2/3 of the population lives within 100 miles of Omahanlincoln) thinks Grand Island is in western Nebraska! lol
We *are* forgotten out here. It's a population thing, of course, but it doesn't change that fact. And no one should be surprised that people chafe at that...
So far as "city slickers"... Well, if you live in a city, you *are* a city slicker. So?
It wasn't until I'd lived on western Neb. ranches for a few years that I started to shake that little moniker, myself. (BTW, the "city" I grew up in was Wayne. lol)
Yeah, I wouldn't consider Wayne a place where "city slickers" come from, itsmefred. When I live in Omaha I was a "hick" for awhile because I was from Kearney and out west I was a "city slicker" because I was from Kearney. Kinda silly, but I have no problem respecting people from each side and understand that both are good for our state. I agree Matt that a outstate fair could help, or any other state events for that matter. Cities have been trying but Lincoln and Omaha will always have the means for better proposals. One small example of success is the state softball in Hastings. I think with it being played in a better faciality, no one seemed to have a problem traveling "out west". Although I remember one class of legion baseball was out in Scottsbluff this summer, and a game was postponed, an Omaha parent commented on how he would have to take off extra work to stay and the extra expense. You don't think when we come to Lincoln and Omaha for tournaments we have to take off work and pay to come down there? I think if Kearney and G.I would work together they could put a good proposal for volleyball in years in isn't at the coliseum. Play A and B at Kearney between the Tri-City arena and Health and Sports Center. Play the rest in G.I between the Heartland Events Center and the high schools. That said there is something about going to Lincoln or Omaha for tournaments and playing in the Qwest or where the Huskers play. I think most people look forward to it. It will be interesting to see what they do with football when they can't have Memorial Stadium. Please don't move it to Seacrest, thats all I ask. I really don't have an opinion on the fair, can we just send people to Iowa's? They have one heck of a fair.
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