Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Are you ready for the State Fair? It's set to start Friday, Aug. 26, in Grand Island and runs through Labor Day. I've been able to make it the past two years - not sure about this year, although I'm going to make it work. The 2020 fair was unlike any other I'd previously attended thanks to the pandemic. No carnival, no concerts, a reduced number of vendors, and everything spread out, made the fairgrounds seem a little empty. Last year was better although I still couldn't find my favorite food... Full story
Looking out my kitchen window I see there is a change in the August garden. It's rather gradual but it's there. The first noticeable visual is the green tones. Don't get me wrong, the flowers are still blooming brightly, with hydrangeas showing off their stately white blooms. The zinnias are sporting round pallets of color and alyssum is setting on new purple and white blooms. Petunias seem to have reached their peek bloom and vincas, oh I can't brag enough about the vincas that are bursting...
For students with allergies and asthma, back to school means more than getting their backpacks filled with paper, pencils and any needed odds and ends. Keeping your child safe and healthy involves creating a proactive plan to be implemented both at home and at school. Allergy doctors refer to these plans as control programs because the goal is prevention and control. Food allergies can cause anaphylaxis, the total body allergic reaction with shortness of breath, hives, low blood pressure,...
The annual wellness exam is one of my favorite things to do as a doctor. It’s a chance to talk about one of my passions: health promotion. As most patients expect, our health-promotion discussion includes smoking cessation, diet and exercise. Perhaps more surprising is our conversation regarding personal safety. We talk about sunscreen, seatbelts, helmets, distracted driving or driving under the influence. And I ask if their guns are locked up. I grew up in Iowa and I live in South Dakota. B...
As a practicing urologist who is double board certified in urology and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, I see a lot of patients with urinary incontinence. And while it is extremely common, many myths surround the topic. Sadly, even though more patients in the U.S. suffer from overactive bladder than diabetes, there is very little education surrounding incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders. One common misconception I hear is "you have to drink eight glasses of water."...
ANDREW ELLSWORTH, M.D. One late summer day, fresh out of residency and seeing patients for the first time as a full-fledged family physician, I examined a young man who had a fever, fatigue and a bad headache. Considering the time of year, influenza was low on the list of possibilities, and COVID-19 did not yet exist. After a physical exam and listening to his story, I ordered some tests, which resulted in a diagnosis of West Nile virus. Now that we are entering the later half of the summer, the weather and environment are prime for West Nile...
As a physician with 45 years of practice, I've seen my share of diseases. I have usually been on the physician side of the diagnosis- treatment paradigm. However, knowing the rationale for diagnostic screening tests, I fortunately did not shirk my own. Testing too much or too frequently leads to insignificant findings that may have no long-term consequences, yet create worry and further testing. Too often, this can lead to surgery that does not save lives but carries pain, disability,...
Lantanas are blooming their little hearts out. They love the hot, humid days of July in Nebraska. Humidity occasionally fogs over the view out my kitchen window but, as it slides off, we are delighted to again see mama turkey by the flower garden. She was standing as if on guard this wet morning. On guard she was, as to our delight, we spotted a young turkey nearby, busily pecking away for bugs in the grass. Summer out the kitchen window includes, not only the turkeys, but also bright bursts of...
As a clinical professor at my state’s medical school, I frequently have medical students seeing patients with me in clinic. While the majority of patients are happy to allow student involvement, some decline. This makes me wonder what misconceptions lead patients to be averse to trainees participating at clinic visits or hospital bedsides. In my experience, the presence of learners has a positive influence on our work in the clinic and hospital. Medical education is a complex, highly i...
Summertime. For most, this signals thoughts of warm weather and good times with family and friends. Sadly, what brings happiness for some can trigger stress and sorrow for others. In the words of a Vietnam War veteran, "The fourth of July was once my favorite holiday with friends and family ... but now it is a day I wish never existed." Now ask, what could this veteran, a victim of a farming accident, a female sexual-abuse victim, a child who lost his mother to domestic violence and a survivor o...
I’m not sure there is a food in the world that says “summer” more than watermelon. Although it’s early in the season, we eat it at Memorial Day cook-outs. The Fourth of July isn’t a proper celebration without this tasty treat. And we say good-bye to meteorological summer with a cold, crisp melon on Labor Day weekend. And don’t forget all those family reunions and backyard barbecues in between. For lots of reasons, I didn’t get to know my dad’s parents very well, but I do remember visiti...
This week I'm sharing a few cool treats designed with the Fourth of July in mind: They are all red, white and blue! And they are not only colorful, but created with kids in mind. Most are simple enough for the kids to make (with proper supervision, of course). All of these recipes were developed by Catherine McCord, author of "The Smoothie Project" and founder of the Weelicious website that focuses on homemade food and treats for kids. McCord, mother of three, says, "I created Weelicious way... Full story
I love the sound of a sprinkler on the garden. The spit, spit, spit of water lets me know the day will warm up, corn will continue to grow in the fields and my garden will also thrive and surprise me with new blooms. It’s summer in Nebraska. Looking out my kitchen window, I can’t help but gaze a bit longer at some head turners. Pops of flowers, when in full bloom, are head turners. As the month of June unfolds, there were not enough peonies in my life. The early head turners are done and it’s ti...
