Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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To the Class of 2022: Wear sunscreen. Wait. That’s a line from some 90s commencement address-turned- song. It’s good advice, though, so tuck it in your memory bank for later use. Years ago, when I was preparing to talk a walk across the stage and shake the principal’s hand as he extended a signed diploma, my guidance counselor told the group of seniors, “School is your first job. How did it prepare you for the world?” Excellent question. With that in mind, consider this your exit interview...
“Daily newspapers have traditionally constituted the heart and soul of local news media and they have provided the lion’s share of original reporting upon which all other news media depend,” wrote Robert McChesney and John Nichols, in the “Columbia Journalism Review” last November. For Nebraska news enthusiasts who rely on the daily dish from a local daily newspaper, the future of news is hazy at best. First, a majority of daily papers in Nebraska are owned by Lee Enterprises. In fact, whe...
If you could rewind to your first day in high school (maybe even junior high), would you choose the same path when it comes to course selection? Or, would you rethink those choices, reconsider your future and develop a skillset that will offer hands-on training? The idea came to mind recently, when I was invited to attend the SkillsUSA VIP tour during the organization’s annual convention in Grand Island. If you are unfamiliar with Skills- USA, the career and technical education organization p...
Etch these names in your mind: Greg, Gary and Kelly. They belong to the Sage brothers, of Niobrara. On June 3, 1969, these three native sons were on board the USS Evans, positioned approximately 100 miles off the Vietnam coastline, in the South China Sea, engaged in a training exercise - Operation Sea Spirit - with the HMAS Melbourne, an Australian aircraft carrier. As darkness settled and training continued, the Evans turned right, moving at approximately 21 knots, or 24 miles per hour. An alar...
Is a four-day work week a perk of the job? If national news reports are correct, work-life balance may become more manageable - and soon - as companies trim off one work day. Thanks to the pandemic, companies discovered employees can work from pretty much anywhere, anytime. Thus, conversation about shortening the work week to four days - more than likely trimming Fridays - has sprung up around the globe. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 32% of U.S. employers offer a reduce...
Saturday evening, while sitting at school taking photos of the juniors and seniors in their finest attire, I couldn’t help but think about days gone by and prom, 1970s-style. Our junior year, my classmates and I spent weeknights leading up to the big event, decorating the old gymnasium in varying hues of pastel. The ceiling was coated with strips of crepe paper, creating a whimsical carousel-like roof. I’m not sure how long it took us to cut streamers, maybe we started before the decorating mar...
“I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and think, “Well, that’s not going to happen.” Truth. (Mad props to the person who devised the above-mentioned meme.) Honestly, that hasn’t always been my mindset. I like to cook. More than likely, I am the one who tries a new (or crazy) recipe and brings it to a family get-together. Picture this: An edible appetizer shaped like a Christmas tree, constructed of rye bread, pimento cheese spread, thinly-sliced roast beef, cho...
Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts, said, "A badge is a symbol that you have done the thing it stands for often enough, thoroughly enough, and well enough to be prepared to give service in it. You wear the badge to let people know that you are prepared and willing to be called on because you are a Girl Scout." If Low's assertion is correct, I'm prepared and willing to be called on in a slew of areas. My Girl Scout sash is somewhere in our house. Mom gave it to me when the 'rents moved...
It’s Monday and a wave of guilt washed over me most of the day. Why? How much of this week’s paper is complete? Answer: Not enough, but I’m not stressing, well, not much. It’s mapped out, just a matter of designing a few pages. Why the guilt? Yesterday, I did nothing. And by nothing, I mean absolutely nothing. The Dutch call it “niksen,” which means “to do nothing, to be idle.” Taking a timeout from a regimented schedule, carving time for oneself, isn’t being lazy. (Saying that one more tim...
Grandpa Larson has been on my mind lately. I'm not sure if it's due to binge watching "Peaky Blinders," set in Birmingham, England, in 1919, and the show's references to World War I and newsboy caps. Or, maybe I'm simply waxing nostalgic lately. Grandpa served in World War I. I still possess a felt banner, complete with embroidered Army insignia and the words "Somewhere in France," that hung in the window of his family home while he served this country. He never talked about his time overseas....
I procrastinated this week. I was mulling over several topics and, before I realized, it’s 2 p.m. on deadline day and I haven’t started. Some weeks are like that. Usually I write this column on Friday ... Sunday night at the latest. Mom would’ve told me I wasn’t committed to any of those topics. She’d be right. There should be some semblance of passion for what you’re writing; otherwise, it tends to be mushy dribble, little substance, zero effect. Dad, on the other hand, would have told me to...
The other day, a young person asked what words I would use to describe success. Great question. I asked for more context, wondering if they were trying to correlate success - an accomplishment - with reward, primarily monetary. After deliberation, I’ve narrowed my list to three words. First, is mindset. This may seem cliche, but you, alone, control your attitude. When you wake up, you set the tone for your day. You choose whether you will have a good or bad day. Sure, you may encounter r...
Grief is a strange thing. One minute you’re going about your life, setting type on page six of this week’s paper, and the next, you crumble into a heap, head resting on your desk on a Monday afternoon, tears streaming because it’s your Mom’s 84th birthday and she departed from this world nearly seven years ago. Each of us experiences our own journey when we lose someone. Grief does not differentiate between the ways we lose someone - death, a breakup, a misunderstanding with your closest...
