Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Slow down, summer! Let us enjoy the prolonged days and light. Give us time to relax with family and friends. Stop being in a hurry for hectic schedules, hourly activities, and crisp mornings. Instead, let us linger in the sun’s glow. Let us sip lemonade or sun-kissed tea. Let us survive on BLTs and sweet corn. Let us have a chance to catch our collective breath and simply be. Soon enough, we’ll retreat to the comforts of cozy. Soon enough, light will loosen its grip and slip away for a few mon...
It’s been a day. A Monday. A rainy Monday. Rainy days and Mondays always get me down. (Shoutout to The Carpenters. We sang that song in high school choir. Yes, I’m showing my age—and proud of it.) When the flood alert for Grove Lake popped up, my first thought was to grab my camera and head for Royal. But as hail—small, sharp—tapped the tall office windows, I reconsidered. Maybe it was time to head home. Instead, I took a detour around the north side of town to document the high water. Ju...
It’s my favorite time of the year: Pie, sky, and Fourth of July. Give me fireworks and freedom, summer nights chasing lightning bugs and watching the sun sink against a watercolor sky. Give me a sticky cherry popsicle to ease the heat while sitting on the steps of my childhood home, basking in the afternoon sun. Give me family get-togethers in the back yard, where Grandma’s potato salad and fried chicken are the main attraction, and an outstretched plethora of salads and sides provides a fea...
I’ve been reading a lot lately about the state of newspapers, not only locally, but across the country. While some outlets believe newspapers are dying, studies would indicate that’s simply not true. We may be rebranding ourselves, trying to report in different ways to varying demographics, but quality local news continues to be the best bang for your buck. Remember I said that because, in the next several weeks, we’re going to be talking about that buck. I’ve heard some rumblings lately...
Damn you, Aaron Watson. I almost made it through Father’s Day without shedding a tear. Then you pop up on my TikTok and Facebook feeds - within a few minutes - with a sappy song that transports me back to my childhood, a track on one of the first albums I ever purchased with my own hard-earned money, and makes me think about simpler times. Watson’s Father’s Day post features the melodic notions of David Gates, part of the 70s group, Bread. Watson claims, and is backed up by ameri...
K, ru an abbrevi8or? Or, do you tend to write text messages in complete sentences? Nine times out of ten, I fall into category 2. Occasionally, I’ll send a ‘K’ response, type a ‘U’ instead of “you,” and, if I use voice text, who knows how it will turn out. A study published in the Nov. 14 Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 99.3% of texters use abbreviations that they believe save time. Yet, recent studies by David Fang, Sam Maglio and Yiran Zhang report that abbreviation use in commun...
Have I got a story for you. Since I believe in transparency, I want you to take a look of the photo of Ryan Rifer sliding into home plate on Page 3. Go on, I’ll wait. It’s a good photo, and it would be even better if I could remove Coach Kevin from the first-base line, so the slide and defender’s stretch were in full view. I decided I would try a photo-editing tool to remove the coach and make note of it as an editor’s note in the cutline. I open the editing program, use the lasso tool around...
What are you most proud of in your community? Civic pride consultant Jeff Siegler, known as the Revitalize or Die guru, recently posed the question on social media. Several responses could correspond with any of our villages - a mighty cadre of volunteers, appealing landscape in public places, entrepreneurs and mom and pop businesses, a strong school system, welcoming churches and locally-owned media that promotes and creates a sense of community. Sounds like home, right? Another comment resonated with me, prompting consideration about an...
At 3 p.m., on this upcoming Monday, what will you be doing? Packing up belongings from an extended weekend camping trip? Clearing leftover barbecue and potato salad from the picnic table? What you should be doing is pausing, for one minute, to honor those who died during military service to the United States, an action established by Congress in 2000. In more than 1,500 communities across the nation, the lonely echo of “Taps” will resonate though the air at that time, as part of the Nat...
Graduation makes me think about a column I wrote a few years ago regarding high school as a student’s first job and graduation as an exit interview. It’s a valid topic for seniors to consider. Sure, you have a signed diploma in hand, but as you head to the next stage in life - the workforce or college - it’s important to evaluate what you learned and areas you need to improve. One of the most important skills an employee should master is time management. How good are you at meeting deadl...
A recent article in “The Daily Yonder,” had the following sub-headline: Want to better understand rural people and how we think? Try taking a peek in our freezers.” Please don’t. When we moved to town 11 years ago, we brought an upright freezer filled with bags of nature’s bounty and jars of homemade freezer jams, salsa and spaghetti sauce. The appliance took up permanent residence in one of the garages. A new black side-by-side Whirlpool refrigerator offered enough freezer space to keep nece...
The Advocate-Messenger earned 31 awards in the 2025 Better Newspaper Competition and ended in second place for the Allen & Linda Beerman Community Newspaper Sweepstakes Award, which includes weekly newspapers from all classes. The Stanton Register took top honors and the Aurora News-Register ended in third. SAM finished second in Division A, based on circulation and, in the digital sweepstakes division, SAM placed third. The paper picked nine first-place awards in categories, including building...
