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  • Isms: Views on life in rural America

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Jan 1, 2025

    A quick trip to Comstock on Saturday reinforced why I love Nebraska. The village, nestled against the Middle Loup River and situated on the Custer and Valley county line, boasts a population of 97 souls. I’m guessing on Saturday, the population may have doubled, as out-of-town visitors strolled or drove by the massive Christmas light displays stretching from one “Welcome to Comstock” sign to the other. Organizers boast the display contains more than a mile of lights, a dozen themed build...

  • Governor, legislature try again to tame the state's high property taxes

    Paul Hammel, Hebraska Statehouse Correspondent|Jan 1, 2025

    pears to be on the road to recovery after a wild ride aboard a bucking bronco, his next rodeo act will be roping up enough votes to lower property taxes, cut government spending and return Nebraska to a "winner-take-all" system of doling out the state's electoral college votes. Those are among the top priorities laid out by the governor – before he was bucked off a reportedly new horse – for the 2025 session of the Nebraska Legislature, which begins on January 8. At the top of the list is som...

  • Embracing our culture of giving

    Jeff Yost, Nebraska Community Foundation|Jan 1, 2025

    If you’ve lived in Nebraska for any amount of time, you know that Nebraskans give back. The rest of the country is still discovering our penchant for generosity. Though our state may not have the largest population or the most nonprofits, Nebraska consistently ranks among the top five states for charitable dollars received per capita, according to new research released by Candid, GivingTuesday and Network for Good. These findings intrigued researchers, prompting them to investigate N...

  • -Isms: Views on life in rural America

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Dec 25, 2024

    While I am not a big fan of Charles Dickens’ novella “A Christmas Carol,” I feel the ghost of Christmas past likes to visit every night in December. Some memories make me laugh, others are best buried under a blanket of fluffy snow. As I contemplated which gifts to purchase for the grandkids, my mind wandered to our Wausa grandparents. First, Grandma required we make a wish list of five items. In pure Grandma fashion, we would usually get most of them. Spoiled, I know. Then, I didn’t realize...

  • Speaker of the Legislature offers plan to maintain valuable access for inspector generals

    Paul Hammel, Nebraska Statehouse Correspondent|Dec 25, 2024

    A wise, old soul once told me that "the story of government isn't that what is said isn't so, it's that what is so isn't said." That, over and over, has proven true in years of digging into stories and actions of state government. State agencies and constitutional officers have a bevy of public information officers whose job is to promote what that agency or office does, and overall, make that agency look good. ("Put lipstick on the pig" is another old saying.) All too often, when you peel away...

  • Investing in your small business

    Khushi Steichen|Dec 25, 2024

    Starting a small business requires dedication and, often, taking out a loan. A loan can be a practical step for those seeking growth and can allow small business owners to tackle challenges like cash flow gaps, space constraints, or inventory needs. Why apply for a loan? A loan can be a powerful tool for small businesses when used strategically. Loans are versatile and can be used for equipment, working capital, or real estate. Additionally, programs like the Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise...

  • -Isms: Views on life in rural America

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Dec 18, 2024

    Tell me the landscape of college football is changing without telling me the landscape of college football is changing. Take example No. 1. Last week, Marshall officials announced that its team will not play in the Independence Bowl, due to “player unavailability due to activity in the transfer portal.” Since Dec. 8, 29 players have entered the transfer portal after coach Charles Huff left the Thundering Herd to become head coach at Southern Miss. How about example No. 2? The House v. NCAA antit...

  • National highway designation expected for US 20

    Sen Barry DeKay|Dec 18, 2024

    I first want to start this week’s update by expressing my gratitude to our state’s congressional delegation with regards to the recent passage of Senate Bill 1478 in Congress. This bill would designate U.S. Hwy 20 in the states of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” While then-Governor Ricketts approved the renaming of U.S. Hwy 20 in Nebraska as the “Nebraska Medal of Honor Hi...

  • Traveling's greatest gifts are the people you meet

    Paul Hammel, Nebraska Statehouse Correspondent|Dec 18, 2024

    My family has always loved to travel. Whether it was camping trips, a road trip to the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal or a drive to the Black Hills to see relatives, we could put some miles on the family car. My dad was exposed early to international travelers. The family farm hosted agricultural exchange visitors from France and India. My dad served in Japan during the Korean War, so he’d seen a far flung part of the world, and befriended a family there who later sent a daughter to live wit...

