The plant
Thanks to Mrs. Bernard Lukowski, Nehawka and Mrs. Don Mason for the tips on the African Violet plant.
The plant was a door prize from the Otoe County Farm Bureau. It had a difficult beginning under my care, but is beginning to show signs of glowing life.
Those growing tips include: Don't water the leaves; keep the soil moist; if possible keep it in a humid area and most important I learned, keep it out of the sunlight. My plant is on a desk top 10 feet from the nearest window. Earl May Co., you don't know the talent you're missing.
The baker
David "Bo" Swift, the new owner of Zipp's Bakery in Nebraska City, is rolling out the dough long before most of us even think about getting out of bed.
Bo says he could open later each morning, but to do that he'd have to get some of the pre-mixed stuff and that's a no-no in his caliber of business.
"I mix everything from scratch," he said. "Customers can tell the difference and they like the real thing."
We have to attest to his quality and our timing on a recent Saturday morning trip down the alley. The rolls with all the goodie-goodie frosting were still warm.
News-Pressers enjoyed them. Why not? Bo says they're calorie - free. Snort, snort.
DECA students
Robert Rathe directs a program at the Nebraska City school that probably doesn't get a whole lot of recognition but does a whale of a lot of good for boys and girls and business people.
Mr. Rathe ramrods the DECA program. That's the class where students have jobs and must report to employes and to Mr. Rathe. In other words, they've got to make the grade in and out of school.
Thank you to Mr. Rathe and his students for another fine year. The News-Press has participated in the DECA program for many years and we hope to do it many more years.
Our DECA students this year were Mark Johnson and Larry Keran.
Emergency room
The young, good looking blond nurse in the emergency room at St. Mary's hospital was holding both of the patient's wrists when Dr. Madison entered.
"You don't have to hold both wrists to check his pulse," the doctor instructed nurse Pat Gude.
"I'm not holding his wrists to check the pulse," Pat said. "I'm holding them to check his impulse."
The hole
Art Sweet writes from Sun City that he didn't believe the hole in the alley behind Frazier's was an old cistern. It was probably the old subway.
"When the Cleveland store was over on 8th and Central (now Frazier's) there was a subway between the basement of the former Nebraska City Savings and Loan (where Mercer's is now) and the Cleveland store.
"Cleveland's had their grocery store in the S&L building. There was a beauty shop and some other things on that level. The late Frank Hall continued to run the grocery in the S&L building for some time."
Thanks, Art, for the update. The Sweets hope to be in Nebraska City for Marguerite's 50th anniversary class reunion at NCHS. I'd tell you what Art said about the gas shortage, but this is a family newspaper.
The Livingstons
Marjory: "Our bank balance is so low I don't know whether to pay the doctor or the utility bill."
Vern: "No big problem, dear. Pay the utility bill. The doctor can't shut off our blood."
Respect for Law
Thanks to Optimist Kevin Kreifels for serving as chairman of the annual Respect for Law Week. Kevin is a sergeant with the NC police department and he introduced FBI Agent Tom Martin ol Lincoln.
Eight local law enforcement officers attended the meeting and heard Agent Marlin speak of crime fighting on a national basis.