Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Jasmine Gutschow felt nauseous when she woke up a few days before Thanksgiving last year. She brushed it off as typical pregnancy symptoms. She told her fiance he should head into work – the baby, not due for six more weeks, wouldn't be coming anytime soon. Three hours later, after her contractions started, after they sped for the hospital, after their 2003 Chevy Tahoe broke down, after her contractions quickened to every two minutes and Gutschow's fiance frantically dialed 911, it had become c...
It’s 7:30 p.m. on a wintry Friday night and the parking lot outside Johnny’s Cafe, a South Omaha landmark, is jammed. The scent of seared steak wafts out the heavy, faux-bronze doors as they swing outward, and diners walk into a glowing, ruby-hued time capsule of Nebraska food history. To the left is the massive dining room, still crowded on weekends with silver-haired men in sportcoats and women in their best blouses being served by staff who have worked here for decades. To the right is the da...
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...
I love Thanksgiving. I love preparing the food all day and enjoying it while sitting around a table with some of the people I love most. And, there is one holiday tradition I have grown to adore. As we sit down to eat, we share one thing we feel grateful for this year. Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve aspects of mental health and our sense of well-being and it isn't hard to understand why. Saying or thinking "I am grateful for..." feels really good and doing so regularly can help...
It's no secret I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie. Especially pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream. I know for some folks confessing I don't like pumpkin pie is practically criminal, but it is what it is. It's not that I hate pumpkin pie, it's just not my first choice. If I have one piece a year (hold the whipped cream, please), I'm good. When it comes to holiday desserts, there are other choices for me. And I don't dislike pumpkin in general (but don't get me started on pumpkin spice!). Several...
Due to unforeseen circumstances with our delivery service, the Nov. 25 edition of the Advocate-Messenger will more than likely not arrive in your mailbox until Friday or Saturday. Newspapers were being delivered to the post office Wednesday afternoon. If you live in or near Clearwater, stop by the Advocate-Messenger office at 522 Main Street, in Clearwater, to pick up a FREE copy of this week's paper. We, along with the delivery service, regret any inconvenience....
Turkey basics If this is your first time preparing a turkey, here are a few pointers to keep in mind. These safety tips and recommendations come from the United States Department of Agriculture. Before you start cooking: Thaw the turkey, if frozen. If you haven't yet taken it out of the freezer, do it soon. Thaw it in its original package on a tray. Allow almost 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. A 12- to 16-pound turkey will take 3 to 4 days to thaw in the refrigerator. If you forget to tha...
Antelope County Commissioners approved five tourism grants during Tuesday’s meeting, in Neligh. Two promotional grants were approved for the Neligh Chamber of Commerce, for $350 apiece. One grant is for the upcoming Novemberfest event, scheduled for Nov. 6 and the second is for the yearly parade of lights. Neligh-Oakdale TeamMates received $200 to promote the Raft of Crafts event, planned for Nov. 13. St. Boniface Church, in Elgin, will receive a $350 grant for promotion of the yearly T...
I will start by apologizing to my daughter Courtney. While I like the changing colors of fall and absolutely love football, I do not get excited about pumpkin spice everything. Sorry. I just can’t. With the exception of a pumpkin butter, laced with vanilla, I recently purchased, the thought of pumpkin invading every fall food and beverage choice is a turnoff. Maybe I need to clarify. I don’t mind a pumpkin spice latte with extra froth once or twice a season. Every single day from August unt...
Where were you 50 years ago, on Thanksgiving, when two of the top college football programs battled it out in what is known as the game of the century? I was hoping for a repeat outcome Saturday, when Nebraska traveled to Norman, but like many games in recent Husker history, we did not capitalize on opportunities in the scarlet zone. Part of me says, “Take the moral victory against the (then) third-ranked team in the country.” Part of me says, “Oh no, here we go again.” I refuse to debate...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES August 9, 2021 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met in regularsession Monday, Aug. 9, at 7:30 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7:30 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate- Messenger and notice was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kelly Kerkman, Steve Hankla, Steve Stearns, Kevin Filsinger, Mike Klabenes. Others present: Lauren...
The Summerland Advocate-Messenger finished third in the Class A digital sweepstakes of the Nebraska Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest. Awards were announced June 17, via video presentation. SAM staff members submitted entires in 58 categories focusing on writing, photography, advertising, digital, design and creativity. According to the Nebraska Press Association, which sponsors the contest, more than 3,100 separate entries, representing nine dailies and 66 weeklies, were judged by...
Despite a pandemic that saw life around us change, not everything in 2020 was bad. Advocate-Messenger employees share a personal glimpse of the hope they experienced in 2020 and offer a wish for the new year. ~~~ One of the biggest signs of hope for me was being able to attend in-person classes at Wayne State College. With all the uncertainty in the world, it was a huge relief to know that colleges were taking one of the first steps to give some sense of normalcy to their students. Wish for...
