Commentary

Student safety appears to be getting a high-tech shield with a new “See Something, Send Something” app being introduced this month by the Aurora Police Department.
School and law enforcement administrators seem excited about the new “tool,” which invites anyone, especially students, with relevant information that may be cause for alarm to share it through a means almost always at or near their fingertips -- cell phones. Simply downloading this app to a smartphone brings you into the security loop, allowing users to send messages while also receiving alerts or notices pushed out in cases of emergency.

The time has come in Hamilton County to resolve an issue that impacts anyone who might someday have to dial 911.
All local citizens have a vested interest in the status and quality of local ambulance service, so it is understandable why there is so much interest and emotion surrounding discussions to change the status quo.
What is not as easy to understand, quite frankly, is the lack of progress and public updates in recent weeks on making a decision and moving forward. The community has been told very little on the record, opening the door to speculation and rumor. That’s not healthy for our community, fueling the fire in what has already stretched into a more than year-long debate.

Trying to start your day off right can be difficult sometimes. My day of  “starting off right” early in the morning a few weeks ago began to diminish when I spotted the Betterhalf’s cellphone setting on the kitchen counter as I headed out the door.
 I am no social media guy, nor do I care how the Betterhalf utilizes her phone. But, I have been fascinated how the smartphone, I-phone, cellphone (or whatever you want to call them) can give a near up-to-the minute weather report for our immediate area.
As I passed by the idle phone curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know what to expect weather-wise when walking dogs, so I pushed the little white button at the bottom of the phone as the wife had earlier repeatedly instructed many times. Immediately a bevy of news flashes appeared.

A lot of us have spent time trying to determine whether we are classified as belonging to the Silent, the Millennial, the Gen X generations, or if any generation classification at all. By my guideline I guess I would fall into the Silent Generation gap which I am told covers somewhere between shortly after the Depression to a few years past the conclusion of WWII.
I know it’s difficult to picture me as silent since I am a former newspaperman, but the word “silent” in this case meant we were not involved in protests and mass demonstrating. Most were just glad they survived the Depression, a war, and other hardships. They were able to get back to somewhat of quiet life with having a job; raising a family; and growing a quality lifestyle.

Journalism matters, now more than ever.
The theme of this year’s National Newspaper Week celebration resonates with a simple truth, a philosophy that applies at the highest level of government as well as right here in your hometown community.
The core mission of sharing accurate information, asking questions of our local leaders and putting a spotlight on those whose stories deserve to be told is and always has been what community journalism is all about. That mission has not changed, though the world around us and the way people get their information most certainly has.

I take a lot ribbing about going to bed early. However, there is little ribbing from coming from those same people when I get up in the early morning hours and find none of them at a 6 a.m. coffee group at Casey’s.
At one time I found it embarrassing going to bed before our kids. That embarrassment soon left after the kids grew older and I found I was not going into a sound sleep until they got home. Unfortunately Ben Franklin’s advice, “Early to bed, early to rise,” didn’t make me anymore “healthy or wise.” It also made me suffer through a long next day after my late to bed and irritable at the time of the early morning clock alarm.
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This cooler weather may have caused the Betterhalf to “jump the gun” a bit. She cooked a big kettle of her homemade vegetable soup this past week. She said, “Homemade veggie soup just sounded good.” I guarantee her soup idea may have been early, but it was gobbled up no matter if it was early or not.
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One of our nation’s most famous job interviews may have set a new low last week.
A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh aired what has become a polarized debate on several fronts, turning what was already a pivotal process regarding the highest court in the land into an all-out political war.
Did Brett Kavanaugh sexually assault Dr. Christine Blasey Ford while both were in high school more than 35 years ago? Sadly, we may never know the absolute truth on that question. Both came off as credible witnesses, claiming with 100 percent certainty that their version was the truth. Ford’s life has clearly been impacted by a traumatizing sexual assault, though to date her statement that the perpetrator was in fact Brett Kavanaugh remains uncorroborated.

It’s been a tough early football season for Husker fans. While some have cooled their early season enthusiasm, the Betterhalf’s Husker spirit, while challenged, has not faded. She’s faced some pretty tough obstacles these past few weeks.
As reported earlier, that first home game she sat in the stadium amid flashing lightning hoping her team would emerge back on the field. After an hour she resigned herself that the temporary storm delay was turning into a cancelation and she grudgingly headed to the car (and waiting driver) for her ride home.
The second game saw her feel the sting of a Husker loss in which she continued to insist her Huskers still had the better team. Despite that loss to Colorado the Betterhalf remained upbeat.

The drama unfolding on the PGA Tour Sunday transcended sports.
Tiger Woods’ triumphant return to the winner’s circle was a long time coming, a day many thought would never happen, which created a scene the sports world has seldom if ever experienced.
Watching thousands of fans storm the 18th hole at East Lake with the outcome still somewhat up in the air (or actually in the sand trap) was emotional for Woods, as well as anyone with a pulse. It was hard to look away.

We’ve seen a sudden nationwide increase of advertisements where dogs, cats and other animals are playing a major salesmanship role. It appears dogs have become the most frequent “attention getters” in those advertisements.
Unfortunately our two canines have not hit the big time and been asked to negotiate any contracts. In fact, we assume their antics could be used only to promote the prevention of snoring, lounging on furniture and shedding hair . . . which means there could be an option for them to appear in a vacuum cleaner ad.
Despite our dogs’ shortcomings and lack of potential income, we still love ‘em.
We are reminded of a positive statement many years ago that told us a dog is liked by young and old because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
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