News

Hampton ag teacher Joel Miller observes as Alana Wiarda preps feed for the Hawk Herd, a project Miller and his students have prided themselves on for six-plus years.

Hampton ag teacher Joel Miller observes as Alana Wiarda preps feed for the Hawk Herd, a project Miller and his students have prided themselves on for six-plus years.

Miller takes ag lessons from the farm to classroom

Richard Rhoden
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Joel Miller knew from a young age that he wanted to be a farmer. Growing up on a farm in between Aurora and Hampton, Miller was his dad’s right-hand man raising cattle and crop.  Some of the best advice he got through high school was to have a backup plan, because “there’s only so much farm ground.
Sam Johnson joined the Aurora Cooperative in his first job out of college in 2018 and though he didn’t come from an ag background he now feels very comfortable in his role as director of merchandising.

Sam Johnson joined the Aurora Cooperative in his first job out of college in 2018 and though he didn’t come from an ag background he now feels very comfortable in his role as director of merchandising.

Johnson brings fresh perspective to big business of ag

Kurt Johnson
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Agriculture is big business in Hamilton County, especially when you are director of merchandising for one of the largest cooperatives in the state. But for Sam Johnson, it’s the relationships that matter, realizing that he and his colleagues are impacting the bottom line, one farmer at a time.
The Little Stingers Child Care Facility is set in motion to build a foundation on the empty lot south of Giltner Elementary School starting the third week of November. Staff member Gracie Oman (center) helps preschool students with their activity sheets during their morning class on Oct. 16. Students include, from left: Cyrus Wilcox, Thayer Barnes and Della Mae Lott.

The Little Stingers Child Care Facility is set in motion to build a foundation on the empty lot south of Giltner Elementary School starting the third week of November. Staff member Gracie Oman (center) helps preschool students with their activity sheets during their morning class on Oct. 16. Students include, from left: Cyrus Wilcox, Thayer Barnes and Della Mae Lott.

Little Stingers preparing to swarm to new location in Giltner

Elizabeth Hunter
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
The Little Stingers Child Care Facility is making preparations to fly over to its new location after it was announced its two modulars will be relocated away from Giltner Public Schools (GPS).
Wes Tjaden spoke to parents at Giltner Public Schools about the dangers of vaping and drug abuse during a parent meeting Wednesday night followed by presentations to elementary and high school students in Giltner on Thursday.

Wes Tjaden spoke to parents at Giltner Public Schools about the dangers of vaping and drug abuse during a parent meeting Wednesday night followed by presentations to elementary and high school students in Giltner on Thursday.

Vaping not as harmless as advertised

Elizabeth Hunter
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
The dangers of student vaping and cannibis use were the topics of discussion at presentations made to students, staff and parents at Giltner Public Schools last week as part of Red Ribbon Week.
Work progresses on pouring Aurora's new Mission Avenue.

Work progresses on pouring Aurora's new Mission Avenue.

Mission (Avenue) accomplished

Kurt Johnson
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Work crews were busy Monday pouring a new street in the Mission Critical Subdivision south of Aurora. Mission Avenue will serve as the entrance road off of Highway 14, providing access to the new Specialty Ag Formulations facility and other businesses that locate in the 135-acre subdivision.
The 2024 Nebraska General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The 2024 Nebraska General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Election reporting to be delayed

Ron Burtz
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Because of an unprecedented number of write-in candidates and the new voter ID law, county officials are saying even unofficial results from next week’s General Election will not be available for those races on election night as has usually been the case in past elections.
Two of the 12th Street Cinema’s three paid staff members are shown here in the theater lobby. Brooke Johnson and Jonathan Dyer are responsible for selling tickets, opening and closing the theater each weekend, managing concessions and clean up. Not pictured is the theater’s manager Sheryl Hall.

Two of the 12th Street Cinema’s three paid staff members are shown here in the theater lobby. Brooke Johnson and Jonathan Dyer are responsible for selling tickets, opening and closing the theater each weekend, managing concessions and clean up. Not pictured is the theater’s manager Sheryl Hall.

12th Street Cinema celebrates silver anniversary

Ron Burtz
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
This month Aurora’s 12th Street Cinema is celebrating a quarter century of bringing first run movies to town and doing it not to make money, but as a public service.
HPC’s Ayden Hans (81) and Hudson Urkoski signal Storm football after a Lawrence-Nelson fumble early in the game. Urkoski would come up with two turnovers on his own merit -- an interception and fumble recovery.

HPC’s Ayden Hans (81) and Hudson Urkoski signal Storm football after a Lawrence-Nelson fumble early in the game. Urkoski would come up with two turnovers on his own merit -- an interception and fumble recovery.

HPC survives playoff thriller

Richard Rhoden
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
For three quarters, High Plains and Lawrence-Nelson played a defensive slobberknocker with 12 combined points. An offensive explosion broke out in the fourth quarter before one final defensive stand won the game for the Storm.
Josh Roehrs, a 2013 Hampton graduate, is a mechanic at Grosshans International while still getting his hands dirty on the farm.

Josh Roehrs, a 2013 Hampton graduate, is a mechanic at Grosshans International while still getting his hands dirty on the farm.

Ag-related jobs foundational to local economy

Staff Reports
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
With more than 20 percent of total employment in Nebraska being tied to the agricultural economy in some way, the ag workforce accounts for a huge part of the state’s 1.14 million-strong employment base.
The east side of the KAAPA ethanol plant at Aurora West as it appeared the morning after an explosion rocked the grain elevator side of the facility last Tuesday night. The corn dust explosion is believed to have been caused by the failure of a bearing in the elevator’s grain leg.

The east side of the KAAPA ethanol plant at Aurora West as it appeared the morning after an explosion rocked the grain elevator side of the facility last Tuesday night. The corn dust explosion is believed to have been caused by the failure of a bearing in the elevator’s grain leg.

Explosion rocks ethanol plant

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Grain dust touched off by heat from a bearing failure is believed to have been the cause of an explosion that rocked the KAAPA ethanol plant at Aurora West last Tuesday evening.