Omaha Magazine

Many of the nation’s seminal corporate giants are indivisible from the saga of the nation’s history itself. Through their rise—and in some cases, their fall—they changed the very arc of American history.

Union Pacific Railroad is one of these companies.

The company has made the most of its time in business, growing into a mammoth player in the nation’s transportation industry, generating $24.5 billion in 2025, per company reporting.

Yet for all that, the Omaha-based company’s greatest achievement lies just around the bend. A proposed merger, currently awaiting approval by regulators, would fold Norfolk Southern into the Union Pacific rail network, extending UP’s reach from the Mississippi River to the eastern seaboard to create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad.

Read all about Union Pacific's history and this proposed merger here: https://www.omahamagazine.com/business/union-pacificnorfolk-southern-merger-set-to-create-nations-first-transcontinental-railroad/

Voting for Best of Omaha, one of the nation’s most respected “Best of” contests, is now open! Built on a commitment to fairness, transparency, and community participation, Best of Omaha uses ad-free ballots and limits voters to one ballot per verified email address. Voting is open from July 1 through August 10.

Cast your votes here: bestofomaha.com

16-year-old Stephania Pappas embraces her cultural side, with things such as attending Greek school on Sundays. She learns Greek vocabulary and grammar for an hour with about five other students who attend after services at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church.

Pappas immerses herself in the heart of the parish life and cultural customs, where their father, Peter, serves as the priest.

“I want to honor my ancestors from Greece, and to share that with people who are not familiar with our culture.”

Read the full story here: https://www.omahamagazine.com/magazine/opa-stephania-pappas-honors-her-greek-roots/