Origami on the Plains

As over 100 students from Japan’s Senshu Middle School visit Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, (from left) Sho Hirasawa, Ryohei Goto and Koutaro Fujita work on origami cranes with their classmates in the museum’s Fonda House.

Vegetables

The boy on the right is great, but I love the boy behind him.

Dressed as vegetables for “V” day, Trinity Lutheran School first-graders (from left) Dominick Witter, James McClure and Wayne Bilka watch the show as AriSon Records artist Jen Williamson prepares to perform at Trinity Lutheran School as part of Lutheran Schools Week.  Many students were in costume, including these three, for “V” day at the school, as they celebrate the letters in the word “serve.”

Framed Diver

Grand Island’s Tess Merrill competes in the diving portion of a swimming meet against Columbus at the Grand Island YMCA.

Sundog

A snow plow makes its way north on Sky Park Road as a sundog shines through ice crystals in the sky.

Coffee or Bust

Streets are closed, but nothing stops these three ladies from getting their morning coffee.

After getting their morning coffee, three women make their way through drifts of snow on Wheeler Avenue in downtown Grand Island after windy conditions blew around 10 inches of snow the night before.

Protecting the Ball

Good emotion in an unusual battle for a loose ball.

Grand Island Senior High’s Emily Mierau (right) and Courtney Holder of Lincoln High battle for a loose ball during the fourth quarter of their game at GISH. The Islanders won the game 75-20.

Cowboy Entrance

Skeeter Kingslover is introduced during a Professional Bull Riders event at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island.

Pig Races

The kid on the left wore the right T-shirt for this race.

As Cedar Hollow students (from right) Sydney Simmons and Ashley Kenyon urge on their class’s entry, Jordan Beck celebrates as his class’s purple pig prepares to win a opening-round race during the school’s annual mechanical pig races.

Christmas Feeling

Nice how the girl’s arms mimic the patterns in the lights behind her.

As the sun sets and the Christmas lights behind her mimic the form of her dance, Shana Havenridge, 14, joins other Heartland School of Dance students in a performance during the Downtown Christmas celebration in downtown Grand Island.

Season Changer

Not the best football photo ever, but possibly the turning point of the 2009 season.

Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara (left) intercepts a pass to Adron Tennell of Oklahoma and returns the ball deep into Oklahoma territory during the second quarter of their game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

District Winners

Love the hair.

Grand Island Northwest’s Amber Riedy (right) celebrates a point against Lexington in the third game of  the Class B, District 5 final match at Kearney High. GINW went on to sweep Lexington 25-21, 25-7, 25-13.

Fumble Shape

Amazing how shapes form in unlikely places.

Morningside College’s Tim Richard (left) and Jake Peterson (right) dive for a loose ball as Tyson Buresh (top) of Hastings College closes in on the play Saturday during their game at Hastings College. Morningside won the game 46-0.

Red and Green

Husker Harvest Days is a busy, lots of stuff, place. I was  looking  at green scene and a boy in a red shirt walked in.

A Husker Harvest Days visitor walks past a 12-row corn head on display on the John Deere lot Thursday at the Husker Harvest Days site west of Grand Island.

Wet Yellow

Saw this at an assignment today. It’s just yellow. Not sure why someone left the lid there, but I’m glad they did.

Making Waves

Just like this photo and the touch of gold mixed in with the black and white.

Duane Becker swims laps in the Grand Island YMCA pool Friday afternoon. “I’ve got a few miles in this pool,” joked Becker after he finished his workout. The YMCA’s America on the Move Week program begins Monday, Sept. 21, 2009,  at YMCAs across the country.

Not How it Looks

It looks like this gentleman is all alone out in the cornfields somewhere, but behind his back are thousands of people at Husker Harvest Days. Not only is it possible to be lonely in a crowd, but you can look like it too.

An older Husker Harvest Days visitor rides his scooter around on the north end of the site Thursday at Husker Harvest Days west of Grand Island.

One Handed Interception

A photo that didn’t make the paper.

Lawrence/Nelson’s Andy Peterson (left) intercepts a pass to Jacob Salter of Heartland Lutheran during the first quarter of the seasons opening game at Heartland Lutheran.

Running Home

Reminds me of running home from the bus when I was young.

Shoemaker Elementary student Alexis Mendoza, 10, runs toward her home in West Park Plaza after being dropped off by a school bus. Ridership on elementary routes in the Grand Island Public School bus system is way up this year.

Pool Lines

A photo that didn’t make the paper. When all else fails, be graphic.

Grand Island YMCA Pool Manager Kari Smith sweeps up dust left over from sand blasting in the deep end of the Y’s pool during a two-week makeover.

First Day Smile

Just a nice moment from the first day of school.

With the help of paraeducator Michele Henderson (top right), an excited Dylan Dzingle is ready to lead his fellow Barr Middle School sixth-graders into the school during a ceremonial “tunnel walk” during the first day of school for Grand Island city schools.

First Day Rain

A photo that didn’t make the paper from the first day of school.

As other students are dropped off behind them during a light rain, Mitch Powell (left) holds his palms up to feel the rain drops while talking to fellow Barr Middle School sixth-grader Marcus Gonifas before entering the school on the first day of classes.

Foot Work

A photo that didn’t make our Fall Sports preview section.

Heartland Lutheran football players prepare for the upcoming season during an afternoon practice session.

Techocolor Goat

The Best Dressed Goat contest started early and was over when I showed up. Felt lucky to walk away with a decent photo from the “victory lap” afterward.

Passing through the gray-colored world of sheep with other contestants, Mackenzie Ahlman, 12, (right) takes the goat of her sister, Hailey Ahlman, for a victory lap around the Big Red Barn at Fonner Park after the goat, Abby, was named the winner of the Best Dressed Goat Contest at the Hall County Fair in Grand Island.

Athlete of the Year

Some fun in Photoshop.

Grand Island Senior High’s Ariel Krolikowski is The Independent’s Area girls Athlete of the Year for 2009.