  • -Isms: Views on life in rural America

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Dec 11, 2024

    Spoiler alert: If we’re Facebook friends, you may have read this. Good news, though. Upon reflection, I’ve added to it. So, I started a new project Saturday night. It’s been brewing for a month … and I needed to visualize and contemplate the layout and process before I began ... even though the supplies sat on the dining room table, next to the laptop, for another month. The red marbled composition notebook, chopped in half, 13 rolls of washi tape and a ream of marbled card stock taunted...

  • 'Pheasant envy' confounds Huskers as hunters stream north

    Paul Hammel, Nebraska Statehouse Correspondent|Dec 11, 2024

    We've all had our fill of political news. So I thought that this week, we'd delve into a topic that's equally as timely – pheasant hunting. I've spent a fair amount of time in pursuit of the ring-necked bird, and recently traveled to South Dakota – the self-proclaimed "Pheasant Capital of the World" – to try my luck with my trusty Vizsla, "Gunnar," and a couple of buddies. If you've ever traveled to our northern neighbor this time of year, you'll see dozens upon dozens of guys (and a few gals)...

  • Recycling wind turbine blades: A farmer's ingenuity

    Tod Bowman, Center for Rural Affairs|Dec 11, 2024

    Wind turbine blades play a crucial part in clean energy generation, but their disposal poses a growing challenge. Luckily, innovative solutions provide new ways to keep them out of landfills. As the wind industry grows, there is an increasing need for replacement of older wind turbine blades with larger, more efficient ones. With a lifespan of approximately 25 years, the sheer number of blades and other components that will eventually need to be decommissioned will strain current repurposing...

  • DeKay outlines priority topics for upcoming legislative session

    Sen. Barry Dekay|Dec 11, 2024

    This past week, the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee held an interim hearing to discuss the status of highways and broadband in Nebraska. The Committee first heard from Director Vicki Kramer of the Nebraska Department of Transportation who testified that the impact of inflation is presenting challenges to fulfill future highway construction and maintenance projects. Nebraska’s current highway needs for the next 20 years currently sit at $16.9 billion, but when inflation is a...

  • -Isms: Views on life in rural America

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Dec 4, 2024

    Unpopular opinion: Sportsmanship is best shown during competition, not during a five-second sound bite or video during a coin toss. That’s why I agree with the take by Nebraska sports writer Mitch Sherman from Friday’s Huskers versus Iowa game. “The Athletic” journalist asserts that the 60-minute football contest showed true sportsmanship. The pregame antics were pure hype. “They didn’t head hunt. They didn’t try to start fights or commit personal fouls. Common in rivalry games, those actions...

  • Republicans have a lengthy 'wish list' after retaining filibuster-proof majority

    Paul Hammel, Nebraska Statehouse Correspondent|Dec 4, 2024

    Everyone has a "wish list" – things they'd like to get done, things they'd like to see happen, things they wish would come true. But the Nebraska Republican Party recently put together the mother of all wish lists. In a four-page document unveiled last month, the Nebraska GOP listed more than 70 policy changes they'd like to see at the state, local and national level. The long list of wishes include returning the state to a "winner-take-all" system of awarding its electoral votes for p...

  • When presses go silent, we all lose

    George Ayoub, Nebraska Examiner|Dec 4, 2024

    So goes the school, so goes the newspaper, so goes the town. Such an observation is neither original nor germane to some of America, but in Nebraska it is a fact of life — sometimes a sad fact when a small town loses its newspaper. For further details on two Nebraska newspapers closing their doors, I recommend Paul Hammel’s excellent piece in the Nebraska Examiner. He puts into perspective what the loss of a newspaper means to communities such as Ainsworth and Valentine, the pair set to cea...

