The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture welcomed alumna Dr. McKenzie (Beals) Hendricks back to campus to speak with students in Success in Veterinary Technology and Success in Animal Science classes.

By Ranelle Nissen, Ph.D., OTR/L and Allison Naber, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L First, you notice the small changes. It may be challenging to find the right word or remember the name of someone you just met. You may forget where you placed your keys when you came home from the grocery store.

Picture a man crawling through the desert in tattered clothing, whispering “water” as he nears an oasis. He isn’t thinking about his kidneys, yet they may be the main organ still keeping him alive.

Christmas is nearly upon us, but in The Good Life, the spirit of the season lasts all month long. You may recall that last year I featured our state’s Christmas City of Minden in my Christmas column. Even with more than 12,000 lights illuminating the courthouse dome and town square, Minden’s magic extends far beyond its dazzling display. Each year, the community comes together to present The Light of the World Christmas pageant — an impressive culmination of months of preparation and local pride.

Note: Denver Air Connection is the Essential Air Service provider at three airports in Nebraska: Alliance, Chadron and McCook. Dear Editors, We want to inform your readers, and our neighbors, of a troubling development affecting our region.

This past week, I traveled to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for the annual Reagan National Defense Forum — one of the most important gatherings of national security leaders each year. The event brings together Members of Congress, military commanders, defense experts, and technology innovators to take a hard look at the threats facing our country and how we can keep Americans safe.

The holidays are a special time in Nebraska. We volunteer to serve our communities. Families and friends spend more time together. But for too many Nebraskans, the holidays can be lonely. Families are increasingly spread apart. Digital connections are good, but it’s not the same thing as being there in person. Nebraskans of all ages are becoming more isolated as a result.

Following the news that, as a result of Nebraska’s Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA) formula, $30 million was overpaid to Omaha Public Schools, Senator Dave Murman, Chair of the Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee, issued the following statement: “The TEEOSA formula was first adopted nearly 35 years ago. In 1990, 258 out of 278 of Nebraska’s school districts received equalization aidabout 93 percent. Thirty-five years later, only 50 of our 245 school districts receive equalization aid- just 20 percent. In short, as property values have skyrocketed, so have property taxes, with state funding seeing a decrease at like amount.

I don’t think I ever have looked to Jerritt Elliott, the University of Texas Volleyball Coach, to provide perspective after an excruciating result. Following Nebraska’s stunning volleyball defeat to Texas A&M on Sunday in the NCAA Regional Final, I jumped aboard the Wisconsin bandwagon for an hour.

The holiday season is fast approaching with all its festive occupations like decorating the house, buying and wrapping presents and preparing and serving holiday meals. Between the additional time requirements, costs, travel and interactions with family members, this can be a particularly stressful time of year.