It was a wonderful Thanksgiving for the Gerlachs, highlighted by a surprise for our children and mostly warm holiday vibes from spending almost all of five days within 30 feet of each other. Nearly fifteen years of marriage has taught me that aIl good ideas are my wife's ideas.

It’s no secret that I am a strong advocate for pro-life, pro-woman policies. As a member of the Nebraska Legislature, I supported a bill that banned most abortions in Nebraska after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the point at which unborn babies begin to be able to feel pain. Nebraska was the first state in the nation to pass a bill of this kind. And we passed it 44 votes to 5, with senators from all over the political spectrum – Democrat, Republican, pro-choice, and pro-life – coming together to protect our unborn children.

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.

Do you have any little, insignificant things that, quite simply, annoy the heck out of you? I’m talking about little things. Some people call them “First World Problems.” I’ll give you an example.

The Red Willow County GOP will meet on November 30, 2021, at Bedore Barn (3 miles north of Mc- Cook). A light lunch will be available at 6:30 followed by the meeting at 7:00 pm. Russ Barger, attorney, and Carleen Barger will present “Vaccine Mandates and Vaccine Passports. What has happened and what may happen”. Russ, a former resident of the area, currently practices law in Lincoln, NE. The presentation will be via zoom and there will be a time for questions from the audience. In addition to the information on mandates, there will be a short presentation concerning the recently formed PAC, (pnc-pac.com). Protect Nebraska Children has been instrumental in informing the public about activists promoting the controversial health/ sex standards through our state school board. The official launch of the PAC, with goals of continuing information to protect our children and support of conservative candidates in state elections, was held on November 11, in Kearney. The PAC has officially endorsed Elizabeth Tegtmeier (elizabeth4stateschoolboard.com), North Platte, for the district 7 State School Board position and Sherry Jones (www.sherry4nekids.com), Grand Island, for district 6. Elizabeth spoke at the Red Willow GOP a few months ago. Red Willow County GOP meets monthly, usually on the 4th Tuesday. Considering the holiday season, the November meeting is later in the month and there will be no December meeting. The January meeting will be held on January 25. All concerned area residents are welcome.

In September 1620, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, bound for the New World. The ship’s 102 passengers and 30 crew members – an eclectic mix of religious families fleeing persecution and single men seeking to become landowners on a new continent – had one thing in common: They hoped that better lives were waiting for them at the other end of the sea.

Most of us recognize that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. It’s much simpler to identify the miracle potion advertised on our social media feed as snake oil, than it is to sort through all the conflicting and seemingly changeable advice on what makes a healthy diet. Should we be cutting out fat, or cutting back on carbs? Is there a particular combination of foods or spices or supplements we should be eating to be slim and trim and healthy?

ARAPAHOE, NE --- The announcement of the closure of the Good Samaritan Society nursing home in Arapahoe came as a shock to the residents, the employees, and the whole town. With a deadline of just 60 days, the people living there will have to find new homes by December 31 . The facility will be up for sale, but anyone purchasing it would not have the ability to run it as a nursing home because of the non-compete clause attached to the contract.

Dear Editor, On November 18, 2021, Tri Valley Health System will join the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, the Nebraska State Office of Rural Health and rural health advocates throughout Nebraska and the nation in celebrating National Rural Health Day (NRHD). NRHD is an important, once-a-year opportunity to showcase rural America while focusing on the unique healthcare challenges facing an estimated 57 million rural citizens.

Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD) is seeing CO- VID-19 case numbers on the rise again over the past two weeks. Local clinics are also seeing high rates of influenza and other respiratory illnesses like RSV. Hospitals in the health district are struggling to transfer patients that need intensive care, due to the high numbers of sick people across Nebraska and Colorado, which is affecting both COVID and non-COVID patients.