Columns

Even before I joined the fire and rescue department, I respected EMS/ police on the road by getting over and waiting for them to go by in moments of emergency.

However, it seems more often than not this sentiment is forgotten by drivers.

I recently drove the ambulance to Hastings for a medical call, and while a good majority of people got over when they saw us, there were more than I’d like to admit that did not.

In one instance, about four vehicles were pulled over on the westbound lane and a fifth driver decided to pass them, going into our lane—forcing us to slow down—before he finally got back into his lane and preceded on as if an ambulance with it’s lights on wasn’t driving by them.

This doesn’t and shouldn’t start and stop with an ambulance, fire trucks or police car driving by you, it should also be considered when there’s a road emergency and EMS are on-scene.

Someday before I retire, or before the good Lord above calls my name to pass through the pearly gates, I’m going to be more than prepared for the start of a school year, and furthermore, the start of the school activities... BUT...this year is not that year. Once again, the activities crept up and bit me, because this week is the start of an eight-and-a-half to nine-month run that has become like an annual ritual of keeping pace with our four school districts, and the activities that go with each district.

As I woke up Monday morning, laying in my humidity soaked bed from the nasty heat wave we’re dealing with this week, I woke up as foggy as the outdoors was and realized that THIS is the week.

Our annual Fall Sports Preview is in this week’s edition, complete with team pictures and schedules of our fall varsity teams in Sutton and Harvard, as well as at Sandy Creek.

Stunned and shocked might have been the initial impact in my mind this past Saturday morning, when I received a call about what was going on with the storm that rolled through Sutton.

Getting the call from Doc Ebert that “my roof might be in the middle of the street,” was a tad shocking, especially for 7 a.m. on a Saturday, but after letting the storm literally blow through Sutton, leaving a path of destruction, I walked into the back door of the CCN office to witness a literal “river” pouring onto the floor from the ceiling in the front.

I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t a tad grumpy at that point, but after standing there for 10 minutes (maybe 5 but it felt like 10), I just sat down on the office couch with Scoop on my lap, and just told myself, “there’s nothing you can do Duncan, chill out, because what’s done is done.”

Last weekend was a memorable one— part because of Harvard’s 150th Celebration and the other part due to the tornado that hit Sutton.

I woke up Saturday morning to the news that severe weather had hit Sutton, and that our CCN office, along with several others on the block, had been damaged.

Also due to the weather— on a lesser scale— Harvard’s 150th events Saturday got pushed back a couple of hours, but once the events and activities started, Harvard’s City Park was busy.

The annual parade had quite a few entries, and there were a lot of people on the sidewalks of the parade route, with kids ready to pounce on the candy thrown to them.

Following the parade, I browsed the park for photos of the car show, horseshoe tournament, face painting, and sand volleyball games, before heading over to Sutton.

It’s a weird feeling you get when seeing that kind of damage in person compared to seeing a photo on your phone.

*Tory’s on vacation and didn’t have a column for this week, so I’m taking his usual spot because I have quite a bit to write about...hope you don’t mind!*

Ilove the Clay County Fair for a lot of reasons, the main one being the people there.

The people I’m specifically referring to are those who run/setup the fair; the kids participating in the fair; and the parents/grandparents/ friends who help each other at the fair.

I mean, the people who come to see the kids show their animals are great too, but I spend a lot of time around those who are there every single day.

We’ve all fallen into a routine as each county fair comes. The kids show, we take their photo (sometimes the kids don’t want their photo taken but still do because they’re patient and great), and then we move to the next event.

As a concerned Clay County resident and retired nurse, I would encourage Clay County citizens to consider the benefits of the Clay County Health Department (CCHD) located at 209 W Fairfield, Clay Center.

I understand the retention of the CCHD is being evaluated by our county supervisors as to whether it is a benefit to residents and a financially sound program.

Our supervisors are elected to serve residents by overseeing the operation and administration of Clay County, while assessing the fiscal ramifications for county taxpayers.

The CCHD is a county public health department umbrellaed under the South Heartland District Health Department and Department of Health and Human Services. Services listed below:

• HOMEHEALTH: Skilled nursing and aide visits under physician direction; including: Treatments, bathing, health teaching, medication set-up and limited homemaker services.

Disclaimer: I have never owned, driven, or ridden a traditional two-wheel motorcycle. I sat on one owned by my late brother. But in more than five decades as a reporter I have covered numerous accidents involving motorcycles with any variety of other vehicles.

I have seen dead bodies and spent time waiting and praying in hospital emergency rooms. I have also covered countless hours of debate about repealing the helmet law.

That said, I must admit I was surprised that the 2023 Legislature passed such a bill (LB91 amended to LB138) to remove the state’s helmet law for riders aged 21 and older who have completed a motorcycle safety course and agree to wear shatterproof protective eye equipment or have a windshield on their bike.

But I shouldn’t have been, given that this Legislature appeared to collectively bristle at laws being shoved down their throats by government. Remember abortion and transgender health care?

This week, Americans celebrated the anniversary of the founding of our country. The Fourth of July is a day we reflect on our independence – freedoms that have been hard-fought since the inception of our nation.

We owe so much to the men and women who serve our nation in uniform. They defend our independence at home and abroad, and it would be impossible to celebrate the Fourth of July without acknowledging their contributions to the cause of freedom around the world.

Our country was founded on the idea that our people, not a monarch, would guide our government. The often-referenced preamble of Declaration of Independence lays out a series of “self-evident” truths that still guide us today.

All men are created equal and endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Baseball and livestock, not to mention much more will take center stage in and around Clay County over the course of the next several weeks, as the Sutton and South Central (Fairfield) Junior Legion baseball teams head into the post-season this week, following a regular season finale on the DLD Park Legion diamond, that was to take place this past Monday night.

Sutton will be hosting the Class B, Area-1 baseball tournament starting this Friday at DLD Park, while the South Central fellas head to Hebron for action in the Class C, Area-4 tournament.

Sutton’s looking for a return trip to the Class B state tournament, but will face a stout list of teams, at least by name, with Aurora, Beatrice, Crete, Fairbury, and York coming to Sutton for action that will runs Friday, July 7, through at least Tuesday, July 11. Should a rain day be needed for the double-elimination tournament, the B-1 tournament could run into Wednesday, July 12.

History is recorded each and every day by the community newspapers across the United States and certainly here in Nebraska. As the Nebraska Press Association turned 150 years old this year, a first in the industry in Nebraska took place during our annual convention, held this past April, when guest speaker, during one of our group events, Governor Jim Pillen presented a proclamation to our association, proclaiming that the week of June 26-30 will from here on out be called “Community Newspaper Week” in the State of Nebraska.

Honestly, it kind of surprised me that it took 150 years to officially “celebrate” an industry that is constantly giving back to the communities, villages and areas that we cover, but I personally thank our new governor for stepping up and recognizing our industry as one that serves in many rolls in our coverage area’s.