School: Lincoln Pius X High School
Student: Zachary Hammack
News
2
November 22, 2013
Pet adoption center opens in Lincoln
Monica Condon
Staff Writer
The Capital Humane Society
recently opened the Pieloch Pet Adoption
Center, a new facility that has benefitted
the adoption of Lincoln’s stray animals.
The center, located at 6500 S. 70th
St. was opened to the public on July 2nd
of this year. It is a bright new venue that
allows much interaction with the animals.
“It is much more visible, attractive,
and comfortable.” President and CEO of
Capital Humane Society, Bob Downey
said. “It makes people not just want to rush
in and rush out, they want to stay and see
the animals; this has helped with adoption.
It’s more comfortable for the animals too.”
The building is filled with
windows and is spacious and clean. People
can walk through clear halls to see the
dogs, cats and smaller “critters” that are up
for adoption.
The open floor plan makes animals
visible and accessible which creates a
personal atmosphere with prospective
pets. The pets’ spaces are big enough
to accommodate them until their future
families adopt them.
All of these aspects have, thus far,
helped to increase adoption rate.
“In July, thirty percent more
animals were adopted. In August, twentyeight percent, September, seventy-seven
percent, and in October, thirty-seven
percent more animals were adopted,”
Downey said.
The new facility is mostly
dedicated to the adoption of animals.
However according to the Capital Humane
Price plummets at pump
Zach Hammack
Society’s Spring 2013 newsletter, “The
facility will also provide the necessary
space for sanctuary boarding in emergency
situations.”
The Park Boulevard location is
focused on taking in lost, surrendered,
found, and unwanted pets.
The new site has provided the
opportunity for more specialized purposes
of each establishment, this has allowed for
optimum care of the animals.
The Pieloch Pet Adoption Center
also offers classes and education for
current pet owners, another way it benefits
the welfare of Lincoln’s furry friends.
One of the biggest forms of
support for the new center has come from
volunteers and donors.
“We need volunteers at both
locations,” Downey said. “If we didn’t
are selling below three dollars,
however. The citywide average
remains $3.02.
The price at the pump for a
Consumer reports could
gallon of gas has dipped down in the
see a significant improvement if
two dollar range after weak demand
gas prices are any gauge on how
during the government shutdown
America will spend this holiday
last month and a quiet hurricane
season. season.
There
is
uncertainty
This
marks
whether
the first time gas prices
a drop in
have been below three
prices will
dollars in Lincoln since
continue in
December of 2010.
the future.
At the Phillips
Moser
66 on the corner of 48th
said that gas
and Randolph, a gallon
prices
are
of regular unleaded gas
one of the
is marked at 2.95.
contributing
The cheaper
factors
in
prices come after a
how
she
relatively
peaceful
drives.
hurricane season when
` “If I can
oil rigs could remain
get several
functioning and a drop Gas prices dipped below $3.00 at gas stations all over Lincoln,
things done
in corn prices lead including this Phillips 66 at 48th and Randolph.
in one trip
to more accessible
by
going
ethanol.
pays attention to them.
to places that are near each other,
Less demand during the “I live too far away I do that, even if I prefer to go
government shutdown which led from school to use any other somewhere else,” Moser said.
to economic uncertainty also kept transportation methods, so it doesn’t She says even if gas prices
some drivers away from the pump.
matter how much it costs. I have to were to become more expensive,
Such a trend at Lincoln gas get it no matter what,” Carney said. however, she would still drive to
stations has come as relief for some Not all gas stations school.
Editor-In-Chief
students at Pius who drive to school
daily, like senior Sarah Moser, who
has to pay for her gas.
“I’m always surprised at
how cheap it costs to fill my tank,”
Moser said.
On the other end, senior
Riley Carney says prices don’t
dictate his driving and that he rarely
have our volunteers, we would need at least
ten more full-time employees. The cost
wouldn’t allow us to operate two locations.
“Our volunteers also provide
companionship for the animals until they
are adopted.”
Volunteers help keep the facilities
clean, walk dogs, and act as adoption
counselors. Those interested can find more
information on the society’s website, www.
capitalhumanesociety.org.
Donations are also needed.
The society asks for things such as nonclumping cat litter, Purina dog, cat, puppy,
and kitten chow, exam gloves and bleach.
“It has certainly benefitted the
community,” Downey said. “We are also
very grateful to the community as a whole.
The community as a whole is what made it
all possible.”
Turkey season is
busy for students
Kaitlin VanLoon
Features Editor
PHOTO BY ZACH HAMMACK
Owning a turkey farm
is a timely business and senior
Cole Felber can attest to that.
Felber’s dad has owned
a turkey farm for twenty years
and it’s a year-round occupation.
Father and son work on the
farm during the weekends and
all throughout the summer.
“It’s best to work in the fall,
for us and the turkeys, because it’s
not too hot or too cold,” Felber said.
The Felbers have two
farms, one located in Goehner,
Nebraska and the other in Milford.
“Right now we have about
250,000 turkeys,” Felber said.
The turkey farm began
as a pig farm and the family
eventually
decided
turkey
raising was a better fit for them.
“We raise the white turkeys
with red heads,” Felber said. “They
are domesticated and can’t fly.”
These turkeys aren’t
the usual ones hunted around the
United States and they get sent to
a processing plant in Minnesota.
“Once they are sent to
Minnesota they are shipped off
to grocery stores,” Felber said.
Another thing that takes
patience is turkey hunting, and the
time of year for hunting turkeys
is coming to an end, but will
start back up again in the spring.
Nebraska
is
known
for having excellent hunting
grounds and many students at
Pius take part in the season. Many
students including senior Quentin
Vrbka like to hunt near Seward.
To be able to hunt turkeys
people need to buy a license which
allows them to kill two turkeys.
“The humane way to
kill a turkey is to call em’ in
with a shot gun instead of a
bow and arrow,” Vrbka said.
It’s important to end a
turkey the correct way so you can
kill them with the first shot or arrow.
Felber and Vrbka can
agree, without a doubt, raising and
hunting turkeys is a tedious task,
but the outcome is rewarding.
Turkey day parades
are tradition to some
Natalie Baker
Staff Writer
During
the
month
of November, there are many
festivities going on to celebrate
Thanksgiving. One of the main
ways Americans celebrate during
the Thanksgiving holiday is parades.
Parades
have
always
been around. Being involved in
parades when little, or watching the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
on the actual day of Thanksgiving.
Parades
are
allAmerican.
Many of us either don’t
watch many Thanksgiving Day
parades at all, or spending quality
time with family watching it together.
Everyone has different traditions to
celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
Parades are used as
important ways to celebrate big
holidays in the United States,
and Americans take great joy in
watching dancers dancing across
the screen, and big inflatable
balloons floating in the sky.
Oodles of students from
Pius watch the famous Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New
York City. One of the many, Junior,
Emma Petersen, watches the
parade every year with her family.
They make it a family tradition
that they will execute every year.
Junior, Ansley Alberts also
watches the parade with her family.
Contrary to Petersen, Alberts watches
the parade just with her immediate
family, not with her extended family.
There are also many people
who do not even know about Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade. Junior,
Lindsey Pinkerton is one of the people
that know about the parade, but
doesn’t watch it. When she is at her
grandma’s house on Thanksgiving, it
may be on TV, but she doesn’t take
the time to watch it.
AD BY KATHRYN BUDELL