Lincolnite

Did you hear the news that Kuhl's is closing? Or at least, their lease won't be renewed after March 2008. It will be sad to see a locally-owned, Downtown staple disappear off the map, if that is indeed what ends up happening. I can't say I was ever impressed by the place, but hey, a local favorite is a local favorite. You've got to do something right to keep customers for 40 years. Do you have any classic Kuhl's memories? Do share!

Say goodbye to your West O friends. After November 12, you may not see them for a year. I won't be surprised if we lose a business or two during the construction. I suppose it's inevitable, especially if the business is already having a rough time. At least this project has been in the planning stages for three years, so folks have had time to prepare. Do you ever go to West O? I know I don't. West O is a huge turn-off for me. The word "bugly" was coined to describe things like West O. It ranks up there with parts of Cornhusker Highway on the list of Lincoln's ugliest roadways. If there were more ways to access that part of town I have no doubt the problem would take care of itself in no time. At least there's Capitol Beach and some other nice neighborhoods once you get off the main road. A question for those of you who live in or frequent the area: What businesses should Lincolnites be sure to help support during the construction period? Any favorites that may have an especially hard time getting by?

Manley man falls asleep while driving, hits trailer

Last week we went to the 9 South Chargrill on 9th and South. I ordered the hamburger, which like all the sandwiches comes with a choice of two sides (I ordered onion rings and potato salad - which makes for a very filling and reasonably priced meal for $7-$8). I really enjoyed my burger. Having a really good burger can speak volumes about a restaurant, and the burger at 9 South Chargrill was definitely very, very good. The burger was so big that it left me with that sluggish, drugged feeling of having a third to a half a pound of red meat in my gut. But it was also on a really nice toasted bun (which didn’t fall apart) with fresh lettuce, tomato, and red onion. Additionally, the burger was very nicely seasoned - enough seasonings that if you don’t like putting on heaps of ketchup or mustard (which I despise) the ground beef patty can stand alone on its own. Somehow, I also managed to have this vanilla malt for dessert as well, which was just as equally satisfying. Mr. Wilson – who has been there before - had a philly cheese steak. He mumbled something about it being much better meat and less greasy than the cheese steaks he is used to. I would recommend people try out 9 South Chargill if they are looking for a good lunch. It’s a pretty nice establishment and it was packed with families, office-types, and blue collar workers when we arrived. The kitchen and cook(s) were within open view, the wait staff was courteous and not overbearing, and the overall environment was really pretty classy for a place with a straightforward “Nebraska menu" without being pretentious.

After work today I was nearly run over by bikers rushing home to catch the "Magnum P.I." reunion on TV tonight. And I caught a picture of one assailant. Where in Lincoln is this? I am going to be very surprised if someone doesn't get this one - Especially if some of you Lincolnite regulars don't know this location. Happy Halloween all.

A couple observations from recent trips to two fast food chains: First, The Missus and I hit the downtown Taco Bueno a week ago. It was underwhelming, which is pretty much how Jeff Korbelik describes it as well. Although the meal was forgettable, the bill was not. Actually, the price we paid at the store wasn't so bad. But then next day when I checked our bank account online, I was pretty shocked to see that we had been charged $72.38. Huh? I let it sit for a couple days to see if it was some sort of weird debit card glitch. Apparently it was. The $72.38 was credited back to the account without me having to do a thing. In the end, the meal was free. Odd. Last night I ate at Popeye's for the first time. I had just wrapped up a soccer match and my dad and I were looking for a place that was open at 9:45pm. We found Popeye's at 70th and Pioneers. The two girls behind the counter were very friendly, despite the fact that the store was supposed to close in just a few minutes. They fed us well, gave us more food than we paid for, and smiled the whole time. It wasn't your typical almost-closing-time fast food dining experience. As for the food, I'd eat there again. It was no four-star grub, but it wasn't half bad for fast food fried chicken. I really should write a letter to the store's manager. Thanks to those two girls, that location is assured a return trip from me. Surely that deserves a little recognition.

I've been waiting for the Journal Star's coverage of the October 1997 snowstorm as my cue to reflect on one of Lincoln's all-time greatest weather events. That storm was awesome. Sure, there was plenty of damage and inconvenience, and two Nebraskans were killed. I especially don't want to minimize the impact of the deaths. But as a weather event, you really have to admire Mother Nature for that one. It was a doozy. Then again, I love dramatic weather events. When I happen to get caught in the middle of such an event, even better. I still can't believe my poor Ford Tempo made it through Lincoln's dark streets that night. These days it can hardly drive through a rain storm, much less through snow. I remember finally pulling up to the University parking lot, only to realize that even if I were to make it through the snow-packed driveway, how was I supposed to know where the parking spots were? I eventually opted for the "gun it until you hit a snow drift" method of entering the lot and parking. The method worked pretty well, except it took me forever to unbury my car later that week. Can you imagine being a visitor to the city that weekend? Ha! Those people are probably scarred for life, swearing to never again to return to Lincoln. If you weren't in Lincoln at the time, you really missed out. Now you have to put up with everybody else referring to "The October Snowstorm" and waiting for them to finish their stories -- which you've heard 100 times -- any time it comes up. No worries; every generation has its great weather event. Hang around for a while and you'll find yours.

