The big fish in the lake at the fairgrounds is the real thing and Sid Suedmeier of Nebraska City has a picture to prove it.
The newspaper picture and story show Sid's father, Ernest, with the 50-pound cat taken from the Auburn lake about two years ago.
"The rule is real," Sid says. "If you catch him, you gotta put him back."
The elder Mr. Suedmeier, retired from the gas company at Auburn, caught the Big Cat with a doughball for bait on a 12-pound test line. He played and pulled for 35 minutes before landing him.
He's still fishing . . . but hasn't had the second chance.
The walnut trees
Harry Roos stopped in the other day to ask about removal of walnut tre[illegible]rview Park. We checked with Sev Sorensen, chairman of the Tree board, and no walnut trees have been cut down or removed.
A study is being made on the trees with the end result that there will be a number of dead or dying walnuts to get the ax. That study is a necessity to provide a guide on the proper way of tree maintenance.
An earlier report showed that at Riverview park there are 197 walnut trees (they make up 55 per cent of the tree population) with a $200,000 value. The report also showed that only 34 per cent of the walnuts are good growing shape, while only 12 per cent are dead or dying. That study was made by the University Extension Forestry Department.
Makeing a comeback
J. Ray Duncan has been on his back long enough, he feels, and is looking forward to getting his strength back and returning to the post he loves so much, Adam Schellinger Post No. 8.
Ray suffered a stroke recently and that retarded the strength in his right arm and leg. An optimist always (he's really a Rotarian) Ray tells about his therapy in his usual "give 'em hell, Dunc" tone and is looking forward to the first Wednesday of the month for the Legion meeting.
Ray retired after many years at the News-Press, but has been a frequent visitor to our office.
Sure has been quiet around here.
Same at the Legion meeting.
Hurry back, Dunc.
The mailman
Congratulations to Harold "Shorty" Groves on his retirement from the U.S. Postal Service. The story about Shorty and his job were featured recently in the News-Press.
Shorty is well known to all of us for his trumpet. The Legion meeting without "taps" by Shorty is pretty dry.
As the story said, he's played with a lot of bands. We remember him best with Sonny Hill on the trombone. They played most of the evening at dances without music sheets.
A happy ending
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Rose had a visitor last week, her nephew Jack Kastner, formerly of Burbank and now a New Yorker.
They hadn't seen Mr. Kastner for a number of years and when they lost contact, the search seemed to fizzle. That is, until Mrs. Rose called the News-Press and asked about a newspaper in Bur[illegible]stner worked at one time.
Our newspaper reference book didn't have him on the management list, so we suggested a letter to the paper asking about him.
Mrs. Rose did one better. She wrote a Letter to the Editor.
It got action. There were some calls and a few weeks later Mr. Kastner stopped in Omaha on a California to New York flight, then visited for a few days in Nebraska City.
There were some happy days in the Rose home last week.
The optimist
"Cousin" Paul Knoll is a true optimist. He disregards the forecast for rain, reads his Horoscope from Bob Poggemeyer, dons his straw hat and drives away in his convertible . . . with the top down. (He has been known to get "caught.")
The stooped position
Jim Eilers, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Eilers, spent an enjoyable six weeks in Japan during the summer on a Lions youth exchange program.
The NCHS student reported on his trip recently at the Optimist club and did a fine job of recording his trip and telling others about it.
He discovered quickly that he was "noticeable" among the Japanese. His six-foot frame puts him head and shoulders above the oriental people.
He also discovered something else while living with two different families — unless he stooped as he entered doorways, he walked into the upper part of the door frame.
And he discovered he was "recognizable" among Americans because when he returned to the U.S. he stooped as he went through the jet's hatch.
"The plane crew about cracked up," Jim reported. "They knew I had been in Japan."
The diehard
Back in the depression years, a government census taker was making the rounds in Minersville asking all sorts of personal questions.
Henry Schemmel wasn't home (probably at the still) so the paper was left with a note on mailing it to the government.
A few days later the census taker got the form and one answer set him back.
"What is R. F. D.?"
Mr. Schemmel's answer: "Ranklin Felano Doosevelt."