  • -Isms: Views on life in rural America

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Nov 27, 2024

    It’s time to go bowling ... and I’m not talking about rolling an eight-pound Columbia 300. I haven’t been to a bowl game since 1981. That’s a 43-year drought where I’ve had to watch bowl games from afar or, gasp, suffer without a post-season game for the ‘Skers. So stop complaining because it has been eight years since our boys of fall last competed in late December. Forty-three is almost half a century. That’s ... old. Saturday’s Husker win over the stinkin’ Wiscy Badgers secured a bowl bi...

  • Small business help: What is a target market and how does it fit into your business plan?

    LUIS FRANCO, Center for Rural Affairs|Nov 27, 2024

    When it comes to running a successful small business, providing a great product or service is only half the battle. Whether you’re selling handcrafted products, offering professional services, or running a local shop, knowing who your potential customers are—and how to reach them—can make all the difference in your business’s success. What is a target market? Think of your target market as a group of your ideal customers. These people likely have similar characteristics outside of being most lik...

  • Watchdog once again calls for an end to double-bunking inmates in solitary confinement cells

    Paul Hammel, Nebraska Statehouse Correspondent|Nov 27, 2024

    ace, we can all agree on that. And it's a very difficult place to manage, given that many inmates don't want to be there and have histories of violence, deception and mental illnesses. But inmates sent there shouldn't end up dead, unless they're sentenced to life in prison or given the death penalty for especially heinous murders. That – death – has been the result for at least three inmates in recent years who were placed in the same cell with another prisoner in solitary confinement cel...

  • A remarkable Nebraska success story

    Jeff Yost, Nebraska Community Foundation|Nov 27, 2024

    A community, just like a person, is an unfolding process. Ever changing, growing and maturing, a community always needs to appreciate the present while focusing on the future. This year Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) is celebrating its 30th anniversary of helping Nebraska hometowns do just that: create new community capacity, better teamwork and a progressive vision for a future that motivates and inspires the next generation to want to be in community with us. In November NCF held its...

  • -Isms: Views on life in rural America

    Nov 20, 2024

    It’s funny how reading something can lead me down a rabbit hole, filled with history and memories. As I perused a daily “ideas” email from a writing group, the following question was posed: If you could design a theme park around any concept, what would it be? That simple question provoked thoughts of amusement parks in Nebraska. Kids today, more than likely, think about the mega-waterparks made popular by lazy, floating rivers and crazy slides or a Fun Plex, where video games can keep you occupied for hours. More than 50 years ago, Chaut...

  • Repeal a good place to restart

    George Ayoub, Nebraska Examiner|Nov 20, 2024

    Nebraskans decided a couple weeks ago that public funds for education should fund public education … and only public education. You can skip the “well, duh.” Without two petition drives, a solid campaign and Nebraskans doing the right thing, the question in question — Legislative Bill 1402 — may very well have started using tax dollars for private school tuition next fall. The decision to repeal LB 1402, which provided public money for private school scholarships, was fairly loud and quite cle... Full story

  • Voting in 2024 election showed a definite east-west, urban-rural divide

    Paul Hammel, NPA Statehouse Correspondent|Nov 20, 2024

    We're all glad the election is over and we're no longer subjected to wall-to-wall campaign ads on TV and radio. The faster we can get back to watching "Green Acres" reruns the better! But I can't get over how differently Nebraskans in the east, and Nebraskans in the west voted this year. We might as well be two states – "East Cornhusker" and "West Cornhusker" (and I know several people who would prefer that). Let's take the hottest race in the state, pitting incumbent U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer v...

  • -Isms

    LuAnn Schindler, Publisher|Nov 13, 2024

    If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would you choose? I hope this scenario doesn’t play out. Ever. Music is one of my top three learning styles, woven into the fabric of everyday instances. Let’s face it, it’s practically one of my love languages, forging a bond that strikes a right chord, creating harmony on all levels. When Plato wrote, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything,” I wonder wh...

  • In the mailbag

    Nov 13, 2024

    Dear Summerland Advocate-Messenger, Thank you for donating money for the Level I photography champion award. I had fun trying all the Level 1 classes and was excited the judges liked my fun with mirrors photos. My siblings and I had a lot of fun creating them. I look forward to improving my photography skills and explaining and taking pictures with the new camera I received. We’ll see if I get brave and try Level 2 classes or do Level I one more year. Thank you for supporting youth through the 4-H program. Sincerely, Adelyn F...

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