Columns

By Ashley D. Swanson

Journalism can be difficult, especially when death or tragedy is the subject. No matter how much I’ve written about either topic in the past, it never gets easier, especially when the death shouldn’t have happened in the first place, or people get hurt. Bluntly stated, I honestly hate this part of my job; I hate it with all my heart.

At the time of penning this column, it’s only been a couple of days since it was announced that the believed body of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe was found in rural Clay County.

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By Ashley D. Swanson

Journalism can be difficult, especially when death or tragedy is the subject. No matter how much I’ve written about either topic in the past, it never gets easier, especially when the death shouldn’t have happened in the first place, or people get hurt. Bluntly stated, I honestly hate this part of my job; I hate it with all my heart.

At the time of penning this column, it’s only been a couple of days since it was announced that the believed body of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe was found in rural Clay County.

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By Tory Duncan

Monday, Dec. 4 started as a normal Monday. I took a trip to Clay Center, went through the routines of starting of another week’s newspaper, talking with the staff and just going with the flow!

Then long about noon I started hearing about a lot of activity from law enforcement in south-central Clay County, a major convergence on the county, this quiet little county.

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By Ashley D. Swanson

I was very ready to write my column about being a Grinch while everyone else is setting up Christmas trees and other decorations and fluttering through the streets singing Fa La La...but then Sunday happened, and I changed my mind.

My Christmas spirit level has been pretty low, I’ll admit. I change the station when a Christmas song comes on, and I shuddered when someone said they put their Christmas tree up already.

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By Tory Duncan

Well, I had my column all set and completed already on Sunday and felt that it was a decently good piece of Bull!

Scott Frost, of course, was the topic, after officially hearing that he has become Nebraska’s new head football coach.

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Police recently arrested an inmate who walked away from the Nebraska Department of Corrections Work Ethic Camp in McCook 11 months ago. He was arrested in Chadron, 292 miles away.

I can’t begin to speculate why the inmate walked away from what is easily the “least prison-like” of all the facilities in the state prison system. His escape (the front door of the place is unlocked) and capture were small potatoes in a system that is the second most overcrowded in the United States. But it is indicative of the myriad of on-going problems that have plagued corrections for years.

The Nebraska Department of Corrections recently notified convicted death row killer Jose Sandoval of the four drugs that will be used as a lethal injection protocol to carry out his execution. This notification is in accordance with state regulations, which is required at least 60 days before the Attorney General can request an execution warrant from the Nebraska Supreme Court.

The four drugs that will be used by the state have been used medically for decades. Their mode of action, onset of activity, and clinical effects are well-known and documented.

Each is currently used in a wide variety of medical applications in practices across the state. It is highly likely you or a family member have been administered one or more of the compounds during routine anesthesia.

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By Ashley D. Swanson

You know that feeling you get when you walk through the front door of your parent’s house and they look up from the couch and instantly smile? I’m thankful for that.

For the longest of time, like the first entire year of her life, my sister didn’t like me much. But now, the last two times I’ve been home, she’s let me give her a hug, she’s let me play toys with her, she’s laughed with me and actually smiled at me. I’m thankful for that.

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By Tory Duncan

This week as we give thanks, share time with our families, friends and so many others, I was thinking over the weekend that I do have lots to be thankful for this year, as I am each and every year.

I’m absolutely thankful for my sisters and their families. We don’t always get to see each other that often as the three of us have so many different directions each of us go.

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