Commentary

 It’s no secret to those who know the Betterhalf, she is the top Husker fan in our family. If we look back it is hard to remember her missing a football game on the Husker’s home field.
This year the Husker’s home opener was no exception. Thus we headed to Lincoln so she could sit in near-90 degree heat wearing her “Frost T-shirt and cheering a new coach and his team on to victory.
 As for me, I’m not a fan of heat so I told her I would meet her at the stadium when the temps cooled a little. The rest of this tale is history.
After all the pregame team warmups, the opening ceremonies and the kickoff, I began working my way to the stadium. Along the way I nearly sold my ticket. Foolishly I sidestepped that opportunity.

Creativity will once again be on display in Aurora this weekend.
Local art enthusiasts have been working behind the scenes for many years on a vision to add a splash of culture to our community. Nowhere is that effort more visible than the Aurora Art Walk, which is set for Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
Now in its fifth year, this event is designed to showcase artists from throughout the region, and this year will also feature a few displays from around the state. In that sense, the Aurora Art Walk will help showcase its host community.
Aurora has a strong and well-deserved reputation for its artistic flare, as several talented artists, photographers and musicians call it home. We’ve seen that reputation continue to grow over the years, with help and support from local businesses as well as the Hamilton Community Foundation Fine Arts Committee.

Vision.
Unity of purpose.
A plan to help Nebraska compete and win again.
Husker fans have a lot of faith in native son Scott Frost’s ability to bring all of the above to Nebraska, but there is another initiative being launched now which has the same objective. And believe it or not, Blueprint Nebraska’s impact, if successful, could be as significant to our state as a return of Nebraska’s beloved football team to national prominence.
While Big Red football stirs passion in Nebraska from border to border, generation to generation, Blueprint Nebraska has the potential to impact our state’s ability to thrive and grow economically for this and future generations. That’s a VERY big deal.

It has taken a while for us to become accustomed to the new speed limits that have gone into effect on many of our regularly traveled roadways. It’s  a few miles and several vehicles passing us before we’re reminded of that new posted five mile per hour increase.
However, it also seemed that the majority of drivers for several years had already been operating approximately five miles per hour above the “old” posted limits. Which now means instead of 55-65 or 75 mph, many drivers have upped their traveling speeds up to 60, 70 or 80 mph, or five miles over the posted limits.
We must admit it’s tough to stay at the posted limits when on long road trips. The foot tends to get heavier the closer we get to our destination. Our own safety concerns come into effect when South Dakota’s interstate roadways are posted at 80 mph. Simply put, at our age we just can’t handle “fast company” whether it’s on a roadway, or a late evening.
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 Most of us agree the bride is the major attraction at a wedding. Of course some of us may have some additional thoughts about that statement.  Attending a recent wedding we listened to comments from guests about the beauty of the bride, the beauty of her dress and the colors she had chosen for the ceremony.

You don’t have to be a sports fan to feel the energy in the air these days. Football fever is spreading like wildfire.
Ever since the signs of an early Frost way back in December, Husker Nation has been chomping at the bit to turn the pages back, and forward, all in one swift motion. The hiring of one of our own, a Husker legend and native son who completely understands the Nebraska way, did more to boost our collective mojo than perhaps anything else could.
Scott Frost is a breath of fresh air in a world that often leaves us scratching our heads. He has earned the respect of many, having won a national title himself and learned from some of the greatest coaching minds in the game, yet he is so incredibly humble, oozing a quiet confidence that makes Husker Nation giddy while causing early angst around the Big 10.

Dear Editor:
Monday (Aug. 20) at the Hamilton County Commissioner’s meeting there were a lot of comments made in regards to the county’s interest in turning the ambulance service over to a private, for-profit company. As you and the citizens have seen, this is a very heated topic. I spoke out at the meeting as well. These were my comments and pleas with the commissioners.
“Good morning,
How many studies about what the county should do with the ambulance service are we at now? How many times have the citizens told you that they do not want a private ambulance service in Hamilton County?
I have to admit that since I put my name on the agenda two weeks ago I have been wondering why I even bothered. Recent history has shown the citizens of this county that their wishes, in regards to this matter, are not heard.

The talk of trade wars and the impact of tariffs hit very close to home this week with a ruling that could have severe consequences for newspapers large and small all across America.
The Department of Commerce recently announced countervailing and anti-dumping duties on Canadian imports of newsprint, which could range as high as 32 percent. That represents a significant sum in an industry where newsprint is typically one of the largest single expenses on the balance sheet.
Just as farmers are watching the headlines now on the trade war front, wondering how the political landscape will impact their bottom line at a time when low commodity prices already have them on edge, so too are publishers across the state and nation wondering how they can possibly absorb another financial blow at this time.

 Some of us grew up when there were three styles of clothes – “dress-up, play” and “work.” Translated that meant ironed shirts and pants, denim jeans and bib overalls. Then casual dress came on the scene and no-iron and knit shirts appeared along with khaki and designer jeans. “Dress-up” basically had come to mean “suit and tie.”
It has become evident that a new world of clothing has arrived. It’s called, “actionwear.” The demand for denim is declining according to one manufacturer who is spinning off its denim division and concentrating on the growing demand for actionwear. Actionwear sales surged 25 percent last year while denim products increased just 3 percent. Denim revenue remained flat. It was noted adding stretch to regular jeans resulted in that 3 percent gain.

 It’s time to clear off the desk and get rid of notes, clippings and even a candy wrapper or two. When cleaning time comes it means this column will contain a variety of subjects. Hopefully you’ll find interest in one or two.
Maternity leave in the job market seems to be playing even a more expanded role. It’s not necessarily couples are having more children or employees asking for more time off after the birth of a child. Being from the old school I witnessed a change not only when new mothers asked for up to six weeks off, but a few new fathers put in their time-off requests too.
Now a new definition of maternity leave has been born. Companies are reporting some employees are requesting maternity leave when the pet dog has pups, or the cat has kittens.
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Sending pop to the grocery store can get a little trickier. Food labeling is becoming a problem,