To walk the halls of Northfield Elementary School in Gering with principal John Wiedeman is to see a man surrounded by 250 of his best friends.
Wiedeman, who grew up the son of two teachers in Dalton, has been principal at Northfield since 2016. He says heâs excited to wake up every day and know he gets to go to school, and the students return that enthusiasm. One student called out to Wiedeman from inside the classroom as he walked past. Another clapped as Wiedeman entered the classroom. A kindergarten student enthusiastically insisted that Wiedeman look at her Play-doh creation. And multiple hugs from the students reinforced their love for their principal.
Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers has over the years had a lot to say about the lawmaking process, the Black experience in America and Nebraska, his own way of being and government in general. Here is just a smattering of them:Â
âIâm only one person, but one person and the rules can do a lot.â
âWhen you are at a moral crossroads, that is not the time to hold âem or fold âem. Thatâs the time to choose which way youâre going to go. Right or left.âÂ
âThe Ancient of Days. I want to say to those elderly ones: The fact that you reach a certain age does not mean that you have to shrivel up, dry out, vegetate, or go away or blow away. As long as you have breath in your body, your mind is clear, continue to live literally until you die.âÂ