School doesn't have to start in the second or third week in August. That just happens to be the trend in Nebraska.

I found that out this summer while visiting with a teacher from Wisconsin.

"Michigan just passed a law," he said. "Starting with this school year, public school classes can't begin until after Labor Day." As a skeptical newspaperman, I had to check that out. And, so, Friday morning I placed a call to the Michigan Department of Education. "Is it true," I asked, "that public schools in Michigan can't begin classes until after Labor Day?"

"Yes," the communications spokesmen said. "That's true." To prove it, she forwarded me an article announcing the change.

As it turns out, Michigan is not alone in mandating a September start for school. Bruce Crosby, the Gazette's editor, did an Internet search on the subject, and found that public schools in at least five states can't start until September. Those states are Minnesota, Virginia and Michigan, which require schools to start after Labor Day, and Wisconsin and North Carolina, who don't let classes begin until after Sept. 1.

I'm surprised that Nebraskans haven't campaigned for a later school start. By beginning in August, schools are cutting summer vacations short. Making it even worse, some school buildings are not air conditioned, making classroom conditions almost intolerable on extremely hot days.

More Stuff About the Big Snake

The big snake story and picture, which was featured in the Aug. 6 "Life on the Plains" installment, continues to generate comments. Just last week, I received a call from Gary Pedersen, a former McCook College football player who now lives in Georgetown, Texas.

"I know about that picture," Gary said. "I first saw it in an old newspaper article, which was hung on the wall in Cormudas, Texas, which is just a tiny spot on the road. In the article. The writer claimed the snake was taken and photographed outside of El Paso, Texas."

That's different than recent Internet postings, which say the picture was taken (a) near Amarillo, Texas, or (b) near Medicine Lodge, Kan.

While he doubts the 97-pound weight claim for the snake, Gary thinks there is a possibility that, at some point in time, there really was a big snake captured in Texas. If anyone can provide verification, one way or another, I would like to hear from them.

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

When Candy Baltzell passed away in February of 2006, Pam Gaston of Pet Pros was surprised to find that Candy had willed her miniature schnauzer, "Hans," to Pam. "We had never talked about it," Pam said. "It was a total surprise."

At first, Pam didn't know what to do. The Gastons already had several dogs and cats of their own, as well as looking after many more at Pet Pros.

But, because she liked Candy and felt a connection to Hans, Pam started taking the willed dog back and forth from work to home.

Quickly, a bond formed. The link which developed was between Hans and Greg Gaston, who at the time was seven. "Rod and I have a rule," Pam said. "Our kids can get a dog when they're eight, but they have to take full responsibility.

They have to feed the dog, clean up after the dog, pay for the dog's shots, train the dog and enter it in 4-H competition."

Greg knew all that, but he still wanted Hans. And so, on Greg's birthday, his present was Hans.

It was only then that the Gastons discovered a wonderful coincidence. Checking Hans' registration papers, the Gastons found that Greg's and Hans' birthday is exactly the same: Sept. 28, 1998.

Candy could not have known how things would work out, but her will brought about a match that had to have been made in heaven.