Opinion

Dear Editor, Recently, I toured several Nebraska towns with the Nebraska Community Foundation and its People Attraction Committee. The goal of this committee is to share how our communities can be more attractive places for people to live. It was interesting to see all the progress and investments our fellow rural communities are making across Nebraska...

In 2021, the Nebraska Legislature adopted LB 644, titled the Property Tax Request Act and more commonly dubbed the Truth in Taxation Act. The bill requires counties to inform their citizens of an increase in property tax from the year prior of 2.0% or more. The legislation also requires the counties to hold a public hearing where citizens can ask questions, express discontent, or air grievances about any increases...

Being a news junky isn’t always a happy business. At its best, political news centers around people with good intentions in conflict over how to fix a problem. Too often, it’s about allegations that the other team caused those problems and, at its worst, it devolves into personal attacks...

Last week due to a tragic accident, the Amtrak passenger train was in McCook for nearly eight hours, stopped at the McCook depot throughout the morning hours, finally departing at noon. For those who don’t know the Amtrak schedule, the train passes through McCook at 3:43 a.m. if it is on time (not usually) and stays for just two or three minutes (most of the time) to quickly load any passengers boarding (many times)...

Over the last few years, communities across Legislative District 38 (LD-38) have been recognized by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and the Nebraska Diplomats for achievements in growth, modernization, business expansion, retention, leadership, agri-business, and preparation to succeed in competitive environments. Today, I’m recognizing some of those achievements and putting the great success across our district into context...

Just as advertised Grannie and your scribe made the short trip to join in Stratton’s Fall Festival. Actually, we just took in the Parade down their main street. I tickled a bit as we took our place in the shade of the Methodist Church by the announcer and judges’ station. ...

Despite the current fortunes of Husker football, Nebraskans are pretty happy overall. We’re the second lowest state in the number of people who are unemployed for 15 weeks or longer, third in volunteer rate, fourth inadequate sleep and feelings of being active and productive, and fifth lowest in separation and divorce...

As we receive brightly colored postcards disclosing tax increases, and ponder ballot initiatives, it occurred to me that some back-to-basics thought about the nature of taxation might be in order. I have found that one way to tackle the subject is with an easy thought exercise that I call “the lottery test.”...

When, at the NE-GOP State Convention, a majority of delegates handed the entrenched party overlords their pink slips, we “rebels” wondered whether Governor Ricketts would be a team player. We suspected he might act to undermine the newly-elected leadership. ...

A person makes many different investments during their lifetime. The first investment that likely comes to mind is a retirement account, in the hope of creating a healthy, sizable nest egg when the working years come to an end. Another type of investment is starting a business, using life savings now to see a dream become a reality. Both of these investments offer trackable, tangible results...

Grannie Annie and I traveled to Curtis to attend their annual Harvest Festival. Curtis is a bit close to our hearts because that is where Ann and Dick first met at a 4-H Camp 70+ years ago. Then too Ann’s mom was a long-time “Boys Dorm Mother” at the Ag School there and loved the life...

Well, that was awkward, wasn’t it? I rarely write about the United Kingdom, but when I finally get around to it, the queen dies about six hours after I submit my column. Had I mentioned a word about the Queen? Thankfully, no. My usual irreverence was not directed at Her Majesty last week, nor will it be today...

INDIANOLA, Neb. - Drama! Drama! Drama! OMG! I just read an article that the USDA is wanting farmers to plant two crops in a season on the same ground, thereby helping to relieve food shortages. If that isn’t a bunch of hogwash, they’ve got a lot of people fooled...

It has been an interesting trip for your old long-time retired Air Force officer and pilot. An airline trip, in the rear as a passenger, ugh, but on time and efficient. Omaha, Grannie Annie chose to stay with our daughter, to Chicago, busy, to Providence, Rhode Island. Oh, how our country changes from our home in the center to the East Coast. This summer from droughty brown plains to green tree-covered low hills weaving through coastal inlets and roads winding crooked as a snake...

Friends, During my time in the Nebraska Unicameral, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the Education Committee. During this time, I’ve strongly advocated for teaching American exceptionalism in the classroom, so that students may foster an appreciation for the God-given freedoms our country protects and defends. This is largely thanks to our founders’ foresight when drafting the United States Constitution, broadly considered to be the world’s longest-surviving governing document...

Early on Labor Day morning, I was flipping around between Sky News and the BBC to watch the election of the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister. I’m only an occasional follower of British politics and was more interested to see if the cost of the British Pound against the U.S. dollar would be affected by the announcement. What the FOREX community refers to as GBP/USD (nicknamed “sterling”) was trading at about $2.65 back in the 1970s, but has now dropped to under $1.50...

INDIANOLA, Neb. - I have written before how we have had quite a few good horses over the years. I loved riding and taking the kids out in the pasture to check cows. Indianola used to have “Fun Days” where we did numerous equine events. Very fun memories for our family...

On a quiet Sunday afternoon, Grannie Annie and your intrepid columnist took a drive around the housing neighborhoods of McCook. Primarily I was interested in the conditions of people’s front yards. We found that the majority of residents took pride in their lawns with green and recently mowed grass. ...