This week's top stories

  • Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly was one of several speakers during a press conference Thursday in Grand Island kicking off the 6 Regions, One Nebraska initiative in the Central Region. Pictured behind him from left are K.C. Belitz with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development; CCC President Matt Gotschall; Nebraska Chamber President Brian Sloan; and Region 6 co-chair Dave Rippe. Not pictured is Region 6 co-chair Jim Ediger of Aurora.
    Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly was one of several speakers during a press conference Thursday in Grand Island kicking off the 6 Regions, One Nebraska initiative in the Central Region. Pictured behind him from left are K.C. Belitz with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development; CCC President Matt Gotschall; Nebraska Chamber President Brian Sloan; and Region 6 co-chair Dave Rippe. Not pictured is Region 6 co-chair Jim Ediger of Aurora.
  • Teresa White of Giltner has retired after 40 years of working at the pet food plant west of Aurora
    Teresa White of Giltner has retired after 40 years of working at the pet food plant west of Aurora
  • The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District's July meeting of the Water and Regulations Committee in York
    The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District's July meeting of the Water and Regulations Committee in York
  • Randy Beckman stands by one of the many vintage signs which have been the topic of controversy with the Marquette Village Board. Beckman has requested an amendment to a zoning policy which says the signs are now in violation, though he will have to remove the top portion of the signs until that issue is addressed in September.
    Randy Beckman stands by one of the many vintage signs which have been the topic of controversy with the Marquette Village Board. Beckman has requested an amendment to a zoning policy which says the signs are now in violation, though he will have to remove the top portion of the signs until that issue is addressed in September.
  • Kendall Sigler, member of the Regal Fritillaries, wades through the Platte to find somewhere to net.
    Kendall Sigler, member of the Regal Fritillaries, wades through the Platte to find somewhere to net.
  • Phillips resident Dorothy Benton reads her oath of office to become the village’s newest trustee. The retired attorney replaces Jason Fry who resigned from his seat on the board and his position as fire chief at the board’s May meeting.
    Phillips resident Dorothy Benton reads her oath of office to become the village’s newest trustee. The retired attorney replaces Jason Fry who resigned from his seat on the board and his position as fire chief at the board’s May meeting.

    A broad coalition of state and local leaders convened in Grand Island Thursday to announce a “6 Regions, One Nebraska” initiative designed to reflect a new era of economic development. K.C. Belitz, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, introduced the project on the campus of Central Community College, a location which in and of itself was significant since the six regions are based on the state’s six community college districts. Jim Ediger of Aurora, an attorney representing Hamilton Telecommunications, is one of two Central Region co-chairs, serving alongside Dave Rippe of Hastings.

    There’s probably not one local resident who knows more about the history of the production pet food in Hamilton County over the past four decades than Teresa White. The Giltner native, who has worked at the Mars Petcare production facility west of Aurora since before it even opened, retired last week after 40 years with the company. 
    In fact, White was the first employee hired by the Iams pet food company when it began building its second production facility near Aurora in 1984. White shares her memories of her early years at the plant and talks about her plans for retirement on the Business Page of this week's ANR.

    The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (NRD) Board of Directors appears to be determined to put the issue of the Synergen Green Energy water permit and also any discussion of a moratorium on large water user applications in the district behind it. However, in a meeting Thursday night in York, the NRD’s Water and Regulations Committee did initiate discussions on making changes to the regulations concerning any application process for such users. ANR covered the meeting and you'll find the full story of the meeting's outcome on Page A4 of our July 17 print or e-edition.

    Randy Beckman and a team of volunteers are planning to take down pieces of several vintage signs in Marquette during the next month, part of what he hopes is a short-term solution to a dispute involving the village’s ordinances regarding commercial signage. Beckman is a collector of vintage signs, hanging smaller versions in Scotty’s Bar on Main Street, which he and his wife have owned for several years. About 10 years ago, he started collecting large signs touting commercial oil and gas companies, which eventually led to signs of trouble with the Marquette Village Board.
    The issue, Beckman said, centers on a change in the village ordinances, which occurred in approximately 2020. Read the front page story in this week's edition of the Aurora News-Register.

    Another year of Prairie Plains Resource Institute’s summer camp SOAR (Summer Orientation About Rivers) began during last week’s sweltering heat. For two weeks each summer, Prairie Plains hosts SOAR for kids in grades three through six. Every day is something different, whether that be hiking the prairie, learning about the watershed, net fishing, and so much more. Kids are exposed to all the things right out their backdoor. “It is fun to watch the groups come together and just watch them feed off of each other’s curiosity,” said Amy Jones, the executive director at Prairie Plains. You'll find a full page of pictures from this year's SOAR camp opening week on Page B1 of this week's ANR.

    The Phillips Village Board moved July 10 to replace former trustee Jason Fry who abruptly resigned from the board and from his position as Phillips’s fire chief at a meeting in May. Phillips area native and retired attorney Dorothy Benton was selected by the four remaining board members to fill out Fry’s term at the board’s July meeting held last Wednesday night. Chairman Jim Crawford said the board had reviewed several good candidates for the position but said Benton’s name rose to the top, noting that her legal background could be helpful in dealing with the issue of blighted properties the board had just been discussing.

    For full details on these stories plus the story of Aurora's Austin Allen and his decision to retire from football, see the print or e-editions of this week's Aurora News-Register.