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Newly sworn-in NSP trooper Dan Christenson receives his badge during a ceremony at the state capitol on Friday.

Newly sworn-in NSP trooper Dan Christenson receives his badge during a ceremony at the state capitol on Friday.

Christenson sworn-in as NSP Trooper

News Staff
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Daniel Christenson of Aurora was sworn-in Friday along with 17 other new Nebraska state troopers ready to begin serving across the state. Members of the Nebraska State Patrol’s (NSP) 72nd Basic Recruit Class were sworn-in during a ceremony at the State Capitol in Lincoln, which was attended by Gov.
Aurora Supt. Jody Phillips, center, leads a tour of the middle school as part of last week’s three-hour meeting with the community advisory committee.

Aurora Supt. Jody Phillips, center, leads a tour of the middle school as part of last week’s three-hour meeting with the community advisory committee.

Aurora schools share strategic plan, weigh facility needs

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
More than three years after launching a strategic planning process designed to evaluate the Aurora school district’s facility status and future needs, Supt.
Newlyweds Kimmy and Eric Oberle stand next to the Christmas tree in their Aurora home. Since it was put up by Kimmy the first of September and won’t come down until near the end of January, it will have been up nearly half the year.

Newlyweds Kimmy and Eric Oberle stand next to the Christmas tree in their Aurora home. Since it was put up by Kimmy the first of September and won’t come down until near the end of January, it will have been up nearly half the year.

From Jerusalem to Manila, Christmas shines

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Although the two nations are separated by more than 5,400 miles with vastly different cultures and lifestyles, Christmas still finds its way into the national consciousness of both the Philippines and Israel every December and each nation has its own special ways of celebrating the birth of Christ.
Search warrant executed Tuesday in Aurora

Search warrant executed Tuesday in Aurora

Search warrant executed in Aurora

News Staff
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
UPDATE: The Aurora Police Department, along with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) SWAT Team, executed a search warrant at a home at 914 14th Street in Aurora Tuesday morning.
2025: Reviewing the year in business

2025: Reviewing the year in business

2025: A year of constant change in business

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Flipping through the News-Register’s weekly business page, we found numerous stories of business start-ups and expansion, as well as a few challenges. As always, the one constant is change, and we recorded plenty of that in 2025. What follows is a summary review of the year’s business news.* Jan.
These images of brain scans were provided by Dr. Daniel Amen with the Amen Clinics organization and show the deterioration from years of drug and alcohol abuse

These images of brain scans were provided by Dr. Daniel Amen with the Amen Clinics organization and show the deterioration from years of drug and alcohol abuse

COPE revives drug-prevention efforts as vaping, alcohol use raise alarms

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
A community-based drug and alcohol prevention group is working to re-establish itself in Hamilton County, having recognized some alarming trends in area substance abuse.
Salt will not be used to de-ice 1st Street during it's first winter of use

Salt will not be used to de-ice 1st Street during it's first winter of use

Winter treatment on 1st Street will not include salt

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Now that the 1st Street renovation project has been deemed substantially completed, city officials advise that treatment protocol during the winter months ahead will be limited in terms of handling snow and ice.
The angel's message to shepherds on that first Christmas rings down through the ages

The angel's message to shepherds on that first Christmas rings down through the ages

The Angel’s Message

News Staff
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Editor’s note: This Christmas meditation was discovered by News Editor Ron Burtz in a book of Christmas stories, poems and other writings borrowed from the Rapid City Public Library over 40 years ago.
The Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, birthplace of the beloved Christmas carol, ‘Silent Night.’

The Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, birthplace of the beloved Christmas carol, ‘Silent Night.’

The ancient story of ‘Silent Night’

News Staff
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Editor’s note: The following origin story of the beloved Christmas carol “Silent Night” was sent out over the wires of the United Press International on Dec. 21, 1983. In a little Austrian village, long ago, a priest sat staring out into the darkness.