Grandma wins
An 80-year-old grandmother who prided herself on her good driving sense, almost spoiled her record when she went through a stop sign.
Before the officer had a chance to write out a ticket, grandma insisted on an appearance in court.
The young judge looked at grandma and said she had no business driving at her age. She was obviously a case of poor eyesight.
With that grandma pulled a sewing kit out of her purse, threaded a needle on her first try and handed it to the judge:
"Your turn."
The case was dismissed.
Our girl, Kathy
We were pleased to read that Miss Kathy Saathoff, a NCHS grad was selected as Miss Nebraska at the state pageant. She will go to Atlantic City, N.J., in September to compete for the national title.
Kathy was an outstanding music student at NCHS, bubbling around school halls with bundles of energy. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Merlyn Saathoff now of Diller, Mr. Saathoff taught a special education class at NCHS and Mrs. Saathoff was a nurse at Nebraska City Manor.
Congratulations, Kathy, and we wish you much success.
The tragedy
A boating accident the other night claimed the life of Jeff Gunn, 22, a young man who enjoyed water sports. Jeff was a friendly visitor at most every cabin at Lake Wa-Con-Da.
His father was killed in the crash of a private plane a few years ago. Jeff was a likeable and happy young man and is missed by his family. We extend our sympathies.
Teen queen
Congratulations to Debbie Jordan, 16, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Jordan, who was named Nebraska Teen Queen of the National Campers and Hikers Association.
Debbie will compete on a national level next year in New York.
Debbie's family has been active in camping for many years.
Guard camp
Thanks to Lt. Bernard Spiker, Company A commander and the whole Guard crew, for the interesting visit to Fort Carson, Colo., during the unit's annual summer drill.
The story of the visit is told in a feature page in today's paper.
But let me tell you what really happened.
The flight to Colorado Springs was a pleasant get-acquainted two hours. It was spitting rain when we arrived and for the next two days, it rained, rained and rained.
Second Lt. Randy Bangert, Lincoln, was assigned to take me around to the training grounds. And, he did his job well.
(We learned that the lieutenant had a more pleasant assignment a few months ago. He escorted Amy Thone at her dad's gubernatorial inauguration.)
First, let me say thanks to Sfc. Wilber Dean Barrett. He saved my hide by issuing me heavy GI winter clothing, a poncho and his steel pot (helmet). Without any of them, I'd probably be a frozen mass along a mountain roadside.
And thanks to the soldier's soldier, First Sgt. Bill Rivett, who seemingly never slept and directed movements in and out of the orderly room on a 24-hour schedule. Despite his busy days, he found time to make sure the "VIP's" were properly outfitted and had transportation.
When it didn't rain, the wind blew and the mercury stayed in the 40 degree mark and most of the time I think all three weather factions worked against the visitors.
The lieutenant took pity on me and on the second day he put a canvas top on the jeep that we had been using for mountain transportation.
S-Sgt. Larry Hartman slapped a helmet and headset on me, put me in a mounted area of his track machine and commissioned me tank commander all in one breath. That was enough, because he took the controls and gave me what you might call a most interesting ride.
Rank has no privileges in the field. A lieutenant who sought relief, was issued a shovel, a roll of t-o-i-l-e-t paper and given directions. (S-Sgt. Marshall Bates liked that.)
The food was just the greatest. The chief cook and bottle washer was Sfc. Allen Barrett and he's so big few people would question his menu. Sgt. Barrett also shipped hot meals to his 300 hungry soldiers in the mountain training.
The days are long for the guardsmen and the nights twice as difficult because war games go on 24 hours a day.
The day Governor Thone appeared to watch the fire power demonstration of all the weapons, the rain came down harder. That was the afternoon we seated ourselves on iron bleachers and sat through another downpour. Capt. Cliff (Corky) Lant, Lincoln, ex-Nebr. City resident, engineered the fire power show.
Our guides did an excellent job of explaining the daily procedures and hauling us all over mountain areas showing us how the training was conducted.
There is a great deal of war training that is difficult for an outsider to grasp, but there was one thing about men that we got ahold of the first thing — morale.
We can report that Company A of Nebraska City and the Second Battalion in general, have a high morale. The men are interested in what they are doing and they are doing a bang-up job of it.