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This drone photo taken Friday captures a view of the KAAPA Partners Aurora ethanol plant from the east. Several large projects at the plant helped boost this year’s building permit total to more than $53.6 million, more than double any other year in the past decade.

This drone photo taken Friday captures a view of the KAAPA Partners Aurora ethanol plant from the east. Several large projects at the plant helped boost this year’s building permit total to more than $53.6 million, more than double any other year in the past decade.

Local construction soars in 2024

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
A new carbon capture facility at the Aurora ethanol plant created the largest single surge in the city’s building permit history since construction of the ethanol plant itself began back in 2007, part of a significant year of growth as documented at Aurora City Hall.
Therapists at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln use a bowling ball to help Ryan Goertzen recover the use of his right arm.

Therapists at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln use a bowling ball to help Ryan Goertzen recover the use of his right arm.

No place like home for the holidays

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
The phrase “home for the holidays” took on a whole new meaning for one Hamilton County man this year.
Kirk Penner

Kirk Penner

Penner: NDE board addressing teacher shortage

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
As he prepares to begin a fourth year as a member of the Nebraska State Board of Education, Kirk Penner shared what he believes are significant changes approved by the board in December which could address a growing statewide teacher shortage issue.
The 4-H Building near the entrance to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds will be the new home for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) drivers license testing station in Aurora. The office will be open on Tuesdays starting Jan. 14.

The 4-H Building near the entrance to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds will be the new home for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) drivers license testing station in Aurora. The office will be open on Tuesdays starting Jan. 14.

DMV station to reopen Jan. 14

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Four months after the Nebraska DMV drivers license testing office at the Hamilton County Courthouse was closed, local residents will again have a location in Aurora to get their drivers licenses renewed.
Lily Francl (center) presses a button that unlocks a tool for the escape room’s next puzzle. With her is aunt Kim Bossert and Lily’s brother Nolan.

Lily Francl (center) presses a button that unlocks a tool for the escape room’s next puzzle. With her is aunt Kim Bossert and Lily’s brother Nolan.

Escape room ends with 111 on nice list

Elizabeth Hunter
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
After completing its run on Saturday, the Edgerton Explorit Center’s escape room had seen 111 participants try to escape with their names on the good list.
A waterway in a field west of Highway 14 near Marquette flows with muddy water in late April as more than four inches of overnight rain runs off.

A waterway in a field west of Highway 14 near Marquette flows with muddy water in late April as more than four inches of overnight rain runs off.

2024 was wettest of the past five years

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Hamilton County received enough precipitation in 2024 to not only recover from the drought of the previous two years but it also turned out to be the wettest of the last five years. The second wettest year since 2020 was the year 2021 which, at 28.
ANR

ANR

NSP reports sex offenders living in Hamilton County

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
The number of registered sex offenders living in Hamilton County remains at 18 as 2025 begins, the same number listed by the Nebraska State Patrol at the beginning of 2024.Two names were added to the list for 2025 and two were removed.
Artist Tonya Grosshans (left) talks about her realistic and abstract paintings with Art Walk patron Beverly Goertzen during the September event in downtown Aurora.

Artist Tonya Grosshans (left) talks about her realistic and abstract paintings with Art Walk patron Beverly Goertzen during the September event in downtown Aurora.

2024 in review -- Part II

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
A new year is here, but before we close the book for good on 2024 here is a look back at the events that made headlines on the local front. What follows is a week-by-week capsule summary of the top news stories from July through December 2024.July 3  -- Baylor Scheierman looked at his phone.
Giovanna Nogara is a senior at Giltner High School and an exchange student from Curitiba, Brazil.

Giovanna Nogara is a senior at Giltner High School and an exchange student from Curitiba, Brazil.

Nogara excited about U.S. experience

Elizabeth Hunter
Monday, December 30, 2024
Giltner High School senior Giovanna Nogara has made it her mission to try everything can she during her U.S. exchange.The exchange student spent most of her life with parents and brother in the city of Curitiba, located in the southern region of Brazil, with four million people calling it home.
The Edgerton Explorit Center has brought together a horse riding simulator where visitors of all ages can saddle up and experience horseback riding in VR. While visiting the Edgerton on Friday, Dec. 17, Harvard third grader Vivian Kobza takes the reigns rides on the simulator.

The Edgerton Explorit Center has brought together a horse riding simulator where visitors of all ages can saddle up and experience horseback riding in VR. While visiting the Edgerton on Friday, Dec. 17, Harvard third grader Vivian Kobza takes the reigns rides on the simulator.

Edgerton rides in with latest attraction

Elizabeth Hunter
Monday, December 30, 2024
One of the Edgerton Explorit Center’s latest attractions has drawn in eager riders who want to saddle up on its horse riding simulator.The horse riding simulator was started by Edgerton executive director Mary Molliconi, who came up with the concept two years ago.