Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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As a member of this town for 37 plus years, I have seen lots of businesses come and go within the city limits. Of which I can’t recall any of the names of them now, but being that as it may, it should not dampen that spirit of said reality of keep on keeping on. The buildings or stores are still there but alas, no longer do they hold the same feelings as years gone by. My story involves another part of the current population. This you will not like one bit. I am a decorated Navy Vietnam veteran. I willingly gave 24 years of my life to sacrifice...
High School shop classes are beginning to make a comeback. For those of us over the age of 50 shop classes were considered a high school staple, but many high schools have since retired these classes and switched to technology classes. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, this trend of students taking fewer credits in shop classes started in the 1990s. The result of students taking fewer shop classes over the years is that demand has now gone up for people working in trade...
There's being fortunate in your enemies, and then there's having enemies who are helping you take the first step in your political comeback. Donald Trump and his adversaries want profoundly different things in the long run -- Trump wants to be back in the White House; Democrats want him in an orange jumpsuit. Yet, in the shorter term, they both are seeking the same thing -- Trump as the Republican nominee, either so he can sweep to victory (Trump's view) or be beaten again and held to account...
Psalm 91 "Under His wings you shall take refuge. You shall not be afraid of the arrow that flies by day... for He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you ... in their hands they shall bear you up!" My uncle, Fred E. Brands, turned 17, October 31st, 1941. December 7th he enlisted in the United States Navy. World War II had begun at Pearl Harbor. Freddie took training as a navigator in the Naval Air Force. There were six men in his fighter: Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Left, Right and Tai...
Last Thursday, July 27, 2023, North Korea's leader Kim Jon Un presided over a military parade that celebrated the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean conflict, from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. North Korea's Foreign Ministry announced, in bellicose language, that "the 21st century would see the irrevocable termination of the U.S. "Should the U.S. choose to offend our Republic, we will annihilate them by using all our military power that we...
One of the things I am most proud of from my time as Governor was how we improved services. One way we did this was by helping low-income Nebraskans find quality, higher-paying jobs through an innovative program called SNAP Next Step. The program helps families on SNAP, otherwise known as food stamps, with job training, resume writing, and job search coaching to find that better job – that next step toward a better future. We prioritized giving people a hand up, not a handout. The results were i...
House Republicans voted to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs and personnel at the Pentagon, and one wonders whether the U.S. military will ever be the same. The provision was one of a number of anti-"woke" measures in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act -- including reversing the Pentagon's new abortion-enabling paid travel and leave policies -- that have occasioned sputtering outrage. According to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, there's no way that...
Things were bad in Babylon. The king had been dreaming, but had no idea what he dreamt, except that it frightened him. The Chaldean soothsayers were no help. The king grew furious and ordered the death of all the 'wise' men. Daniel asked the King's Captain why this was so urgent. Daniel asked for a stay of execution, headed for home, conferred with his Hebrew companions and "the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision." Daniel 2 Perspective is a valuable game changer. Like louvered...
The twentieth anniversary of Bob Hope's death on July 27th closes the "Season of Hope" that began with Hope's 120th birthday on May 29th. It will not be observed outside of this column, whose author uses Pepsodent toothpaste because it sponsored Hope's radio show. Nevertheless, Hope's influence on America remains. I am not referring to his unparalleled career at the apex of vaudeville, Broadway, movies, radio, and television. I am not referring to stand-up comedy, which Hope concocted by synthes...
Nebraska’s tax system is broken and cannot be fixed. Whether it is the Nebraska State income tax, the State sales tax, the property tax, or the inheritance tax, each of these taxes is beyond repair. The State individual income tax is too complex for the average citizen to understand. In order to show this, consider this instruction from the Nebraska Department of Revenue’s own website: “Taxpayers whose federal adjusted gross income is larger than the threshold amount determined under secti...
"Happy are the people who are in such a state [of blessing] as this! Happy are the people whose God is the Lord." Psalm 144:15 is King David's joyous and thankful praise to God for bringing him through years of persecution and years of war into a time of kingdom peace. Throughout First and Second Samuel, we see the phrase "it happened that..." In the Hebrew, this phrase boils down to 'at the appointed time and appointed place' Father God had an event occur. Most often, these are times when, in...
The two books that Abraham Lincoln read often and loved the most throughout his life were the King James Bible, published in 1611, and William Shakespeare's works, first published as the First Folio in 1623, both the best of English literary works. There were some-including his law partner in Springfield, Illinois, Billy Herndon- who were convinced that Lincoln displayed little religious faith whatsoever, that he was a skeptic, a thinker who scoffed at organized religion. Hence, Lincoln's...
