Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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One of the great, unsolved mysteries in the state has been why the beloved Trev Alberts left his alma mater to become athletic director at Texas A&M. Alberts was an All-American football player at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then eventually became athletic director at the school after a successful stint at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Seemed like a match made in heaven, and a job Alberts would hold for many years. But then, suddenly, it was over, and Alberts was trading Husker...
Were you part of the mad rush at Target stores, trampling others or being pushed out of the way, to snag one of the hottest items in the retail world? Were you part of the Stanley stampede, where the lucky prize, if you were able to snag it, was a limited Target and Starbucks collaborative cosmo pink tumbler? Don’t confuse this particular tumbler with the winter pink shade also sold at Target. Seems that one is difficult to find, too. Don’t worry, I wasn’t standing in line on New Year’s Eve to...
“I don’t need stress; I need my shopping bag. It’s almost Black Friday.” Um, I’ve never uttered those words, much alone given day-after-Thanksgiving sales a lot of thought. I’ve gone shopping on Black Friday a handful of times. The first time was nearly 25 years ago. The Menards sales ad listed several great deals and our family decided we needed a certain item from the circular. What item? I don’t remember. I’m sure it was some insignificant piece of plastic made outside of the USA, but hey, t...
They knew the record-breaking attendance number before the rest of the world. The iconic attendance number that hovered over the northeast corner of Memorial Stadium on the night of Aug. 30 was the work of Fantasy Drone Shows, a Norfolk-based aerial entertainment company. The assistant athletic director of marketing and fan experience confirmed the final attendance number at approximately 7:50 p.m., leaving the company with less than an hour to program and launch 150 drones to announce the...
An open letter to Colorado. It's fitting that I am writing this on the 22nd Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America, the day that hatred manifested itself openly on American soil. I am writing about a now-past football game and the comments made by the showboat coach of the University of Colorado and his son the star quarterback who said to more than one media outlet "We don't like Nebraska." That comment is somewhat toned down from Saturday evening reports that he uttered that he "hated" Neb...
Homecoming festivities will take center stage next week at Summerland Public Schools. Class attendents and senior royalty candidates were announced Tuesday. Student Council advisor Ashley Harrison said coronation will take place during the pep rally, planned to start at 2:05 p.m., Friday, Sept. 22. Senior queen candidates include Aislynn Kester, Ashley Melcher, Adyson Mlnarik and Preslie Robertson. Vying for the king's crown will be Caige Anson, Garrett Napier, Barrett Stearns and Jesse Thiele....
Oh, what a night! I've been at Memorial Stadium for some of the sweetest victories (and saddest defeats) in history. I was there in 1978 when the Huskers and Tom Osborne defeated Oklahoma. I've watched multiple Nebraska vs. Colorado games play out. I witnessed Ron Kellogg III throw a Hail Mary to the endzone and saw Jordan Westerkamp grab it out of thin air, securing a win. I sang "Let Me Clear My Throat" with 89,000 other Husker loyalists when they upset Michigan State. But, on a night when...
Who's ready for barbecue? Orchard will be the hot spot, with taste-tempting ribs hot off the grill, Sept. 30. Events are planned throughout the day, with something offered for all ages. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., check out the vendor fair in the community center. The virtual reality game truck will be on location with events for ages five and older. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., educational VR will be available. Video games will be offered between 2 and 5 p.m. Preregistration is suggested in order to...
When the school bell rang for the first time last week, six new educators experienced their first day of class at Summerland Public Schools. Kara Ahlers will teach fifth grade. She graduated college in December 2018, with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. She has an endorsement in reading and writing. "When I worked as a para years ago, the teachers who I worked with were amazing at encouraging and reassuring me I could be someone who could make a difference in the lives of our...
Random thoughts on a Tuesday, as this week’s deadline looms: • Sometimes, an overactive imagination can be detrimental. I have a list of 10 column ideas, but the analogies weren’t panning out. Oh, the words were flowing, no doubt about that, but the mental image wasn’t connecting among the dots. There’s always next week. • Small-town community celebrations are simply the best. The Page and Orchard communities put on great events this past weekend. From the purple and white balloons drifting fr...
It’s amazing (and maybe a bit sad) how a simple conversation, or in this case, a Twitter post, can send you down a rabbit hole. That’s how I spent an hour, Sunday, after reading a friend’s post and the responses. His tweet - this week’s poll question below - is this: What is the best song that has Nebraska in either the title or lyrics? Many songs were familiar, but there were a few I needed to investigate. I compiled a brief list and listened to a few unfamiliar tunes. Scrolling through...