I've had the privilege of knowing and working with Kathy Rutledge before, and must say that she is one great person. Best wishes on whatever the future brings.

Lincolnite Jake Rhymes with Cake had a bit of a run-in with the TSA at Pittsburgh International Airport. I'll say this first: his comparison of his incident to the movie Rendition is way over-the-top. Let's be honest, the two situations aren't even close. That doesn't mean Jake's experience isn't serious, however. The relatively minor damage to his laptop isn't the issue. Accidents happen, and it sounds like the guard who dropped his laptop just goofed. But then the guard did not respond properly according to Federal regulations. He should have either told Jake how to file a claim, or he should have directed Jake to the supervisor. The supervisor also responded contrary to Federal regulations. She should have told Jake how to document the damage and whom to contact. Taxpayers are out a few bucks for the damage, Jake goes home satisfied that the problem is in the resolution process (but not happy about the damage), and the guards go on about their day. Problem avoided. Of course that's not how events unfolded. If you follow TSA-related stories in the news and around the web, you'll know that TSA officers are not known for their competence, their consistent adherence to regulations, or their desire to protect civil liberties. (Or, for that matter, their desire or ability to ensure travelers' security.) Sadly, Jake's situation is but one of countless similar situations, and it will be quickly forgotten as a result. He may end up being reimbursed for the damage, but that's beside the point at this juncture. Law enforcement and security personnel have to get these things right the first time. Getting it right only after the victim spends hours forcing the issue is morally equivalent to never having gotten it right at all. In this case, what could have been a complete non-event instead becomes yet another example of TSA officers on a power trip. Now, to put a local spin on this, my interactions with TSA in Lincoln to date have been, at worst, neutral. Some of the officers have an unnecessarily customer-unfriendly demeanor -- I'm not looking for Cold Stone-style singing, but "Good morning" would be nice -- but I haven't experienced anything resembling misconduct. The officers appear to do their job, and they do it relatively efficiently.

Hawthorne's supporters are talking about a recall to get back at the School Board members they disagree with. That's a great civics lesson to teach the kids, isn't it? Forget regular elections, if you don't like an elected representative's single vote, just try to kick 'em out right then and there. (And even if you don't succeed in booting them, at least you've intimidated them a bit.) Personally, I prefer to reserve recalls for more serious matters than simple policy disagreements. Not that I don't have some sympathy for Hawthorne's supporters. I do. But then they go and say things like this quote from Chip Stanley:

"We want representatives that think for themselves and listen to their constituents."

I have to suspect Mr. Stanley doesn't really want his representatives to think for themselves. He wants them to think like him. Now, that's not an atypical attitude. Of course we want our reps to vote the way we want them to vote. But is the best response to pout and demand a recall whenever things don't go our way on a major issue? Besides, Board members clearly did "listen" to their constituents, both literally, and in the sense that they fielded phone calls, read e-mails and, presumably, followed the coverage in the news. Mr. Stanley goes on to levy an accusation at Board members:

"We're tired of a rubber stamp board that is doing the will of (Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent) Susan Gourley and the administration."

I wasn't aware that Dr. Gourley ruled over the Board with such an iron fist. Can anybody with knowledge of LPS confirm or deny the "rubber stamp" charge? In the end, I have to suspect that any recall effort will fail. My guess is that most Lincolnites desire efficiency and cost savings more than they desire Hawthorne to remain an elementary school. If the recall is going to succeed, supporters will need to make the case that the Board's vote will cost more than it will save.

Creating a new low-income housing development at 10th and Military seems like a great idea. Except:

1. It's in a flood plain
2. It will require the expensive demolition of asbestos-tainted buildings
3. It involves public land, but bids were not sought
4. It may require approval from the Army Corps of Engineers
5. And the Navy

Just to make those complications more fun to deal with, if the project doesn't move forward by November 30, the project will lose out on a heap of state tax credits. Other than that, the project should be a breeze.

My mom likes to send Robert cards for all sorts of occasions, and she also likes to include a buck or two for his piggy bank. Inside his Halloween card was a crisp two-dollar bill. Here's Robert saying thanks: You're watching history in this video, by the way. The video captures the first time Robbie said "thank you".

I took this photo today while The Missus and Robbie prepared to go to the grocery store.

A few weeks ago, we had to summon an ambulance to a soccer field because a player was knocked unconscious after a free kick (from his own teammate!) smacked him in the head. Fortunately he came to, and his parents opted to refuse an ambulance transport to the hospital. Hopefully they took him on their own. Last night we had to summon an ambulance again, this time for a broken leg. I didn't see it -- I was on the far side of the field -- but apparently it snapped like a twig. The break wasn't associated with a foul or anything. Nobody seems to have seen it clearly, but one guess is that he may have caught his toe on the turf while kicking the ball. In any event, that's two. If it's true that bad things come in threes, there remains one more ambulance to be summoned this season. But bad news, folks: I only have four more matches on my calendar right now (plus the potential for one or two post-season matches), so if you see me on your game, it could be you. Or heck, it could be me. Time to check up on that referee insurance...