Congratulations . . .
. . . to Mrs. Gertrude Van Horn on winning the $1,000 in scrip in the grand prize Christmas drawing. Everyone should get a Christmas present like that!
It's dry
The lack of moisture during the past two months has been of great concern to farmers and their town friends. That was pointed out during a visit the day before Christmas to the Syracuse post office.
After the customary "Merry Christmas" greeting, Mrs. Joyce Janssen replied:
"It may not be a very Merry Christmas for farmers unless we get some moisture."
The sudden dryness during the winter months has caused many to take a second look at the underground water tables. There has been a marked upsurge in irrigation in the area and those tables are being watched closely by conservationists.
Meanwhile, a good wet snow sure could cool things down a bit.
A Christmas gift
We've just completed a survey and we've found that if we wanted to get in the biggest money-making business at the holiday shopping time then it would have to be something like Fruit Of The Loom . . . that might even beat tie sales . . . how about that, Harvey Martin?
Rod Smith, an airman stationed at Goodfellow AFB, Texas, stopped in at the News-Press to say hello during the holiday. Rod worked at the paper while he was attending Senior High.
He didn't have the "skinhead" haircut we remembered from the G. I. days, but Rod assured us that it was short enough.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Smith. Duane is also an ex-Air Force man. He served several years in the AF and decided he preferred civilian life and got out after his enlistment expired.
Congratulations . . .
to David Ailes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Garry Ailes, on his alternate appointment to the Air Force Academy. Dave is a senior at Nebraska City Senior High where he is a good student and top athlete.
We wish him much success and with the hope that the "alternate" will become a "principal" appointment.
The appointments to military academies are valued quite highly. Rep. Charles Thone said during a recent visit to Nebraska City that each appointment is worth about $25,000 in educational benefits.
Didya hear the one . . .
. . . about the farmer who was paid $25 by the city slicker one day for pulling his car out of a mudhole on a county road?
"Judging by the price you charge, you'd make a lot of money doing that day and night," the slicker mused.
"Can't," said the farmer, "gotta haul water for the hole at night."
The Bowl games
If ever a wife has reason to claim her sports "nut" husband has abandoned her, then it's during the "Bowl Season."
By the time you will have read this item, at least four of the dozen or so holiday games will have been played. The one with the big interest to most of us will be Nebraska vs. Texas Tech on New Year's Eve in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl at Houston.
Then they take off with the Cotton, Sugar, Rose, Orange, Sun, Shrine, Senior and Hula Bowl . . . and that doesn't even take into consideration the SUPER Bowl.
Well, we are among those who will spend the holiday weekend in front of the boob tube . . . enjoying every minute of it.
A number of years ago when the Youth Center got its first color TV, open house was held at the center on New Year's during the mornings for the Rose parade. We attended those sessions several times with children.
Then, we returned home to a fried chicken dinner and the rest of the afternoon with double header football bowl games. I don't know if those were the "good old days" or not . . . but we sure enjoyed them.
Best wishes and much success to the Dave Di Giovanni family on their move from Nebraska City to Marysville, Kansas. Dave has been with Otoe County National bank for three and a half years. He leaves a vice president's job to take over a liquor store operated by his late father.
And a Happy New Year to you all.