This week's top stories

Small newsies, big personalities
Aurora High School’s long-awaited musical is none other than Disney’s Newsies. A favorite of many, Newsies hosts a full cast of young characters all facing their own trials and triumphs. The smallest of those characters is young Les. 
“Les is the little brother of the newest newsie to the group,” said director Jason Frew. “Les and his brother Davey are from a more traditional family, so they’ve had stability, education and support. They are forced to work because their dad was injured and is now out of a job.”
Described by Frew, Les is observant, optimistic and always ready to jump in with both feet. 
“He adds humor to situations, but also serves as inspiration at times for the group,” he added. 
With such a key character to the story line, the individuals chosen to portray such an individual must be equally as unique and fit for the job. 
And they are, both of them. 
The role of Les in the Aurora High School 2021 musical will be played by both 9-year-old Adrik Diaz and 10-year-old Kash Hanneman.

Doctors share joy of getting COVID-19 vaccine

Two Aurora doctors volunteered their time as volunteers for last week’s COVID vaccine clinic, admitting that they wanted to see joy on people’s faces having observed so much pain and illness during the past year while fighting this pandemic on the front lines of local health care. Doctors Mike Sullivan and Jen Harney were at the Bremer Center on their day off, where area residents received their first or second dose of the COVID vaccine over a two-day period. It was a feel-good event, both shared, a stark contrast to what they have experienced in the last 12 months.

Jasnowski puts a new spin on a timeless art style
Crafting bowls, plates and cups is a timeless and practical craft and Mardell Jasnowski has added her own spin to the art form of throwing pottery to create beautiful yet functional pieces of art.
Her journey began around 20 years ago when she took a class at the community college in Grand Island. There she fell in love with the craft.
“Of course, I didn’t have any equipment or anything like that so I just started taking classes,” she explained. “I took workshops wherever and then about 10 years ago I got all the equipment and made a little studio for myself.”
She has found that within the last five years she has been able to have more time to spend in her studio and try new things.

Pandemics then, now -- a historical comparison
As of March 11, 2021, it has been 365 days since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. So much has happened in those 12 months.
Schools were shut down.
A quarantine was put into place.
People were isolated from others, even in their own family. 
As of March 11, 2021, it has been 36,596 days since the end of 1920 and thus the true fizzle-out of the famous Spanish Flu pandemic.
Though many years apart and very different in nature there are a number of striking similarities between the two events and how they raced through Hamilton County.

The headband bandit
Baylor Scheierman walked off the floor of the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. S.D. dejected and used up after a 90-88 loss to Oral Roberts in the Summit League semifinals. 
The loss prevented South Dakota State University from playing in the NCAA tournament or any other postseason tournament, for that matter. 
Despite all of that, though, the name Baylor Scheierman, and his signature headband, are more widely recognized than ever before.