Samantha Bernt
Reporter
Lincoln, Nebraska
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Samantha Bernt was born and raised in Fremont, Nebraska where she learned her love for writing.
She decided she wanted to pursue a career in journalism after her first journalism class at Fremont High School.
Samantha graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2021 with a degree in journalism, and minors in psychology and global studies.
During her time at UNL, Sam wrote for the Daily Nebraskan, and interned at the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald.
In her free time, Sam loves to crack open a book, binge a new show and catch up with family and friends.
If you have tips or stories for Sam, you can reach her at samantha.bernt@1011now.com.
Updated: 15 hours ago
|By Samantha Bernt
Students in Lincoln High’s Skate Club have partnered with organizations, working to advocate for the skate park, sharing what skaters want to see happen.
Updated: May. 23, 2023 at 10:20 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
Virtual court hearings have become more of a norm, these days they’re used more for efficiency for judges and everyone else involved, rather than helping to prevent the spread of COVID.
Updated: May. 17, 2023 at 10:35 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
For almost three decades now, Lincoln Northeast High School has played a role in adding more affordable housing to the capital city by having students help build them.
Updated: May. 15, 2023 at 9:20 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
10/11 NOW met with Crist and looked back on her career with LFR, which started well before those five years as public information officer.
Updated: May. 9, 2023 at 10:22 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
In a change made six months ago, Utica’s grocery store was renamed the Centennial Market Cooperative. Those who shop there said they were able to transition to a co-op quickly without impacting business thanks to some help based in Lincoln.
Updated: May. 8, 2023 at 10:58 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
The notion of a stricter abortion law in Nebraska is still a possibility this legislative session.
Updated: May. 8, 2023 at 3:03 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt and Ryan Swanigan
Lincoln Police said 59-year-old Mark Kruger was stabbed in the torso with a steak knife.
Updated: May. 3, 2023 at 10:20 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
The Lincoln Police Department is trying something new to empower its officers to connect the people they meet with resources that could make all the difference.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2023 at 10:28 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
About nine months and a half a million dollars in renovations later, a long-time Lincoln business has reopened its doors and is back up and running.The Fort clothing store closed last July after an electrical fire that shut down the store until just last week.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2023 at 8:57 AM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
A Lincoln family is honoring a difficult anniversary in their lives in a positive way
Updated: Apr. 17, 2023 at 9:58 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
Six figures worth of damage. That’s the early estimate from officials when looking at what last week’s storm did to some people’s properties near Wymore.
Updated: Apr. 11, 2023 at 10:13 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
There have been several wildfires that have popped up across southeast Nebraska over the past few days.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2023 at 9:34 AM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
Lincoln’s general election is less than four weeks away, and the hotly contested race for mayor is ramping up.
Updated: Apr. 4, 2023 at 10:35 AM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
Heidi Brave said she’ll always remember Damien as a happy kid.
Updated: Mar. 28, 2023 at 10:45 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
Two families are trying to wrap their heads around the unexpected deaths of their loved ones. According to Lincoln Police, a woman intentionally hit two men with her car on Monday, killing them both.
Updated: Mar. 21, 2023 at 6:09 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
A heated and emotional debate about a bill aiming to restrict gender-altering care for minors occurred Tuesday at the Unicameral.
Updated: Mar. 21, 2023 at 9:20 AM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
Throughout the city, signs for candidates in the race for mayor, city council and school boards are starting to pop up. Although this election will consist of a shorter ballot, there’s still a lot to know before casting your ballot.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 7:36 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
In a show of solidarity on Tuesday, several nonprofits met with lawmakers, urging them to focus on a number of things including making more funding available, and appointing legal counsel in eviction hearings.
Updated: Mar. 13, 2023 at 5:40 PM CDT
|By Samantha Bernt
In the first episode, Captain Vik, Sheriff Wagner and Chief Deputy Houchin discussed how they ended up at LSO and what the sheriff’s office does.
Updated: Mar. 8, 2023 at 6:41 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
The Nebraska Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association marks Wednesday as Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day.
Updated: Mar. 7, 2023 at 3:19 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Tuesday morning, a missing Boston Terrier was reunited with her family.
Updated: Mar. 6, 2023 at 6:43 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
A Lincoln family is reeling after an alleged mistake by law enforcement following a standoff resulted in their dog running away.
Updated: Feb. 27, 2023 at 10:11 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Some Lincoln Public School students are getting a unique opportunity to work part-time for the school district.
Updated: Feb. 22, 2023 at 10:18 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
At Bryan Health some patients don’t need to be in the hospital but they’re not well enough to go home. They need post-acute care but they’re stuck in the hospital waiting weeks or even months to be transferred.
