Wilkins joins medical clinic staff

60 Years Ago – 1960

M. H. VanBerg of Columbus was top Nebraska owner in the distribution of purses at the Ak-Sar-Ben race meeting, it was announced this week. His horses earned $95,381.20, the most money won by any owner in Ak-Sar-Ben history. Paul Kemling of Phillips was fourth with $16,335. The silver tray which he received from Ak-Sar-Ben in recognition has been on display at Red & White during the past week.

A Japanese delegation touring the U.S. wheat farms, will stop at the Maynard Jensen farm at 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 25. The group wants to see a modern irrigation and livestock farm.

50 Years Ago – 1970

Vandals struck at the high school grounds sometime between Thursday night and Saturday last week causing extensive damage to the large lighted billboard-type sign along M Street. The damage was discovered by school authorities Saturday morning, according to Irvin Petersen, school principal when he arrived at the building. Just what was used to do the damage has not been determined, according to Supt. Cothran, but it appeared that some sort of missile had struck the sign on the west side, penetrated the glass and emerged, leaving several large holes and throwing pieces of glass several feet onto the lawn. Two new teachers were hired for the upcoming school year at Aurora High School. Betty Jean Schmidt was named as a sixth grade math teacher and Nancy Wheeler was assigned as a Home Ec Assistant to Mrs. Steve Vanderbeek.

40 Years Ago – 1980

Lee R. Wilkins has completed his residency in the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and became a member of the Aurora Medical Clinic staff Monday, July 14. Wilkins served in the Aurora Clinic among the absence of Dr. Donald Larson in January and for a two-week period in February before returning to Omaha to complete his internship. A native of Lincoln, Dr. Wilkins attended East High School.

Bob Todd of the First National Bank and Trust Co. in Aurora has been named Vice President and Trust Officer. The announcement was made by President James McBride.

Mrs. Becky French, 25, has joined the advertising staff of the Aurora News-Register, according to Aurora News-Register publisher Ron “Butch” Furse. French, a native Auroran has been an Administrative Assistant for the Big Eight Conference Kansas City since 1978. She is a 1977 graduate of the University of Nebraska and has prior newspaper experience at the Omaha World-Herald, Lincoln Journal-Star and Independence (Mo.) Examiner. French also worked for the News-Register while attending college.

30 Years Ago – 1990

Dale Saddler of Aurora has been elected captain of the Hamilton County Ambulance Service and Mike Madden has been named vice captain. The two were elected during a meeting Saturday night of the Ambulance Service personnel who also put together a policy and procedures manual. Besides Saddler and Madden, the other new officers are Fred Ousey, training officer; Tim Carlson, maintenance officer; and Deb Wehmeier, secretarytreasurer.

Doyle Denney, director of drug and alcohol education in the McCook Public Schools the past four years, has been named principal of Polk-Hordville High School. He succeeds Fred Helmink who resigned at the end of the school year to accept the post of principal at Gothenburg High School. Denney also will coach boys basketball at Polk-Hordville.

Trisha Schafer, owner of Creative Hair Fashions in Aurora, has announced the addition of Shari Jones to the staff as barber stylist. Shari graduated in 1980 from the College of Hair Design in Lincoln and specializes in razor cutting, styling, perming and coloring. Shari owned and operated her own salon in Aurora for the past eight years and has been a stylist for 10 years.

20 Years Ago – 2000

Eleven-year-old Miles Bliss of Aurora was among the five winners in the Hall County Historical Society “History is a Treasure” Hunt that concluded last week. With the help of his aunt, Brenda Klawonn and his great-uncle, Richard Nietfeld, Miles correctly matched 11 of 12 clutes with one of the 95 historical places, objects and markers numbered on the Hall County historical map.

A new pastoral alignment adds to recent changes at the United Methodist Church in Aurora. The United Methodist Church in Bradshaw will now be served by the same pastoral team that serves the UMC in Aurora. Pastor Seth Leypoldt began in Aurora on July 2 as the associate pastor.

10 Years Ago – 2010

Hamilton Telecommunications PC and LAN administrator Rob Leonard was among the Nebraska National Guardsmen preparing to leave for Afghanistan last week. In his fifth year in the Guard, Leonard, a member of Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 134th Calvary out of Hastings, will leave July 29 for Lincoln and July 31 for the mobilization site in Mississippi. Leonard, who said their mission is not declassified yet but will be every changing and evolving, will be stationed in Afghanistan for one year, leaving behind his girlfriend of three years and an 8-year-old son.

Leslie Meents and Todd Jensen have joined the staff at Advantage Chevrolet Buick in Aurora. General Manager Bret Schwarz announced that Meents comes on board as a sales and leasing specialist of used vehicles. Jensen, a native of Beatrice, joins the Advantage team as a parts manager.