It's no secret that grocery prices are on the rise. A trip to the grocery store is going to cost you more than it did a year ago. I'm not going to delve into the "whys" because, to be honest, I didn't do that well in my college economics class years ago, and I still don't really understand how it all works. Besides there are plenty of other places for you to find that info. I just want to help you find a way to continue to feed you and your family healthy foods, without having to raid the kids'...
I recently heard somewhere that burgers cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop are better than burgers cooked on a grill. I’m not buying it. The “experts” say a skillet allows the patties to baste in their own juices as they cook and that’s a huge improvement over losing all-important moisture to the spatters that cause annoying grilling flare-ups. OK, that part I can get behind (and I’ll file the info for non-grilling season), but I still think burgers cooked on a grill are a summer trea...
I started my day looking out the kitchen window at the spring green of grass, iris, peony plants and the leaves on trees. May offers such a pretty green in the landscape. The early iris are blooming including an orange toned flag iris and a light peach iris. Buds have formed on others and the peonies are budded too. Two little bushes, little Henry sweetspire, haven't shown their leaves yet. If they don't soon, they will have to go. That will mean back to a nursery to find something to fill in th... Full story
Many years ago (the exact number will remain a mystery), the very first food section I put together for the daily newspaper I was working for was all about strawberries. It was just about this time of year as May is National Strawberry Month, and I wanted to highlight one of my favorite berries. While a lot has changed over those years, one thing hasn't: I still love strawberries. Standing alone as the only fruit to wear its seeds on the outside, strawberries are loaded with nutrients. According... Full story
The sun is shining and the temperature is above freezing. As I look out the kitchen window things are slowly greening up. A pot full of happy little pansies were added recently and they are showing off their faces on purple toned petals. A variety of birds are fluttering about the garden, traveling from feeder to feeder and landing on the bird bath for a quick drink. Oh, spring in the garden. I'm watching the garden as tulips and daffodils sprout up and shoot blooms. I'm anxious to hit the garde...
Need something quick to make and easy to transport to a family gathering, picnic or potluck? Dessert bars are the answer. They can be made ahead of time. They require no utensils to eat. Unlike cookies, they don’t need to be portioned, scooped out onto a pan and then baked in batches. They can be transported in the pan you bake them in. And they can be any flavor your want: Chocolate. Caramel. Blueberry. Pecan. Even marshmallow. Get creative and have fun. The mild heat and berry undertones of g... Full story
Do you like the idea of decorating eggs for Easter more than the idea of actually eating them? What if you could do the decorating on something a little sweeter? I’ve got the answer to both questions: Easter Egg Cake Bites. That’s right — cake bites shaped — and decorated— like Easter Eggs. Give the crumbled cake filling a light lemony flavor with lemon extract. Easter Egg Cake Bites Cake bites: 1 package (15 ounces) white cake mix 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract Assorted food colors and egg d...
Thursday is St. Patrick's Day and - if you're like me - it snuck up on you this year. Maybe it was that hour of sleep we lost last weekend when we went to Daylight Saving Time. Who knows? But, while green beer always seems to be on tap for the occasion, maybe you're looking for a couple of last-minute snacks and quick supper ideas to help you celebrate all things Irish. Well, the luck of the Irish is with you ... you've found the pot of gold! The Idaho Potato Commission has a collection of... Full story
A few weeks ago, I read somewhere that March is National Peanut Butter Month. "Aha!" I thought. "Perfect topic for a column sometime soon." But when I began doing research, I discovered that whoever wrote that was wrong. As far as I can tell, there is no actual National Peanut Butter Month, although November is recognized as National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. So while peanut butter doesn't get it's own month, people who love peanut butter do. They also get their own day with National Peanut... Full story
My first Crockpot - a three-quart avocado green model with a non-removable crock - came to me in the early 1980s when a friend who had recently gotten married regifted one of her five new Crockpots to me. It wasn't in its original box (so it couldn't be returned) and we suspected at the time someone had regifted it to the newlyweds. I didn't care where it came from, I was just happy to have one. And the apartment in Lincoln where I was living at the time sported decades-old avocado green... Full story
Some weeks ideas for this column come easy. Others, not so much. Sometimes they just come together. Other times, I sit in front of my computer, deadline on the horizon, and have no idea what I'm going to share. This week was different from either scenario. There is too much to choose from. With the big game on Sunday and Valentine's Day on Monday, I had a dilemma: Which one to choose as the focus for this column? Tasty tailgating snacks? Or a romantic holiday dinner to fix for your sweetheart?... Full story
I don't remember the first time I had Mexican food. I don't remember the first time I ate in an "authentic" Italian restaurant. I do remember the first time I had Chinese. Growing up in a small town in western Nebraska in the 60s and 70s, what I knew about Chinese food was the kind that you bought in a can at the grocery store. I was not impressed. But when I was a senior at UNL, I was taking a night class at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and, once a week, three friends and I would drive u... Full story
