The Burrall Blog – The “New” Schoonmaker Field

7/22/09 – 12:18 PM

Schoonmaker Field definitely has a new look, just in time for 2009 Dogie Football.  There is more seating for spectators than before, and, as these photos show, a new press box is in place.

Newcastle is back in Class 2A for football this season and next and will open the 2009 season for new head coach Matt Conzelman on Friday, August 28 against Custer.  Of course, you can hear Dogie football, selected volleyball matches, and basketball on AM 1240 KASL and here at kaslradio.com.

Upton Fun Days A Big Hit!

Everyone had a blast at Upton’s centennial celebration!  This years annual fun days events in Upton were expanded to honor the all school reunion attendees and Upton’s 100th birthday!  Every event was well attended.  Read more

The Burrall Blog – Walter Cronkite, 1916-2009

7/17/09 – 11:22 PM

OK, so how do I sum up Walter Cronkite?  Well, I had to think of that for quite a few minutes before I wrote this blog entry.

I could have written about him being the “most trusted man in America,” or of his glee about man on the moon 40 years ago, or of his brutally honest assessment that we couldn’t win in Vietnam, or of his fleeting loss of composure on announcing President Kennedy’s death, followed closely by his calm, if saddened, approach through those dark days.

But then, the subject became clear as could be: Walter Cronkite was among the best, not only in the history of journalism, but in the history of mankind, of taking advantage of his curiosity.

Dan Rather, who succeded Cronkite as CBS Evening News anchor, said it best tonight on MSNBC.  Rather, knowing that many just remember Cronkite as an anchorman, correctly stated, “He was one hell of a reporter.”

And to be one hell of a reporter, you have to be beyond curious.  You always have to know more.  Walter Cronkite, to his own dismay, dropped out of the University of Texas, but covered the complexities of wars.  He flunked basic physics, yet was so studious about the space program that he knew nearly as much as many at NASA.

Walter Cronkite always sought to find out all he could, so we could do the same.  He never thought of himself as an enormous star or celebrity, though he was both.  Cronkite just wanted to find out what was going on; he just wanted to be a good newsman.  In these days where some think journalism is making the most outlandish statements possible or shouting louder than the other guy, good newsmen seem to be hard to locate.  Walter Cronkite was a great newsman, and more to the point of all this, curious to no end.  That’s what I’ve always admired about him, and that’s what I’ll miss about him the most.

Local News Release

July 6, 2009

Wyoming Refining Company is informing residents of Newcastle that oil droplets were released into the air from the refinery flare around 1:00a.m. Thursday, July 2, due to a storm-related power failure at the plant. Some of the oil settled off the refinery property. The released oil is made from crude oil, and precautions appropriate for contact with petroleum should be observed. Read more