A group of Nebraska City campers changed their outdoor living ways after an incident one night in the wilds of Canada. A bear slashed the side of the tent, then backed off in apparent fear of humans.
Frank Bataillon, Paul Lima, Mike Bataillon, Joe Voges and Dr. A.H. Bonebrake and son, Ted, spent eight days camping, canoeing, fishing and avoiding bears.
The group laughs about it now, but at the moment it wasn't very funny. If the bear had decided to enter the tent (to get the food stored inside) there could have been a tragic ending.
Frank showed movies of the trip the other day and pointed out the way the food supplies were tied to tree limbs . . . away from the campsite.
We were told by another that there has been considerable drought in many areas in Canada and townspeople claim bear are moving into campsites and edges of communities looking for food.
Congratulations
We send our best to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Rankin who recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. We worked closely with Mr. Rankin for a number of years at the Nebraska Employment Service (Job Service is the new name) when he was in charge of hiring a couple thousand or so boys and girls to work in the fields each summer.
Clarence always seemed to enjoy his work so much and when he retired we missed him. But as happens so often . . . retirement doesn't mean the end of work, and Clarence always seems busy.
Congratulations friends, and good health to you.
Arbor Day Foundation
The announcement that McDonald's will give $5,000 for a tree planting project at the arboretum was a real shot in the arm for the Arbor Day Foundation board.
The money will be spent on trees in the former Porter orchard property purchased by the Foundation. Sen. Calvin Carsten, Avoca, is chairman of the executive board of the Foundation. Other local directors include Ellsworth Merkel, president of Otoe County National Bank and Vern Livingston, former manager of Nebraska City Utilities.
The Foundation hopes some day that a research-resource center will be built on the property enhancing the park and development of the property.
The Applejack Festival
The annual Applejack Festival and Apple Bowl game between Tarkio and Peru State College will be September 18 in Nebraska City. Ron Jay, general chairman, has been organizing the project and from the sound of things, it will be another fine event. That super trophy was displayed at a meeting the other night by Peru Coach Jerry Joy and Tarkio Coach Bob Tucker. The trophy will go to the winner of the Apple Bowl.
As you probably read in the paper recently, the Applejack Festival at Nebraska City has been included on the events of interest by the National Bicentennial Commission.
VFW altered
Veterans attending the national VFW convention in New York were offered a special booklet on how not to get ripped off.
The booklet contained information on rates and fees on horse drawn cabs, ticket brokers, parking and shopping and how to register a complaint. "If you think you have been gypped, demand to see the list price," the VFW said. Veterans were altered to watch for tourist traps, and stores advertising nationally known brands but selling those that are virtually unknown.
Cannibalism
We read the other day that if all the "big" fish were caught there would be an overpopulation of small ones.
If fish didn't eat fish there soon would not be enough water for all of them. Biologists are discovering that over-fishing of the larger fish causes an over population of the small ones.
Big fish are needed as breeders and population controllers through cannibalism.
Ali's training camp
Ali is training at a camp at Show Low, Ariz., for his September fight with Ken Norton. He babbles on about his fight and so far there have been few fighters to do much about his mouth.
Meanwhile, he chose the community of Show Low for his training grounds.
We don't know much about Show Low. We stayed at a motel there one night many years ago and found it to be a quiet community. Ali turned that topsy turvy.
We remember Show Low because it was cool that evening . . . blanket weather.
The next morning we continued "down the hill" to Scottsdale, Ariz., to see an old friend arriving about noon to 100-degree plus temperatures.
So, if Ali needs to get away from it all and cool off, then Show Low is a good place. The feathers will hit the fan this September when he meets the strongman Norton.
You know, . . . whether you like Ali or not . . . one of these days someone is going to mow him down. Norton could be the man.
If you read Mrs. Frank Royal's "4-H News" column the other day you learned that there will be a new horse club organization. Boys and girls eight to 19 years of age are invited to become members. The organizational meeting will be September 1 at 8 p.m. at the Comunity Room at Midwest Federal.
Mrs. Royal writes a column weekly for the News-Press offering tips to homemakers and reporting on activities within the 4-H families.
A new business
Rick Blobaum, manager of the Bargain Barn on South Eleventh Street, said he is enjoying the business from Nebraska City and the tri-state area and liked his grand opening and welcome from the Chamber of Commerce.
The Bargain Barn is located in the former Whitehead-Rhoden Cheverolet-Cadillac building. Hank Whitehead and his crew are in the new building on next to U.S. 75 at the north edge of town. Hank will have a formal grand opening a little later.
The above third class postage permit was received from my sister in North Miami Beach, Florida. For you cat lovers, she is a cat fancier of the Burmese breed and is active in that breeders organization.
Her husband sketched the "cat" drawing and she took it to the post office to get permission to use it on a third class mailer. After some effort, the design was approved.
We checked with Postmaster Howard Baltensperger. He doesn't recall any "personalized" third class mailing permits, but neither could he find anything in the postal manual that says you too, can't do it.
So, if you're interested you might call Howard and start working on your own design.