Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog from Pennsylvania, DID see a shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. However, Unadilla Billie of Unadilla, NE, DID NOT see a shadow, predicting an early spring. So who do you believe?
Who is Unadilla Billie? On Feb. 2, 1988, Lt. Gov. William Nichol signed a proclamation designating Unadilla as the Groundhog Capital of Nebraska in 1988. The designation also gave Unadilla Bill his nickname. The community hosts an annual Groundhog Day Celebration each Febru - ary, which features a taxidermied groundhog.
Bill became a national name, being one of the only groundhogs consulted on national television. In 2021, Bill retired, but the predicting continued in Unadilla Billie, his female counterpart.
As far as Osmond was concerned, Monday, Feb. 2, was partly cloudy with a high of 36 degrees. For the rest of the week, it sure looks like an early spring, with highs in the upper 40s and low 50s continuing into next week.
