The trip
Thanks to Ellsworth Merkel, Verne Jones and Otoe County National Bank for an interesting tour of Grand Island.
One of the most revealing tours was the Sperry-New Holland farm machinery plant. The Pennsylvania company built a plant in Grand Island less than 10 years ago and has since built another in Lexington and is planning a development in Columbus.
Sperry-New Holland is the largest employer in Grand Island with 1,100 employes. Those are impressive facts and figures for a "newcomer" to the town and state. No pictures to show you; they said cameras were a no-no and had to be left at the office.
There has been unusual growth in that farming community. The reason is a summer spectacle — irrigation. Hall and its neighboring 18 or so counties have been experiencing a boom in crops over the last decade attributable to pumping water.
The Grand Island Chamber enlarged its ag membership to utilize that growth and now hosts a special farm machinery exposition that attracts up to 25,000 each day. The three-day show is financed by Nebraska Farmer.
The plaque
The Wormy Applewood Plaque goes to government officials and so-called "Authorities" for the conflicting reports of what actually happened at the nuclear power plant at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
News reports accounted for nearly a dozen conflicting reports on damage and safety including the fact that there was a hydrogen explosion on Wednesday and it was kept secret until Saturday.
My next trip? Why, of course . . . the movie house and The China Syndrome . . . I want to see what really happened.
Congratulations
. . . to Lori Brown and Les Grundman, Nemaha Valley students who were awarded Regent scholarships to the University of Nebraska. Alternates were Susan Rohlfing and Russell Holscher.
The moms and dads are Mr. and Mrs. Darold Grundman, Warren Brown, Norman Rohlfing and Evan Holscher.
The picture
The picture in the paper the other day of Mrs. Bertha Hinrichs and her snow-covered geraniums told the story. And it was no April Fool.
The snowfall did apply a wet and white blanket to flowers, but there appeared to be no damage to flowers at Mrs. Hinrichs home or elsewhere in town.
The Neiharts
Thanks to Mrs. John Neihart of Elmo, Mo., for dropping us a note on how the family was following the twister that hit in the area. Nearby Braddyville was flattened.
Mrs. Neihart wrote the twister dipped over their community, but never touched the ground.
Stepping out . . .
Fred Astaire would be jealous if he saw the fancy footwork we amateurs mastered in the disco lessons over the past weeks.
Other "locals" in that class were Mr. and Mrs. Don Mason, City Finance Commissioner and Mrs. Mike Medaris and Mr. and Mrs. Don Reeves.
We "graduates" did a little stepping out the other night to the suggestion of the disco teacher, Mrs. Mark Boellstorff — we went discoing at the dance hall on the east side of Falls City. It was fun.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kuwitzky, Auburn, turned down several offers to join the group. The Missus seemed peppy and ready to hit the dance floor but achin' Joe said "it" was in his back. Gosh and to think of the fun he missed. Snicker Snicker.
What's it like on the disco floor? There are colored, flashing, bright lights, a lot of wiggling bodies and loud. Oh, yes loud.
The Farm Bureau
The Otoe County Farm Bureau handed out the bouquets (er African violets) the other night in its recognition of the NC Rescue Squad and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Wachter, Unadilla.
The squad was recipient of the Community Service Award and the Wachters were the Bureau's Farm Family of the Year.
Mr. Wachter is a rather energetic man, we learned. Four years ago he had surgery on his knees and after he was standing tall again, he bought his first diesel tractor. He's 80 years young.
Jake Clem of Palmyra did a masterful job of introducing the Wachters and shredding this reporter with his stories.
We can report also that Jake is kicking clods again. He had open heart surgery and is getting along fine. Jake was a sergeant with General Patton's crew in Europe and has a habit of bouncing back.
(P. S. Thanks to the Bureau for the African Violet plant. It's getting the morning sun from Millie's kitchen window.)