This week's top stories

  • Members of the Hamilton Community Foundation board shown with a time capsule commemorating the organization’s 60th anniversary include, from left: Mary Mickey, Jeff Morris and April Mason.
    Members of the Hamilton Community Foundation board shown with a time capsule commemorating the organization’s 60th anniversary include, from left: Mary Mickey, Jeff Morris and April Mason.
  • Owner Diane Epp has announced plans to close Mo-Nets, which has anchored the northeast corner of the downtown square for decades, in December.
    Owner Diane Epp has announced plans to close Mo-Nets, which has anchored the northeast corner of the downtown square for decades, in December.
  • Hampton High Ability Learner, Elizabeth Bamesberger watches as her team’s spaghetti bridge breaks under the weight of several pounds of coins.
    Hampton High Ability Learner, Elizabeth Bamesberger watches as her team’s spaghetti bridge breaks under the weight of several pounds of coins.
  • Aurora students Jorja Pohlmeier and Calvin Miller were selected to perform in the 2024 Nebraska All-State Band.
    Aurora students Jorja Pohlmeier and Calvin Miller were selected to perform in the 2024 Nebraska All-State Band.
  • Hampton Supt. Holly Herzberg and Hampton Day Care Foundation board president Tamara Wiens cut the ribbon to officially open the new Hawk Learning Center, home of Hampton’s new community daycare center on Saturday. At left is Hampton School Board president Grant Dose and at right are Stephanie Buller and Hearts for Kids auction co-coordinator Haley Bamesberger.
    Hampton Supt. Holly Herzberg and Hampton Day Care Foundation board president Tamara Wiens cut the ribbon to officially open the new Hawk Learning Center, home of Hampton’s new community daycare center on Saturday. At left is Hampton School Board president Grant Dose and at right are Stephanie Buller and Hearts for Kids auction co-coordinator Haley Bamesberger.
  • Hamilton County to use MIPS program for employee time and attendance
    Hamilton County to use MIPS program for employee time and attendance

    A week after a feel-good Spirit of Philanthropy banquet which drew a countywide audience together for a night of celebration, the Hamilton Community Foundation is finalizing preparations for a time capsule to commemorate the organizations 60th anniversary. HCF board member Mary Mickey explained at the banquet that the time capsule project is an effort to capture a snapshot of the community in 2024, which will be sealed inside a safe at the HCF with plans that it be opened in 2035.

    The story of a business anchoring a corner of the downtown square will soon write its last chapter with the announcement that Mo-Nets will be closing in December. Owner Diane Epp worked at the clothing and variety store for 20-plus years before reopening Mo-Nets as her own in September of 2007. She said she has enjoyed the challenge of running the store for 17 years, but admitted that it’s time to turn the page to the next chapter of her life.

    Several groups of high performing students at Hampton are getting an opportunity to learn more about important subjects like science, math and even engineering. Recently the students in the school’s three classes of High Ability Learners (HAL) spent time in their HAL groups testing bridges made of strands of spaghetti (uncooked of course!). The overall winner of the competition was a team of four students from the 5th and 6th grade group. Two other student groups, one made up of 3rd and 4th graders and another of 7th graders were also involved in the activity. HAL teacher Kate Schendt estimated the winning bridge held up under the weight of about eight pounds of coins and never gave way.

    Aurora students Jorja Pohlmeier and Calvin Miller were selected to perform in the 2024 Nebraska All-State Band. This marks the fourth year Pohlmeier has been chosen to perform with the band and second year for Miller. The students will be performing at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The band will be conducted by T. Andre Feagin from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash.

    The ribbon was officially cut, tours were taken, bids were entered and more than $20,000 was raised for Hampton’s new community daycare center on Saturday. The ribbon cutting at 2:30 p.m. outside the front entrance to the new Hawk Learning Center (formerly the Hampton Lutheran School building) was attended by a large crowd of community supporters. After helping cut the ribbon alongside Hampton Day Care Foundation president Tamara Wiens, Herzberg invited attendees to the school where the inaugural “Hearts For Kids” silent auction would be taking place to raise operating expenses for the daycare center.

    The Hamilton County Clerk’s Office will spend less time doing payroll for county employees in the future thanks to a decision made Monday by the county board of commissioners. At their regular weekly meeting, commissioners voted to adopt the Multi-county Information and Programming Services (MIPS) digital time and attendance program for all county employees as of the first of the year. Currently in use by the County Highway Department, the program produced by the Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO) will now be used by all 72 county employees plus all of the elected officials. The county currently uses MIPS software for its budgeting process and it is used by approximately 30 counties around the state.