“I need a sign to let me know you’re here. All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere...” That song lyric, from “Calling All Angels,” by Train, kept replaying in my mind Monday evening, when we gathered with approximately 30 individuals to view the great conjunction, at Honey Creek Observatory, north of O’Neill. Low, rolling clouds blanketed the southwestern sky. Occasionally, a sliver of the waxing gibbous moon would surface, offering a quick glimpse at its corona. The Christm...
I have a confession to make: I’ve never really learned how to make pie crust. In fact, most of the pies I’ve served in my life have a connection to Pillsbury, Mrs. Smith or the bakery department from my favorite supermarket. It’s not for lack of effort. I’ve tried to make my own crust, but I just don’t have it together. And you can’t blame my mother. For all of the good things she inherited from my grandmother, the ability to make a decent pie crust was not one of them. So long ago, I acknowledg...
Even in the best of times, staging a live performance requires suspension of belief, pulling audience members into a mystical realm situated beyond the fourth wall. This year - 2020 - may be remembered as the worst of times for aspiring performers, as concerns about safety take center stage. Summerland School's play production team and coaches have learned to adapt to on- and off-stage challenges so the show may go on. Director Julie Harley said the initial adaptation came with play selection....
While I count my blessings each and every day, I have never cared for Thanksgiving. Bad memories tend to resurface. Like how the smell of turkey roasting in the oven reminds me of three-year-old LuAnn, who was ill with influenza, tried a bite of turkey and couldn’t keep it down. Grandma Fields understood my pain, and every year, she also baked a ham so people, -er, I could have another choice. Simpler times then. In 2003, my husband died from a pulmonary embolism, two days before T...
College students are choosing to take advantage of an opportunity to add additional credits between the fall and spring semesters this year by enrolling in a course or two during a time they would normally be on break. At Northeast Community College, registration is underway for an optional six-week intersession that will run from late November through mid-January, with a break in between for the holidays. As of Nov. 19, more than 260 students have enrolled in more than 1,000 credit hours during the intersession. This is the first time the coll...
All that planning. All those lists. All that grocery shopping. All that prep. All that cooking. And now Thanksgiving dinner is done and you're looking at all those leftovers. Well, you are if you're lucky. What's the point of Thanksgiving dinner if you don't have leftovers? It makes me chuckle when I read those "how much will you need" suggestions for how big of a turkey will you need to feed your crowd and it says "1 pound per person, maybe 1-1/2 pounds if you want leftovers." I'm not sure I...
Third-grade students at Summerland Public School were asked what they would serve for Thanksgiving dinner if they were the host or how they would cook a turkey. Their responses appear, in original form, as submitted to SAM. This is how I would cook a Turkey! First I will put seasoning on it. Then I’ll stick it on a grill for 1 hour. Take it off. It will smell wonderful. Now I can eat it with my family. It will be great! -Tony Ahlers I would help mom serve Thanksgiving. I would get the bowls read...
Growing up, Thanksgiving was pretty laid back in my house. As I've mentioned before, I grew up in Oshkosh, but both of my parents were born and raised near Valentine and that's where most of their families still lived. My dad worked for the local power company; he and a lineman were the service crew for the area. Someone always had to be there "on call." He worked over Thanksgiving so he could take Christmas off and spend it in Valentine with family. So usually, it was just Mom and Dad and me. O...
What word do you associate with German Chocolate cake? For me, it’s love. Every birthday, Grandma Larson would have her best friend, Anna Kuhl, bake a three-tiered German Chocolate cake. I looked forward to that cake each time. It’s my favorite cake, especially when coconut pecan frosting tops it. Homemade, of course. Okay, I’ll be honest. I associate chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies and gooey rice krispy bars with love, too. Primarily because Grandma made those goodies and toted them to...
Janie Olson arranges a dozen miniature pine tree-shaped cookies on a tray, grabs a bag of green frosting and begins piping the sweet cookie covering. First, she traces an outline along the edges before filling in the middle. Next, she zigzags a thin line of yellow, creating tinsel and finishes with red and blue icing, adding pops of color for ornaments. After more than two decades of decorating cookies, Olson - along with sisters Nancy Claussen and Joyce Miller - have mastered the art of...
Expect to see more physical play during girls' basketball games this season. Summerland Head Coach Greg Appleby said the move to Class C2 will require the team to adjust its game. "We will see more physical play, better athleticism and more man-to-man defense being played," Appleby said. "Monday night's exhibition game against Class C1 O'Neill was a good start for us. The Bobcats outlasted the Eagles, 53-39. Five starters from last year's teams join the Bobcat squad, including Brenna Wagner,...
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol were busy throughout Thanksgiving weekend. Troopers responded to multiple winter storms across the state, assisting more than 400 motorists in need of help from Wednesday through Sunday. "Two major snow events that covered much of Nebraska made Thanksgiving travel difficult," said Colonel John Bolduc. This annual Thanksgiving "Click It or Ticket" campaign, included enforcement operations from more than 30 law enforcement agencies across Nebraska. Troopers...