How many of you read locally on a regular basis? If you’re reading this in print, you’re either a subscriber or you pick up a copy at a vendor location. Thank you for supporting a locally-owned business and the other locally-owned advertisers who promote their goods and services in print. We also offer an E-edition, so subscribers can access an online version of the paper via our website. Based on website traffic, our digital edition is popular among readers. The quality journalism you’ve come...
I’m not sure who first said, “Don’t work hard just for recognition. Work hard for your own inner satisfaction and to better yourself.” The quote is spot on, especially right now. Since starting a writing business in the 90s, I’ve analyzed and reviewed work from the previous year. It’s a way to see your writing range, chart growth, determine if your style has or has not adapted. Basically, it is a measuring stick to set realistic goals and develop new ideas. As a freelancer, I could submit work t...
Last week, I received a survey from the Husker athletic office, asking questions about Memorial Stadium upgrades and potential structural changes that could be coming in the future. Questions ranged from seating arrangements, tiers and costs of various seating arrangements, food and beverage sales, legalized gaming, parking and tailgating. Another section asked about the development of a membership-only dinner club. Little did I realize, during the 15 minutes it took to complete the survey, I wo...
Watching a couple episodes of the CW (now on Netflix) telenovela, “Jane the Virgin,” got me thinking. Life is one big soap opera, a dramedy full of ups and downs, mixed with moments of mediocrity. Nothing wrong with watching one, either. Sometimes, it’s okay to escape to a world that seems safe, maybe even a fun location to visit (in this case, Miami) ... unless Rafael’s step-mother-turned-crime-boss known as Sin Rostro, or his drug lord mother (who deserted him after receiving $10 million...
While scrolling through my phone, I happened upon an article that caught my interest. The title: “20 Things to Do Instead of Scrolling Through Your Phone.” Ironic, right? Truth be told, I have been making a conscious effort to cut back on screen time. It’s tough, at times, because a large portion of work for the paper can be accomplished via phone. The article’s author, Aleid ter Weel, asserts the majority of Americans spend one full waking month of every year on their phones. That’s 31 days....
I had to chuckle, Sunday, during one of our family get-togethers, when several of us mentioned we would like to be home by 7 p.m. Why? “Yellowstone.” I was late to the “Yellowstone” bandwagon. Season one had wrapped and Shelly Mlnarik was telling me about the series. I binge watched it in a day and was hooked. Then, Scott watched an episode and was hooked, so we restarted the series. Then, the wait for season two began. Ever since, we’ve been loyal viewers. While I appreciate the actors who comp...
In the Sidebar, we have a T-shirt screen print available that reads, “Merry Stress-mas.” I can relate. It’s Monday night and I haven’t started holiday shopping. In my defense, we aren’t celebrating family Christmas until a week later, but, still. My sister asked what the plans are for Dec. 25 and my response was, “I have no clue.” In a former life, I loved decorating and cooking for the holidays. We definitely decked the halls ... and every other room in the house. You do those things when you’r...
The headline is intriguing: What’s your state’s favorite Christmas cookie? The deck headline provides the source for the nationwide poll: Google shares unique holiday searches. According to the accompanying graphic, Nebraska’s favorite Christmas cookie is ... wait for it ... Christmas cookie fudge. What? Interesting ... especially since our neighbors to the south searched for M&M Christmas cookies, while Coloradoans, Wyomingites, South Dakotans and Iowagens searched for Keto Christmas cookie rec...
“Kids believe in Santa; adults believe in childhood.” Author Cate Kennedy hits the mark with that line from her short story collection, “Dark Roots.” Last week, while Scott, Elizabeth and I fulfilled Santa’s elf duty, stuffing toys, candy and fruit into brown paper sacks, visions from Christmases past reminded me of the good ol’ days and what days leading up to the holiday were like during the age of flower power and groovy, man. In Clay Center, Santa Claus made an appearance on Saturdays i...
Does American democracy survive without the backbone of independent local journalism? That question serves as the theme of the documentary, “Storm Lake,” airing recently on the PBS show, “Independent Lens.” The segment follows the daily ins and outs of Art Cullen and his family, who run the Storm Lake Times, which debuted in 1990. Initially, the paper printed weekly, with Friday distribution. Within three years, the Times began printing daily. A month later, another newspaper in Storm Lake st...
During a week when gratitude is at the forefront, it seems strange to be viewing and reading about toxic positivity. News about the psychological phrase is plastered everywhere, or so it seems. ICYMI: Toxic positivity is defined as an excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of an optimistic state. Toxic positivity creates a false narrative and minimizes interpersonal communication. The problem with always putting on a happy face is complicated and unhealthy. It's unnatural. Responding in...
When my writing career started more than 30 years ago, I spent months establishing a freelance career. After long days of teaching and coaching, I stayed up late at night, crafting query letters and sending them via snail mail, hoping to get a bite from local publications ... or a big break with a national news outlet. It seems amazing, considering it was in the dark ages - er, I mean pre-internet times. It was hard work, but I was determined to form partnerships with trusted publications and...
