News

Hamilton County District Court Clerk Wendy Dethlefs (center) was presented with the Marjorie Schaffer Memorial Award for Outstanding Clerk of the District Court for 2025 at a ceremony in Lincoln on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Pictured with her are Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke (left) and State Court Administrator Corey Steel.

Hamilton County District Court Clerk Wendy Dethlefs (center) was presented with the Marjorie Schaffer Memorial Award for Outstanding Clerk of the District Court for 2025 at a ceremony in Lincoln on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Pictured with her are Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke (left) and State Court Administrator Corey Steel.

Dethlefs named Outstanding District Court Clerk

Ron Burtz
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Hamilton County District Court Clerk Wendy Dethlefs was honored by the Nebraska Supreme Court at a ceremony in Lincoln on Tuesday.
Pictured above, junior quarterback Wyatt Pollet celebrates after scoring a TD to extend the lead to 27-6.

Pictured above, junior quarterback Wyatt Pollet celebrates after scoring a TD to extend the lead to 27-6.

No trick – Just a rematch treat

News Staff
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Aurora’s football team won its sixth game in a row Friday, downing previously undefeated Central City 27-12 to claim the C1-5 district championship. It sets up a rematch this week in the opening round of the C1 playoffs with the Huskies set to visit the Bison on Halloween night.
Annual tribute to Hamilton County workforce focuses on 2nd careers

Annual tribute to Hamilton County workforce focuses on 2nd careers

New paths, new purpose: Career shifts offer fresh start

News Staff
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
ANR's annual Workforce edition, which introduces readers to many of the men and women who keep Hamilton County running day after day, begins this year with three feature stories reflecting a trend in the national job market where for one reason or another employees pursue a new career.
Hank Robinson, executive director of Aksarben Full Value Agriculture, shared some sobering projections about the state’s ag economy during the Aurora Development Corporation’s annual meeting Oct. 21.

Hank Robinson, executive director of Aksarben Full Value Agriculture, shared some sobering projections about the state’s ag economy during the Aurora Development Corporation’s annual meeting Oct. 21.

Aksarben leader outlines sobering ag forecast

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Hank Robinson shared some dire predictions about the 10-year future of the state’s ag economy last week in Aurora, followed by initiatives his organization is working on to remove “last-mile” barriers for alternative revenue options for Nebraska producers.
Avery Miller makes a quick escape from the Wolff Building as a clown (Brenden Zucco) chases after her Sunday night. Over 480 people visited the Hamilton County Haunted Fairgrounds during the opening weekend with many braving the maze twice or three times.

Avery Miller makes a quick escape from the Wolff Building as a clown (Brenden Zucco) chases after her Sunday night. Over 480 people visited the Hamilton County Haunted Fairgrounds during the opening weekend with many braving the maze twice or three times.

Ag Society to debut ‘Not-So-Scary’ Haunt

Elizabeth Hunter
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
For the young and the squeamish, the Hamilton County Haunted Fairgrounds will be hosting a ‘Not-So-Scary Haunt’ night for the community to visit on Thursday night only this week. The event will take place from 5-8 p.m.
Jessica Clark owns Roam & Ivy Flowers, a flower-farming business that she operates on her family’s farm west of Aurora. Clark originally worked as a part-time massage therapist for approximately 20 years in Denver, Colo., and later in her hometown.

Jessica Clark owns Roam & Ivy Flowers, a flower-farming business that she operates on her family’s farm west of Aurora. Clark originally worked as a part-time massage therapist for approximately 20 years in Denver, Colo., and later in her hometown.

Clark discovers it’s never too late for dreams to blossom

Elizabeth Hunter
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
When Jessica Clark walked down Fifth Avenue in New York City in her early 20s, a seed had been planted within her dreams that grew away from her original path as a massage therapist to her flower-growing business, Roam & Ivy Flowers.
Throughout her lifetime, Hamilton County Treasurer Jody Griffith has progressed through three careers, starting with stay-at-home wife and mother, then moving to banking at two local institutions and finally the last nine years as treasurer.

Throughout her lifetime, Hamilton County Treasurer Jody Griffith has progressed through three careers, starting with stay-at-home wife and mother, then moving to banking at two local institutions and finally the last nine years as treasurer.

Through three careers, Griffith has focused on helping others

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
While Joann “Jody” Griffith says she has essentially had three careers in her lifetime, culminating with serving the last nine years as Hamilton County treasurer, it was actually her first career that was the most fulfilling for the Oxford native.
Curiosity led Dr. Lane Handke to try the pay phone outside the Pierce Telephone Co. in Pierce. He asked Jeff Kesting, the phone company’s plant manager, why it wasn’t working. Kesting fixed the problem and encouraged Handke to try again. The pay phone is one of only 81 still in operation in Nebraska.

Curiosity led Dr. Lane Handke to try the pay phone outside the Pierce Telephone Co. in Pierce. He asked Jeff Kesting, the phone company’s plant manager, why it wasn’t working. Kesting fixed the problem and encouraged Handke to try again. The pay phone is one of only 81 still in operation in Nebraska.

Death of the dial tone; in search of pay phones across Nebraska

News Staff
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Lane Handke called his wife, Cathleen, the other day to tell her he was bringing home the shelves they needed to finish their cabinet. The call cost him 25 cents.Then, the Pierce physician phoned a friend in Omaha just to say hello. This call cost him an additional eight quarters.
Katie Muilenburg (center) is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research in Bethesda, focusing on liver cancer research. Pictured with Muilenburg from left are her brother Nathan, father Jeff and mother Cyndi.

Katie Muilenburg (center) is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research in Bethesda, focusing on liver cancer research. Pictured with Muilenburg from left are her brother Nathan, father Jeff and mother Cyndi.

Muilenburg reaches for the stars through cancer research

Elizabeth Hunter
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The stars have been aligning for Aurora grad Katie Muilenburg as she dedicates herself as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research (NCI) in Bethesda, Md.
Aurora Boardworks is applying for a $420,000 CDBG grant to expand its employee base

Aurora Boardworks is applying for a $420,000 CDBG grant to expand its employee base

Company applies for $420K grant

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
A grant application to fund a planned workforce expansion at Aurora Boardworks was given the nod of approval by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners on Monday. The board held a public hearing to take testimony on an application by the company for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).