News

The end of the legislative session is rapidly approaching. Friday was day 48; that leaves only 12 legislative days remaining in this 60-day session.
To say there is still a lot to do would be a gross understatement. Of 107 bills designated as priorities, over half are still on General File or being held in committee.

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Third District voters will have a chance to hear Congressman Adrian Smith, Kirk Penner of Aurora and two other Republican challengers engage in a live television debate scheduled for March 28 on the campus of Hastings College.
NTV News has announced plans to broadcast the first half of the hour-long event live on television, beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the second half set to be livestreamed. Dennis Kellogg of NET will serve as moderator.
“We’re excited to be able to get all four of the candidates together,” said Chris Wagner, NTV assistant news director. “It will give people a chance to hear from all four in one spot.”

With Severe Weather week coming up March 25-31, the Hamilton County Emergency Service team is offering a reminder to residents regarding their ability to know about emergency weather alerts in real time as they are announced.
The system set up for such notifications is called AlertSense and anyone wanting to be aware of such events can sign up for it on the Hamilton County Emergency Management website at www.co.hamilton.ne.us/emergencymanagement.html.

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A student at Aurora Middle School was found in possession of a firearm on school grounds Monday around 1:15 p.m., but no specific threats of violence were given to any staff or students, according to Aurora Supt. Damon McDonald.
The discovery of the weapon occurred after students reported it to a staff member.

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The city’s Emergency Medical Services Committee researching a possible fire-based EMS service began establishing its objectives during a March 7 meeting and reviewed input on the potential for securing grant funds to help reduce the overall cost.
According to Mayor Dave Long the group wants to focus on four main items which include: a high level of care, a high level of participation of each committee member and each group, long term sustainability and cost.

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Mike Oswald, who farms west of Aurora, came before the county board Monday to express concerns about cars driven by smokers driving slow, stopped or littering on K Road north of Highway 34.
Oswald reported that this has been an issue for more than a year now. He has approached the cars and attempted, unsuccessfully, to contact Mars, where it is assumed the smokers are employed. Oswald added that he believes Mars have implemented a campus-wide no smoking policy which sparked the influx of people driving and parking around the area to smoke.

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Aurora Mayor Dave Long offered an update March 13 about the city’s Emergency Medical Service committee’s fire-based ambulance study.
Long began by speaking about a presentation by Mike Lloyd from the York Fire Department during a EMS committee meeting Feb. 19 where he discussed his department’s fire-based ambulance service and answered the group’s questions.
“If we want to learn things, we’ve got to listen to people who are open to us,” Long said. “We had a great conversation with him.”

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A scheduling conflict for students was discussed during the High Plains School Board meeting March 12, after concerns were brought up that students were having to choose to participate in the state speech competition or travel on a school band trip.
“Unfortunately this late in the ballgame there is nothing we can do about it this year to correct it,” said High Plains Supt. Brian Tonniges. “If students made state speech and continued to want to go to state speech and get out of going on the band trip then all the finances change and the price goes up. That is the issue there.”

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Hamilton County Deputy County Attorney Ross Luzum has confirmed that a firearm was found on Aurora school property today. The student has been detained while the matter remains under investigation. More information to appear in this week's ANR.

Hamilton County firefighters worked swiftly to extinguish a grass fire alongside the I-80 westbound lanes just outside the Giltner exit late Wednesday morning. Check back for further updates and see next week's News-Register for full coverage.