The Milford Free Press

Jason and JoAnn Roth stand at the counter of their new JR Welding location west of Milford. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the Feb. 3, 2010, pages to read about their expansion, about the retirement of the Milford High School ag instructor, the high school’s “Pink Out”, and…

• Obituary (John Treu)
• Sports (Lady Eagles Basketball, boys basketball)

Vern Curtis (above on right) teamed up his mules with Lee Jansen’s of McCook to make two entries in the Denver Western National Stockshow last weekend. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the January 27, 2010, pages to read about how he did, how Milford Elementary dealt with a bomb scare, the “Souper Saturday” event, the fire chief’s honor, local members of the Upper Big Blue board, and…

• Obituary (Bruce Hostetler)
• Calendar items (Pink Out, blood drive, Holocaust survivor)
• Sports (Lady Eagles Basketball, wrestling, boys basketball)

Aaron Policky keeps up with a Harlem Ambassador last week during a fundraiser for the Milford pool. See more pictures and read about the upcoming Souper Saturday (a snow date was set, just in case) and several school activities for a cause. Just click on  “Archived Newspapers” above, and find the date.

With only an additional 4 inches of snow last week but very strong winds, drifting was once again a problem both on the country roads and the highways. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the January 13, 2010, pages to read about weather woes, a Milford school bus accident, the upcoming Harlem Ambassadors game, memories of a one-room school, Sheriff Yocum runs for re-election, and…

• Calendar items (Souper Saturday)
• Sports (Lady Eagles Basketball, wrestling, boys basketball)

The Harlem Ambassadors, shown here with a little audience member during the January, 2009, game, are returning to Milford. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the January 6, 2010, pages to read about the fundraiser for a pool project, another fundraiser for fireworks, new Milford Free Press subscriptions, and…

• Sports — basketball, wrestling

• Calendar — Financial Peace Class, FFA oyster fry and battle ball

A snow removal crew from Mullen clears Highway 6 near Pleasant Dale after the snowiest Christmas on record. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the December 30, 2009, pages to read about the storm that left Milford, Ruby and Pleasant Dale shivering, and…

• Obituary (Troupe)
• Wedding (Swarts/Philippi)
• Sports (Wrestling, Lady Eagles Basketball)

Milford Junior High musicians celebrate Christmas at their winter concert Dec. 14.  Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the December 23, 2009, pages to read some of our columnists favorite Christmas stories, and see all sorts of Christmas scenes.

Three little boys read about one of the entries in the gingerbread house contest, an annual event held in conjunction with Santa’s official visit to Milford. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the December 16, 2009, pages to read about Milford gearing up for Christmas, a burglary of two main street businesses, how goats add to one family’s income and…

• obituaries (Bennett, Tieken)
• sports (Eagles basketball, post-season honors for football)
• calendar events (100th birthday party, ag field day postponed, wrestling club sign-up)

The road to the Swarts house is still drifted in (that’s it on top of the hill), but this week’s Milford Free Press is online at least. Click on “Archived Newspapers” above and find the December 9, 2009, pages to read about Milford’s first H1N1 death, Souper Saturday plans, and a mascot for the library, see holiday pictures, and…

Hope you noticed — The Milford Free Press has a new look. While our online version is still “under construction”, the printed copies available in local businesses have a totally different appearance than previous weeks.

When I started my own newspaper nearly a year ago, I wanted to hang on to what I learned through the years working at the Times. But people are still mixing up the Free Press and the Times, and the two Nancys associated with them. So, I opted for a new look for this publication. Hopefully that will help.

Trees are my new theme. Why? Well, I can imagine all sorts of reasons.

First of all, the straight, formal lines I followed before seem too restrictive, too heavy, too impersonal, too…familiar, if you know what I mean. Now, it’s out with the old, and in with the new.

Also, trees seem appropriate because the “council oak” story is part of Milford’s history. Long before our European ancestors settled here, the council oak was a meeting place for Native Americans who came to this point on the Blue River to take advantage of the healing waters of the Shogo Springs.

Another reason is recently some folks in town began to pursue the idea of working toward gaining the “Tree City” designation promoted by the Arbor Day Foundation. The city council discussed it, and Milford seems to be well on its way toward the Tree City title. So when that day comes, the Free Press is ready.  The Arbor Day Foundation has gone global, but Nebraska lays claim to its foundation. Here in a state that was once a tall grass prairie, people historically appreciated and nurtured any precious sapling that popped up along a fence line or in the chicken yard. My husband’s grandma was that way, and her children and grandchildren enjoyed the shade of trees that never would have survived, had it not been for her constant care.

So, since I have a little tree hugger in me as well, let the little trees on my pages pay homage to the trees that were harvested to make the paper we print on. May I remind those who are reluctant to contribute to cutting down trees, just to read the news, the Free Press also has an online version — in color — to read as well. I’m working on the website this week, so it’s unavailable at the moment, but it should be back at www.milfordfreepress.com in the next few days.

Probably the best reason I can think of to use trees at the top of each page of the Free Press is because trees are very symbolic. Branches represent family, and the roots, our community.

And those two things are what The Milford Free Press is all about.

Nancy Swarts, editor