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City Hall: Grant means a new fully inclusive playground next year in Lincoln

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

Alert Top Story Topical

City Hall: Grant means a new fully inclusive playground next year in Lincoln

• Mar 1, 2023
• Mar 1, 2023
• 0

1 of 2

A $400,000 federal grant awarded to the city means it can start construction on an all-inclusive playground in Mahoney Park in spring 2024.

• Lincoln Parks & Recreation

Cathy Martinez (left) and BriAnna Olson are shown in front of the playground at Antelope Park. Martinez, longtime president of the Autism Family Network, and Olson, whose 6-year-old son Beckett has autism, worked to get an all-inclusive playground in Lincoln, a place for children with a variety of special needs.

• Journal Star file photo

Margaret Reist

Local government reporter

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Margaret Reist

It started with one mom picking up the phone.

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Cathy Martinez, longtime president of the Autism Family Network.

Journal Star file photo

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Top Journal Star photos for February 2023

A mostly empty Lincoln Airport terminal is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Lincoln.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Deb Polacek of Friend (center) gets ready to play the accordion to welcome Miloslav Stašek, the U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic, as he tours the state during a stop on Wednesday at Nebraska East Union.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

Liam Rosengren endures blustery conditions while working out with a portable punching bag outside at Holmes Lake Park on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. A windy day at Holmes Lake did not deter Liam from taking his workout outside on Thursday afternoon. with a cold southerly wind making it feel like it was just over 11°F. "I'm just sort of doing it for the sake of being outside," Rosengren said. "I mean I bought this bag and it's portable, so I can take it anywhere I want.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne speaks during a press conference at the Capitol in 2023 about Gov. Jim Pillen's mentoring program for young Nebraskans. TeamMates, a nonprofit founded by Osborne, has received 80% of the money from a state initiative supporting mentorship programs.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Lincoln Northeast's Doneelah Washington (back) tries to stop Lincoln Southwest's Eleanor Griffin in the second half Friday at Lincoln Northeast.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

Dean Thompsen reacts after correctly spelling the word, 'affluent' correctly after believing he spelled it wrong during the second round of the annual Lincoln Public Schools Oral Spelling Bee on Saturday at Culler Middle School. "I cant believe I just got that right," Thompsen said as he went back to his seat. 

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Bennington assistant coach Jarod Owens (left) and head coach Craig Pokorny celebrate after Kianna Wingender won the 120-pound consolidation semifinal match at the A-3 district meet Saturday at Lincoln Southeast.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Leaves frame the Sower atop the 400 ft tall Nebraska state capitol on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. The statue of the Sower, modeled after the traditional method of hand sowing grain for planting, is a symbol of the importance of Agriculture to Nebraskans. A reprieve from cooler temperatures will arrive for Lincolnites over this weekend. With highs in the upper 40s and mostly sunny weather will greet the day on Saturday and Sunday.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Nebraska's Axelina Johansson uncorks the second-longest throw in NCAA history — 63 feet, 4 inches — at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.

LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star

Jaxson Bowman, 1, holds the finger of his dad, Josh Bowman, during a deployment ceremony for the 1-134th Cavalry at the Lancaster Event Center on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. Bowman, along with other soldiers at the ceremony, did not deploy but attended out of support for his fellow soldiers.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Supporters of the Niskithe Prayer Camp block a bulldozer preparing to tear down trees at Wilderness Park on Monday.

LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star

Bellevue West's Josiah Dotzler (left) collides with Lincoln Southeast's Wade Voss in the first half Tuesday at Lincoln Southeast High School.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Wayne's Jersi Jensen (center) gets a high-five as she walks up to get her first-place medal at the Class B state bowling singles championship on Wednesday at Sun Valley Lanes.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Norfolk's Carter Jackson flips upside down in the middle of a dive Thursday in the Heartland Athletic Diving Championships at Lincoln Southeast.

LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star

McCool Junction's Garrett Hansen celebrates during the Class B state bowling singles championship on Wednesday at Sun Valley Lanes.

JUSTIN WAN Journal Star

Julia Kennedy (right) shares a piece of cake with her granddaughter Samara Quwa while manning a FAQ booth about the 16th president Saturday.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Wisconsin's Max Klesmit and Nebraska's Blaise Keita battle on the floor for possession on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Nebraska's Dayne Morton (left) wrestles Rutgers' Tony White in the 149-pound match Sunday at the Devaney Sports Center.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Members of the First Nebraska Volunteer Infantry -- Ron Rockenbach (from left), Gage Stermensky, Paul Hadley, David Smith and Keith Rockefeller -- guard the Abraham Lincoln statue on the west side of the Nebraska Capitol on the 214th anniversary of his birthday on Sunday. 

LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star

Lincoln East's Westin Sherlock (top) wrestles Bellevue East's LaBrian Sherlock during the 152-pound final at the A-2 District meet on Saturday at Lincoln East.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Lincoln East's Carter Toomey and Lincoln North Star's William Schafer vie for a rebound under the net in the third quarter on Tuesday at Lincoln East High School.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Aven Larson, 7, throws snow into the air and tries to catch it with her tongue at Pioneers Park during a winter storm in Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.

LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star

Shawn Fauver shovels snow outside El Chaparro on F Street on Thursday in Lincoln.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

UNL student Paxtyn Dummer (from left) and Maggie Mienhueser complete work on a white board while Miles Kastl and Katelyn Petry do the same on the other side, during a tutoring session at the UNL Reading Center on East Campus. The reading center pairs teachers in training with students from the community who are reading below grade level. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Shoun Hill walks through Tower Square on Thursday in downtown Lincoln, where nearly 9 inches of snow fell overnight.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Norfolk's Jackson Bos (front) wrestles Bellevue West's Ryland Schweiss during a Class A 220-pound consolation match Friday at CHI Health Center Omaha on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Lincoln Southeast's Bangot Dak dunks the ball against Lincoln North Star in the final minute Friday at North Star High School.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

Blood covers the face of Chadron's Kenli Boeselager as she wrestles on the mat against Conestoga's Maggie Fiene during a 145 lb semifinal match on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, at CHI Health Center in Omaha.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg (1) scores off a steal against Maryland on Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Lincoln Southeast's Eve Nelson dives during the girls state diving championships Thursday at the Devaney Sports Center.

JUSTIN WAN Journal Star

The Lincoln Lutheran student section rushes the court to celebrate with their team after they defeated Lincoln Christian during the C1-2 subdistrict championship game on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, at Lincoln Lutheran High School.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Swimmers take off from the starting blocks for the 50-yard freestyle during the girls state swimming prelims Friday at the Devaney Sports Center.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Lincoln High's Kiana Wiley (24) holds up the championship plaque after the Links defeated Lincoln Northeast in the A-3 district final Friday at Lincoln High.

LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star

Alexander Syniy of Lincoln (right), originally from Kherson in Ukraine, prays during a rally on the anniversary of the war in Ukraine on Saturday at the state Capitol.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

Nebraska's Sam Griesel fist bumps Derrick Walker before they are introduced ahead of the Minnesota game on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Lincoln East fans roar as Lincoln Southwest's Cole Christensen (5) raises his arms to question a referee call at Lincoln East on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023.

LARRY ROBINSON Journal Star

Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com.

On Twitter @LJSreist

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A $400,000 federal grant awarded to the city means it can start construction on an all-inclusive playground in Mahoney Park in spring 2024.

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Cathy Martinez (left) and BriAnna Olson are shown in front of the playground at Antelope Park. Martinez, longtime president of the Autism Family Network, and Olson, whose 6-year-old son Beckett has autism, worked to get an all-inclusive playground in Lincoln, a place for children with a variety of special needs.

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Cathy Martinez, longtime president of the Autism Family Network.

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