Letter to the Editor

To the editor,

I drove into your little town on Thursday night on my way back from Lincoln. I’ve been making the run from Vegas back to Lincoln for several months due to delivery issues with electronics, but I had seen nothing but good roads. The interstate was an ice rink so I took the exit south and landed in Saratoga.

It was late, about 11, and I was starving. I was standing in front of the Cantina wondering what I was going to do for food. The convenience stores were all closed. I was unprepared for any of this, but I understand the problem of finding help, etc.

I saw a lady get out of a minivan and go into a shop a few doors down. She came out a few minutes later and I was still standing there trying to find a place to eat, looking at my phone. She walked over and asked me if I was looking for a place to eat. I told her yes and she said a place up on the hill called the Whistle Pig served food. It was bar food, but it was good.

I told her I was hoping to find something to heat up in the microwave in my motel room. She told me she had a couple of things in her desk and that she’d be right back. She returned with two heat-and-eat spaghetti and some tea bags. I was surprised by her generosity and her friendliness. In most towns, people don’t walk up to complete strangers and offer to help and then go out of their way to actually help!

I asked her if I could pay her for it and, of course, she said no, just be safe. She walked down the sidewalk and got in her car and drove away. I went to my room, ate, had a cup of tea and was reading a newspaper I’d found in the lobby. It was a couple weeks old, but I love to read small town newspapers so I read it from front to back. I then realized that a picture of the lady that helped me was in the paper.

She’d written a column called Political Neutrality. I have to say, I was a little surprised to see writing of that caliber and a reporter that actually maintained a neutral opinion. Most reporters I’ve known and I know many (but that’s a different story), have trouble keeping themselves in check. Kudos to Virginia Parker.

Curiosity overcame me and I discovered this little newspaper is online. I went back and read nearly every article for the last few months. There’s a lot going on in this little place and it’s being well-reported. I enjoyed absorbing the Upper North Platte Valley as I’ve learned it’s called and will probably be reading online as much as possible.

The focus on the local populace is refreshing. We can find all the national news we want everywhere. I hope the Spring Avenue project gets finished, I am very impressed by the Cross Country Team’s accomplishments and thoroughly enjoyed the article about the VOAG program and I will be visiting that little park in Riverside next time I come through.

Mike, cats are the best pets in the world, glad you found one that sticks around. They are so independent, I wonder if they just go looking for a change of venue or actually get lost.

Keep up the good work, editor Davis. Your job is the last word and considering how small your staff is I imagine your hours are long.

See you all on the flip side,

John Williams

Lincoln, NE