The play of the Husker football team won’t be the only thing under scrutiny during Saturday’s Red-White scrimmage at Memorial Stadium. A new and improved Herbie Husker is set to take the field. Herbie’s makeover includes ditching the jeans and polo shirt and donning overalls from the mascot’s 1970s debut. Only this time, Herbie has obviously embraced a Keto diet, his features more refined than rugged. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed Husker fan still carries an ear of corn in his left hip pocket, al...
Where is the governor and what is he doing? We probably shouldn't be surprised that stealth candidate Jim Pillen, who refused to debate and was elected governor anyway, hasn't been releasing information about his public schedule. No schedules, nor press releases, little or no comment about issues. A staff that is tight-lipped and covers for him. The way it's going, the Columbus pig farmer could be spending his days running Pillen Family Farms and showing up at the state Capitol from time to...
My turn to weigh on the new Husker hire. I’m no football guru, but I’ve been around the program long enough and have plenty of connections with former players (and we talk football a lot), so I feel I have a solid understanding of what it means to be all “N” and lead one of the most storied brands in college football. Initially, Saturday morning, as the news broke that Matt Rhule would be taking over the program, I wasn’t happy. I felt a sense of betrayal because deep down, I hoped interim c...
After a 76-day search on the coaching trail, Nebraska officially introduced its 31st head coach, Monday. Matt Rhule, a former walk-on Big 10 linebacker at Penn State and former coach in collegiate and NFL ranks, will make $72 million for an eight-year stint. Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts told the crowd assembled in the Hawks Championship Center, he interacted with 13 coaches throughout the search process. "Candidate 1A, for me and the University of Nebraska, was always Matt Rhule,"...
Having guests for Thanksgiving dinner is great. Having treasured friends and family stick around for a couple of extra days is even better. But guests have to eat and you just spent a week (or more!) preparing that big holiday meal and you're simply "cooked out." Sure, leftovers will work for a meal or two, but eventually you're going to have to prepare something else. And don't forget that big football game coming up on Friday afternoon, with even more games on TV over the weekend. That adds...
What object from your personal or family history has special meaning, either as a memento of the past or a reflection of your identity? The question - stemming from a National Public Radio story I recently read - caught my attention. Initially, NPR personnel interviewed eight refugees. Then, the question was posed to the larger NPR audience. In both instances, responses to the question identify the memories and stories we carry with us. They shape a significant moment in time, a precious piece...
Random thoughts on a Monday (and Tuesday): • Ego tries to mask itself with confidence and, usually, comes up short. Isn’t it better to show your real self and admit failures and be gracious when you find success? • Procrastination is a fickle friend.She keeps promising to assist with a few projects and then she pulls me aside and commands all my attention elsewhere. • I should have meal prepped today’s lunch. A German chocolate cupcake doesn’t contain a lot of nutritional value, even if it has c...
After a week off, the Husker football team returns to action at Memorial Stadium and Nebraska state troopers will be on patrol to keep the action off the roadways as fans travel to the game. The Nebraska State Patrol works closely with partner agencies on several aspects of gameday operations. Troopers partner with the Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, UNL Police Department and the Nebraska Department of Transportation to keep fans safe as they travel to and from the...
If you know me well, or if you’ve read this column for years, you know how much Husker football means to me. Always has, always will. Despite getting a breaking news alert during our grandson’s peewee football game that things were a little, um - frosty - in Lincoln Sunday morning. Despite a horrible coaching record for Frost during his tenure. Despite the oh-so-many close calls which left many fans feeling next week would be the turning point. I’m not sure I believe in the Solich curse, but I...
A funeral Mass for Karen Rotherham, 85, of Ewing, will be Saturday, April 30, at 10:30 a.m., at St Peter's Catholic Church in Ewing. The Rev. John Norman will officiate. Burial will follow in the St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, April 29, from 5 to 7 p.m., at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Ewing, with a 7 p.m. rosary. Karen died April 23, 2022, at her home in Ewing. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Arrangements are entrusted to Biglin's...
LEO ADAM BIGA Flatwater Free Press University of Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook entered the 2009 season having won 281 of his first 300 games – a ridiculous .937 winning percentage. At age 52, he had already won two national titles. But, inside, Cook didn't feel like how you are supposed to feel when you reach the summit. Instead, even as his squad went 31-3 and reached the Final Four that year, Cook felt empty. Lost. He felt like a failure. "I thought I had it figured out and then it a...
Nebraska football's rich history is intertwined alongside that of college football, and its home stadium is, too. Ground broke on the first iteration of Memorial Stadium April 26, 1923, about 33 years after Nebraska football played its first game. The 31,080-seat stadium was ready in time for the following season, hosting Nebraska's 24-0 victory over Oklahoma in the stadium's inaugural contest in October 1923. The rest is history. Nebraska has sold out 382 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium,...
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....
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...
