This week's top stories

  • Aurora senior Kimberly Evans stands in front of her hatchet target set as part of her Eagle Scout Service Project. She is projecting to have her Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Saturday, April 6.
    Aurora senior Kimberly Evans stands in front of her hatchet target set as part of her Eagle Scout Service Project. She is projecting to have her Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Saturday, April 6.
  • From left, Ayven Rodrigrieuz, Fenix and Miah Barajas pose for a picture with the Easter Bunny.
    From left, Ayven Rodrigrieuz, Fenix and Miah Barajas pose for a picture with the Easter Bunny.
  • Aurora first grade teacher Sara Luzum begins her Free Write Friday session encouraging her students to write about a subject that comes from their heart.
    Aurora first grade teacher Sara Luzum begins her Free Write Friday session encouraging her students to write about a subject that comes from their heart.
  • This drone photo shows some of the recent changes made at the KAAPA Ethanol plant on the west edge of Aurora. Chuck Woodside, the company’s CEO, said he expects the plant’s capacity to reach 150 million gallons of ethanol per year by this fall.
    This drone photo shows some of the recent changes made at the KAAPA Ethanol plant on the west edge of Aurora. Chuck Woodside, the company’s CEO, said he expects the plant’s capacity to reach 150 million gallons of ethanol per year by this fall.
  • Public speaker and author Barry Adkins spoke March 13-14 to parents and students at Aurora High School about the dangers of alcohol poisoning and the story of his son, Kevin.
    Public speaker and author Barry Adkins spoke March 13-14 to parents and students at Aurora High School about the dangers of alcohol poisoning and the story of his son, Kevin.

An Aurora High School senior has been working hard to put the finishing touches on a hatchet target range as part of her final step toward becoming an Eagle Scout. Kimberly Evans will not only become the third Eagle Scout in her family, but the first girl Eagle Scout in Troop 28.

It was an egg-citing time at Edgerton Explorit Center on Sunday as more than 200 children and their family members from around the area participated in the annual Eggstravaganza. Despite the weather moving the majority of the event’s activities indoors, it was Edgerton’s largest turnout for the event in recent years.

First graders at Aurora Elementary School are learning the joy of writing thanks to the efforts of their teachers. One of those teacher, Sara Luzum decided to dedicate time each week to writing calling it Free Write Friday. Students write about anything they want to and are given the opportunity to sit in the “author’s chair” at the front of the room to reading the results of their hard work out loud to fellow students.

Tens of millions of dollars have been invested at the Aurora ethanol plant in the past year in what KAAPA Ethanol’s chief executive officer reported last week is all part of a concerted effort to increase efficiencies and lower the carbon score on ethanol produced locally. KAAPA CEO Chuck Woodside spoke to the Aurora Rotary Club March 20 providing a detailed update on changes being made at the plant on the west edge of town.

Author and public speaker Barry Adkins spoke to students and their parents at Aurora High School recently to tell the story of his late son and the book he wrote about his passing death from alcohol poisoning, “Kevin’s Last Walk: A Father’s Final Journey With His Son.” Adkins shared the emotional story about how he made “something good” from Kevin's death by hiking across the West to warn students about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Find these stories and more, plus all the local sports results and a special Ag section called Seeds of Growth which highlights the impact of seed corn growing in this area.