Updated: Feb. 14, 2023 at 9:23 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
The City of Lincoln and Lancaster County have received millions of dollars in American Rescue Plan funding.In fact, the combined total is over $100 million, so 10/11 Now asked, just where have those dollars gone?
Updated: Feb. 13, 2023 at 10:40 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
The Unicameral's Education Committee started another week of the legislative session hearing testimony on another controversial transgender bill, this one dealing with youth sports.
Updated: Feb. 8, 2023 at 10:16 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
The bill, LB 574, deals with controversial transgender issues. It would ban gender-altering procedures on minors.
Updated: Feb. 8, 2023 at 8:45 AM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Those who represent Nebraska in Washington had this to say in response.
Updated: Feb. 6, 2023 at 9:44 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Monday, the Lincoln City Council held a public hearing about the lease for the property and ARPA funds from the city and county would pay for a portion of the project. Private dollars are also providing a big chunk of the dollars needed as well.
Updated: Jan. 31, 2023 at 10:45 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
A bill introduced at the state capitol aims to give parents more control over their child’s education.
Updated: Jan. 30, 2023 at 10:45 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Monday at the state capitol, the Business and Labor Committee heard testimony regarding LB 15, a bill that would lower the minimum wage for minors.
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023 at 6:31 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Back in October, 10/11 NOW brought you the story of a volunteer firefighter who was severely burned after fighting the wild fires in Hallam. On Friday, the city of Crete welcomed him home from the hospital.
Updated: Jan. 19, 2023 at 10:52 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
What started as just a study last year now has many Lincoln business owners eyeing an opportunity down the road to cash in on a downtown convention center.
Updated: Jan. 18, 2023 at 8:52 AM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Property owners across Lincoln and Lancaster County are receiving their 2023 valuations in the mail and many are flat-out stunned by the number they’re seeing.
Updated: Jan. 15, 2023 at 5:43 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Nebraskans voted and now they’re seeing the impacts. In January, the state’s minimum wage went up from $9 to $10.50 with increases coming for the next three years.
Updated: Jan. 15, 2023 at 5:42 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Families came together as a racing team at Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed in Lincoln. The museum held its fifth annual Lego Pit Stop Event.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2023 at 10:45 AM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
A recent report shows most of the restaurants that closed last year in Lincoln were local rather than chains, but also that the industry is making positive strides.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2023 at 10:21 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
The Lincoln nonprofit I’ve Got a Name, said this type of crime impacts areas from big cities to rural towns, and raising awareness has the power to save lives.
Updated: Jan. 9, 2023 at 10:25 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
It started in 2018 and officials say they should wrap up in 2026, but staff members said it’s much needed as the last update to the system dates back decades.
Updated: Jan. 8, 2023 at 5:29 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
For many, the New Year means coming up with New Year’s Resolutions. One of the most common ones, exercising and living a healthier life.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2023 at 6:08 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
As 2023 starts, the Nebraska Safety Council hopes to cut back on deadly crashes across the state.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2023 at 5:52 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
The fight to bring medical marijuana to Nebraska isn’t over. A state senator plans to, once again, introduce a bill this session keeping hope alive for a group that wants to see it legalized.
Updated: Dec. 30, 2022 at 5:23 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Crews at the City of Lincoln wastewater plant are taking methane from wastewater, and turning it into fuel for city buses and beyond.
Updated: Dec. 21, 2022 at 10:46 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
Here in Lincoln, the People’s City Mission held a memorial, while at the same time urging those who are without a home to seek shelter amid this freezing and potentially deadly weather.
Updated: Dec. 21, 2022 at 9:15 AM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
With a storm brewing and the holidays just days away, shoppers are hitting the aisles before the weather keeps them home.
Updated: Dec. 20, 2022 at 9:14 AM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
With dangerous cold expected later this week, utility companies want you to be prepared.
Updated: Dec. 16, 2022 at 9:34 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
For years, Lincoln Public School students have been able to learn more about their passion outside of a typical classroom. Thanks to focus programs, students get hands-on experience in areas like aviation, culinary arts, health sciences, and even more options are becoming available.
Updated: Dec. 14, 2022 at 10:30 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
First responders south of town said overall the Beltway is a good thing but any emergencies that happen on it add to an already full workload.
Updated: Dec. 13, 2022 at 9:16 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
In the fight against America’s opioid addiction crisis, CVS and Walgreens will be paying a large amount of money with Nebraska set to receive a little more than $41 million. With the lawsuit settle come questions about how Nebraska, and more than a dozen other states, will use that money.
Updated: Dec. 1, 2022 at 9:44 PM CST
|By Samantha Bernt
As of November 1, 2022, the Lincoln Police Department had tested roughly 65% of all the kits it's seen this year. It’s a sharp jump compared to last year when just 37% were tested.