Earlier this year, a new Nebraska statue arrived in the U.S. Capitol.

By Dr. Larry Gossen This week is a time to reflect on our blessings and show our gratitude to those around us. Heartwarming is the word I use when I talk to people from across the state that, when they learn I’m from NCTA, tell me of someone they know, or they attended UNSA, UNSTA, or NCTA.

I love Thanksgiving. I love preparing the food all day and enjoying it while sitting around a table with some of the people I love most. And there is one holiday tradition that I have grown to adore. As we sit down to eat, we share one thing we feel grateful for this year.

Last week, I heard the story of a veteran trying to use his GI benefits and attend school. After retiring from service, this veteran, who requires the use of a service dog, decided to enroll at a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) school. Obtaining a CDL will qualify this veteran for a good career as a truck driver.

Apples have been freshly picked, are readily available in local grocery stores and are a favorite every Fall. They are a great source of fiber and vitamin C, plus they taste great. Johnny Appleseed is best known across the United States for introducing apples to North America in the early 1800’s. However, apples were actually introduced earlier in the 17th Century by colonists, reports Nebraska Extension Educator Rhonda Herrick. Since then, apples have become a favorite to many Americans.

The brave women and men who wore the uniform, and their families, made great sacrifices to serve our country. As President John F. Kennedy once said: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” Our veterans deserve not just our gratitude, but also our commitment. As a nation, we commit to give them the quality benefits and care they’ve earned. In Nebraska, we proved that is just the start. When I was Governor, we also committed to reducing the burdens our veterans face to maximize their benefits. It’s time Washington makes that same commitment.

My wife often tells me, “Cody, you don’t have to tell people everything... some of this is embarrassing.” We’ve got mice.

I learned a lot of statistics back in medical school, many of which are outdated and long since forgotten. A few still haunt me, though. One example: over 50% of seniors who suffered a broken hip would be in a nursing home, or in their grave, within a year.

Every family has a story. It may go clear back to the 17th Century or maybe it just happened in recent years.

On October 7, the world witnessed a horrible atrocity. The brutality and inhumanity of Hamas’ terror attacks on Israel shock the conscience. Hamas terrorists raped women, kidnapped children, burned a baby in an oven, and slaughtered over 1,400 Israelis. At least 33 Americans are among the dead. Such barbarism is sick and evil. It must be confronted and destroyed.