Thank you for your continued efforts to highlight the important benefits available to Veterans. Regarding your latest story about the Veteran suicide rate due to Combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) or PTSD. The Cheyenne VA Health Care System would like to provide some clarification regarding an inaccurate statement, and we request a correction of the following statement: Inaccurate statement: • Basis (or evidence) for clarification: National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report 2022-National-Veteran-Suicide-Pre...
The deadline for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms for the 2023-2024 academic year recently closed on June 30th. FAFSA is the form students and prospective students fill out to apply for grants, work-study, and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education. Before the next FAFSA application cycle opens up on October 1, there is a critical error that Congress must fix to ensure farm families can continue to receive fair consideration of their applications for aid...
Every 65 minutes, at least one U.S. Military Veteran loses his or her battle to Combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) or PTSD; that's roughly 43.3 veterans a day, which is up from 22 a day just two years ago. Recently, someone close to me, a Marine Veteran, was in distress and our community rallied behind this individual to get him help. We utilized a tool I had never known about before: Veterans Crisis Line. The Veteran Crisis Line is open to all U.S. Military Veterans experiencing a...
“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all.” Proverbs 28:6, Matthew 13:11. 2 Peter 1:3 Men (and women) are divinely ‘wired’ to cry out for justice. God shows up and gives them an assignment to carry His Plan into practice. The Bible is full of such instances under the First Covenant. First Kings 18 tells of Elijah who took on Ahab’s wicked government singlehandedly. “These Are the Days of Elijah” by Robin Mark may be sung with gusto, but some may miss the...
Last week Dannette Smith announced her resignation as director of Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) effective August 4, 2023. I was not surprised by the announcement. I am not suggesting that Smith did a poor job as director. Dannette Smith did about as well as any director could have done given the set of circumstances she inherited and the state of affairs of DHHS that she was dealt when she first took over the Department four years ago. DHHS is Nebraska’s largest sta...
As we gather to celebrate the birth of our great nation on this Fourth of July, it is an opportunity to reflect upon the values and ideals that have made America the greatest country that has ever existed. For centuries, our American flag has inspired and rallied Americans through times of triumph and tragedy. It reminds us of the sacrifices made to secure our freedoms. It represents the ideals upon which our nation was founded – freedom, justice, and equality – and our perpetual quest to for...
On the one hand, events in Russia this past weekend were stunning -- the leader of a mercenary group declaring against the country's military leadership and, for 24 hours, marching on Moscow. On the other, they were about what you'd expect in a Russia that, across the long centuries of its existence, has never managed to achieve Western standards of self-government. Everything we need to know about Russia was made clear by its brutish, cynical and incompetent invasion of Ukraine. But the...
"Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing against the Lord and His Anointed One? He Who sits in the Heavens, the Lord, shall laugh and distress them in His deep displeasure." Psalm 2:1-5 On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on the British Crown. Britain was at war with France and felt U.S. commerce should not continue with France. They attacked U.S. ships, absconded with cargo and illegally 'impressed' soldiers and sailors to serve aboard British war ships - often, a...
Two trials in American history stand out above the others, the Salem Witch Trials and the Scopes Monkey Trial. Both were of a religious nature. The two serve as bookends on America's history, the first in 1693, in the years after New England's founding, and the second in 1925, early in the twentieth century. The trial at Salem Village, Massachusetts sought to identify and then execute those unseen spiritual forces, the witches, who, village's officials believed, went about in secret performing...
Nebraskans are still fuming about their new property valuation notices and I don't blame them one bit. The deadline for filing an appeal is June 30, and this year we could see the highest number of property valuation protests ever filed in the history of our State. High property taxes are the number one reason why people leave our State. Nebraska's property tax system is a failed experiment in taxation. In 1966 the citizens of Nebraska voted to amend the Nebraska State Constitution, creating...
It's not unusual for prayer to play a role in sports. "Spahn, Sain, and pray for rain!" was the famous refrain of Boston Braves fans in 1948, when they wanted their exceptional pitchers Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain to start as many games as possible. A couple of years ago, the team chaplain of the Loyola Chicago men's basketball team, Sister Jean, prayed before a game against Illinois in the NCAA Tournament, "As we play the Fighting Illini, we ask for special help to overcome this team and get...
One year ago this week, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down one of the most important decisions in its history. For years, loud voices on the left have demanded the right to an abortion be absolute, including horrific practices like third-trimester and partial birth abortions. Despite an unprecedented leak and a politically-motivated assassination attempt against a sitting Supreme Court Justice, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, the Court restored the right of the American...
“You shall have a banner for those who honor You – a rallying point in the face of attack. Selah! Use Your strong arm to save us and secure Your beloved people”. Psalm 60:4, 5 NLT Red Skelton, one of America’s best-loved comedians, addressing elementary students, spoke the Pledge of Allegiance this way. Available on YouTube. I--meaning me, an individual, a committee of one. Pledge--dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity. Allegiance--my love and my devotion. (Founding Fathers...
