Don't give 'Grinch' reason to ruin your holiday

"We don't want to be a Grinch this holiday, we just want motorists to be safe."

The speaker was Col. Bryan Tuma, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, and no one knows better than a state trooper the cost of drinking and driving.

It's hard to imagine venturing out on these roadways in other that top mental condition -- sober and rested -- but too many of us tend to burn the candle at both ends come holiday time. It's too easy to hit the road at the end of a long day or after having one too many at the office Christmas party, but law enforcement is there to make us think twice before doing so.

They've got extra money from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety to help pay for overtime for troopers and dispatchers now through Jan. 2.

"Motorists need to know if they drive over the legal limit, they will be under arrest," said Tuma at a "Tie One One for Safety" kickoff ceremony at the governor's residence with Gov. Dave Heineman, first lady Sally Ganem, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other public safety partners Tuesday.

The current ice and snow make it doubly important to be informed and prepared, and we again remind drivers to check road conditions by dialing 511 on a landline or cellular phone, or by logging on to www.5111nebraska.org