We're going to miss our "every-morning-friend," Roger Straw. He is leaving City Garbage Service and will work as a custodian with the Nebraska City schools.
We have known Roger for a number of years. We know him best as the hard-working friendly man on the trash truck. City Garbage Service picks up our every day waste at 7.30 a.m.
A a matter of fact, Roger has determined the time we turn on the air conditioner in the summers. After he picks up our refuse at our dock we shut off the big suction fans and turn on the air conditioning.
He's also been a good news source. He gets around town, knows a lot of people and a lot of what happened during the night. An every morning conversation during his brief visit has been newsworthy on a number of occasions.
He's had a good helper, too, in his son, Don. I can't think of any combination better than father and son working together each day.
Good luck, Roger, on your new job at Junior High.
The Resusci-Annie device given to the Nebraska City Rescue Squad by the Woodmen of the World is about the third the squad has had since City Utilities bought the first in about 1967.
If you've taken one of the Red Cross classes on first aid you have used one of the squad's Resusci-Annie's in the mouth-to-mouth training program. If you haven't taken the classes, perhaps you've seen the device.
Anyway, the point is . . . how do you wear out two or three "Annie's" in such a short time? I dunno, but the squadsmen and the Red Cross students have done just that despite the cleaning maintenance given to Annie.
Fortunately, the squad has been blessed with kind-hearted people like City Utilities and the Woodmen of the World. The "new" Annie is an improved model permitting students to see how the rest of the chest functions in CPR, the heart and breathing emergency care.
Congratulations to Gene Conley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mel Conley, who was named president of Guarantee Mutual Life Company. Mr. Conley was hand-picked by J. D. Anderson to succeed him as president.
Mr. Anderson has visted Nebraska City and was the speaker at the annual Chamber banquet a number of years ago. He's a native of Oklahoma and former King of Ak-Sar-Ben.
Mr. Conley began as an insurance salesman in 1948.
Hello, Cheryl Peterson.
Cheryl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Peterson, is recuperating after being struck by a vehicle on a street in Maryville, Missouri.
She'll probably be black and blue for awhile, but otherwise is in pretty good spirits. She is a freshman at Northwest Missouri State University.
(Hey, Cheryl . . . how about that . . . your mother and dad were the Valentine King and Queen at the Holiday Dance club.)
We know Cheryl will read this in the morning mail. The Postal Service does its finest in mail delivery to the college town. We know one college student who got her News-Press before 8 a.m., each day, returned to her dorm room, had breakfast, read the hometown paper and then went to classes. We understand the mail service is just as good today.
It's not that way at Sioux City, Ia., Chervl.
No. 2 daughter, Clarissa, is a student at Morningside and her copies of the News-Press come in "bunches" despite the straight shot on I-29.
That I-29 to Sioux City is something else. We tried it out a week ago at Parent's Week at the college. No. 2 daughter had a part in "The Crucible" in the afternoon so we went to that, then to a banquet in the evening (the kids at the table assured all the parents THAT was not the REAL hot lunch), and topped it off with a basketball game that night.
Well, there was a little bit more. The activity in the girls dorm was about to rattle the moms and dads, so we teamed up with our little gal and friend and hit a night spot . . . where ole' Dad had to show the chillums' how to dance. Even the good-looking gal in the slinky outfit on the stage said "that couple" (father-daughter, no less) was brave to try that Spanish step.
Ha!
"Whattya mean Ha?" No. 2 daughter questioned.
"Just that Ha!" saith the King and Master of the Dance Floor. "That ain't no more than a little tippy toe here and a little tippy-toe there."
"Oh, no, Daddy," she insisted, "you can't dance to that."
"Come on lil' girl, I'll prove you wrong. Remember, I have the sheet music to Spanish Eyes."
I never enjoyed a bed any more than later that evening.
It was with regret when we left Sioux City in the bright sun . . . after a hefty breakfast.
No. 2 daughter had the Ranchero at school for a time so we brought it home. That meant two drivers and two vehicles . . . no company for sleepy eyes on the dry, drab and uninteresting I-29 at 55 m.p.h.
Actually, there was no droopiness. We were so concerned about the other driver getting tired, we both stayed alert. The biggest joy of the afternoon was a sign announcing the Percival cutoff. We were close to home.
Still, you can't beat the interstate for safety and convenience . . . especially to Sioux City because we remember the two-laner through Missouri Valley and Onawa. Don't care to go back to that!
Didya read the one about the fella who sent out thousands of letters in a money-raising campaign to unnamed people? He didn't have names, so he just put "Occupant" on each mailing.
A few weeks later he got response . . . a check for $5,000 . . . signed with the name "Occupant."
Today's Wormy Applewood Plaque.
. . . goes to University of Nebraska President D. B. "Woody" Varner for his reaction to a budget fight with the "elected" man, Governor Exon.
President Varner offered to resign over the scrap.
Tch tch tch . . . President Varner, that's not the way to play the game. The Board of Regents apparently understood and reaffirmed their support for Mr. Varner . . . don't think I'd try that again, friend. It's as the politician knows . . . you find out who your friends really are when they count the votes.
The best sound . . .
Is Billy Eckstein singing "Feeling."