Stories from Wednesday, November 24, 2010

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HOLBROOK, Nebraska -- The rural Holbrook, Nebraska, family that opened its heart and home so that a young girl from Sweden could experience America has been recognized as one of two "Family of the Year" regional award winners and a "Presidential Volunteer Service Award" national recognition recipient...

Fog and frost Tuesday morning camouflage the straw-bale "turkey" in Jim and Karen Ruff's yard northwest of McCook, Nebraska. While the Ruffs' turkey may be fat-free and full of fiber, more appetizing birds of the genuine type will be abundant Thursday on Thanksgiving Day tables. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)...

We may have to loosen our belts after Thursday's feast, but the Nebraska State Patrol wants us to tighten our belts -- seat belts, that is. This week's national "Click It or Ticket" campaign covers a heavy travel time in Nebraska, with both the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and the Nebraska game on Friday...

At the time of this writing, I still haven't put glass on Comet Hartley. Sometimes that is just the way it goes for astronomers, and comets are notorious for being elusive. I have maps, star charts, and locator guides, but still no comet. Oh well, there is always tomorrow morning -- unless it is cloudy...

Feb. 23, 1923--Nov. 20, 2010 REDLANDS, California -- Fred H. Bremer, PhD, 87, died Saturday (Nov. 20, 2010). He was born on Feb. 23, 1923, in Northfork, West Virginia. As a child, he lived in West Virginia, Texas and South Carolina. He was a student at the University of South Carolina before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1942, seeing service in Burma and India as a radio man and navigator on B-24 bombers. ...

The holidays are a wonderful time to reflect on the past year, to celebrate, and to give thanks for the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy. This past week, many of us joined families and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. President Ronald Reagan once commented, "Perhaps no custom reveals our character as a Nation so clearly as our celebration of Thanksgiving Day."...

We celebrated Thanksgiving early at the Gazette, with everyone contributing a favorite side dish to complement the ham and turkey last Thursday. We divide break room duties monthly, by department, but when we have a big dinner, everyone does what they can to help with the clean-up. I helped our accounts receivable administrator, Deb, with the dishes...