Whew! I’m still trying to recover from the 2025 Nebraska Press Association Convention, held in Kearney. I enjoy the annual conference for multiple reasons: great educational sessions, networking with fellow newspaper folk, meeting new vendors, great (but too much) food and an overall fantastic time celebrating the written word. It’s not all fun and games ... except for trivia night. That was a blast. I never thought I would hear “God Bless America” sung a beat box rhythm. Sessions begin early a...
Approximately 20 years ago, I taught a student who, for the sake of this column, I’ll call him John. To those who didn’t know John, he looked like any other typical high school male. His athletic, 6-foot 2-inch frame ducked every time he walked in my classroom, even though he was nowhere near hitting his head on the door frame. John was smart, too. He excelled in English and his voracious appetite for reading and use of language (especially humor) set the stage for multiple classroom dis...
Easter takes me back to childhood holidays at our grandparents’ farm, where we gathered with cousins for a weekend full of tradition. Some of us would rise before dawn for sunrise service, either at the church in Tilden or out in Ritter’s pasture. We’d return in time to change into our brand-new Easter outfits—flowery dresses, pastel-ribboned hats, white gloves and shiny patent-leather shoes—before heading back to town for church. After the service, we’d return to the farm for a feast, then...
What happens in Vegas isn’t staying in Vegas. Hallelujah! The Husker basketball boys are bringing home the crown. On Sunday, they ended the 2024-25 season with a ‘W’ over the University of Central Florida in the inaugural College Basketball Crown. While Fred Hoiberg’s squad experienced highs and low throughout the year, including two multi-game stretches that ended their NCAA tournament hopes, they played some of their best basketball this past week. Claiming the Crown comes with perks, like $3...
Oh, Robert Burns, you nailed it—paraphrasing “To a Mouse,” the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. It started Friday when I let Scott’s call go to voicemail while I was talking to another publication during a run through Ewing. Before hitting the bank, I check the message: “Call me!!!” Trouble. Scott never uses exclamation marks. I call back. Voicemail. Again. This time, he answers—barely. “Meet me (phone cuts out)... home... (phone cuts out) doctor... (phone cuts out) help.” The...
Living the American dream. It’s a concept many of us grew up with: a steady job, decent pay, a nice house, 2.4 kids (based on statistical data) and a white picket fence. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the American dream as “the ideal that every citizen of the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination and initiative.” That “hard work, determination and initiative” costs an American household approximately $4.4 mill...
Every single time I view the advertisement for Calm, an app focusing on meditation and relaxation, I instantly feel, well, calm. Pythagoras believed sound had healing properties, that music created geometric patterns that basically formed energy. By listening to certain sounds, our brain waves slow down, creating a dreamlike state. Ancient Egyptians believed sound and specific rhythms aligned the body’s energy centers, promoting healing. Ancient Mesopotamians would strike metal bowls, p...
I don’t know about you, but I write a lot “in my head.” When we lived at the farm, I would write entire articles for the Norfolk Daily News while I walked back and forth across the great green carpet, perfecting the lead paragraph, organizing details, planning how and where to add important and pertinent quotes. During my two-hour jaunt, I would have the piece memorized so, once inside, I could put words to paper. The process was darn near perfect. Very seldom would I need to make changes. Man,...
The time comes when you know you’re ready to retire. No, I’m not making an announcement today, so don’t get the rumor mill started. I’m bringing up retirement because last week I had an opportunity to join newspaper folk from around the country to watch a 30-minute documentary, “For the Record.” The independent film chronicles The Canadian Record and its owner/publisher, Laurie Ezzell Brown. The newspaper, based in Canadian, Texas, is located in the state’s panhandle. It’s survived oil bo...
Potential changes to the United States Postal Service may have a profound effect on rural communities, newspapers and businesses. President Trump may take control of USPS this week and disband the agency’s governing board. If the plans go through, USPS is slated to become part of the Commerce Department. When the postal service was founded in 1775, it wasn’t a for-profit model. By the mid-1960s, the service needed revamping. Then-President Nixon agreed, noting “Our present postal system is ob...
One of my favorite classes, besides English and journalism, was social studies. I’m certain my enthusiasm for understanding the intricacies of government stemmed from my elementary teacher, Mrs. Hajny. Our elementary classes voted in a mock election in 1972. Our results didn’t mirror the national election, which resulted in Richard Nixon receiving 60.7% of the popular vote, sailing to a landslide win over George McGovern. At school, the results were closer to a 50-50 split, and class dis...
If I had an extra $8 million tucked away, I’m not sure I would have spent it on a 30-second spot during Sunday’s big game. A couple caused chuckles, others left me scratching my head. The biggest takeaway: social awareness can be subtle and effective. Dove’s “Keep Her Confident” spot packed a strong message. At age three, a young girl running is unstoppable. By age 14, the same girl will think her legs are unbearable. “One in two girls who quit sports are criticized for their body type. Let’s ch...
I’ve been in a bit of a funk this past week. After a meditation session, some of the reasons became clear. This Friday would be Mom’s 87th birthday. If she were earth-side, we’d have Italian food - either lasagna or pizza - and wine, even if it meant a bottle of inexpensive “FWP,” or fine wine product, like her sisters refer to it. In April, she will have been gone 10 years. It seems like yesterday I held her hand as she slipped away, taking her last breath. A second reason for the blues: I...
