This week's top stories

  • As a member of the American Legion color guard, Robert ‘Bob’ Leach, folded and presented dozens of American flags to family members of deceased veterans. In May he joined the color guard again to present a flag to the family of fellow veteran and long-time friend Richard ‘Dick’ Grosshans.
    As a member of the American Legion color guard, Robert ‘Bob’ Leach, folded and presented dozens of American flags to family members of deceased veterans. In May he joined the color guard again to present a flag to the family of fellow veteran and long-time friend Richard ‘Dick’ Grosshans.
  • Aurora native and veteran Omaha broadcaster Vonn Jones speaks at the ceremony in which he was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame on June 8.
    Aurora native and veteran Omaha broadcaster Vonn Jones speaks at the ceremony in which he was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame on June 8.
  • The Aurora News-Register announced its male and female athletes of the year last week, with the boys award going to High Plains senior Wyatt Urkoski. Aurora’s Adi Fahrnbruch earned the female award as a junior for the Huskies. The duo were joined for a photo by ANR sports editor Richard Rhoden.
    The Aurora News-Register announced its male and female athletes of the year last week, with the boys award going to High Plains senior Wyatt Urkoski. Aurora’s Adi Fahrnbruch earned the female award as a junior for the Huskies. The duo were joined for a photo by ANR sports editor Richard Rhoden.
  • Dillon Loschen, a new resident of Phillips, helps his daughter Maeve take aim at a stack of cups in one of several children’s games.
    Dillon Loschen, a new resident of Phillips, helps his daughter Maeve take aim at a stack of cups in one of several children’s games.
  • Mike Semrad and the Nighthawks deliver tunes to Aurora’s downtown square. This is the band’s fourth time playing at Bands on the Bricks.
    Mike Semrad and the Nighthawks deliver tunes to Aurora’s downtown square. This is the band’s fourth time playing at Bands on the Bricks.
  • The crew at Danish Oak in Hampton includes, from left: Grant Ferguson, Justin Kliewer, owners Jennifer and Dane Schafer, Shauna Pursley and Drake Schafer.
    The crew at Danish Oak in Hampton includes, from left: Grant Ferguson, Justin Kliewer, owners Jennifer and Dane Schafer, Shauna Pursley and Drake Schafer.
  • EMT captain Erin Ditloff goes waist deep in the training trailer to help firefighters train for a grain rescue scenario. Coffer dams were used to prevent grain from falling back as firefighters dig Ditloff and a training dummy out throughout the evening.
    EMT captain Erin Ditloff goes waist deep in the training trailer to help firefighters train for a grain rescue scenario. Coffer dams were used to prevent grain from falling back as firefighters dig Ditloff and a training dummy out throughout the evening.

    As he turns 95 this month, long-time American Legion Post 42 member and Aurora businessman Bob Leach reflects back on a life which has been guided by a life-long mindset of always doing what was best for his community and country. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s my duty as a citizen of the United States to do what the government asked us to do,” Leach said speaking of his service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
    Through the years Leach has become a familiar face in the community, whether it was through his service with the Legion or in the local insurance business. The story of Leach's life and accomplishments is the lead article in our annual Tale of the Ages section with is the B Section of this week's ANR.

    Signing off from his 28-year career with KETV (Channel 7) Television, Aurora High School graduate Vonn Jones was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 8. The son of Rod and Jo Jones attributed his start to a lifelong fascination with and passion for television since growing up in Aurora. “My family says even at that early age I knew I wanted to be a broadcaster,” Jones said during his induction speech. “Good Lord, I recorded play-by-play of neighborhood pick-up games into a reel-to-reel tape recorder and pushed a cardboard TV camera down the alley. Yeah, I was a hip child.” Read more of Jones's journey in another episode of our Where Are They Now? series on Page A4 of this week's ANR.

    The Aurora News-Register handed out its male and female athletes of the year awards for the 2023-24 school year with plenty of competition for both awards. The male award was given to High Plains senior Wyatt Urkoski, a three-sport athlete for the Storm who rushed for 1,000 yards, was a state runner-up in wrestling and earned a state medal in the Class D shot put. The female award was given to Aurora’s Adi Fahrnbruch, a three-sport athlete for the Huskies and team leader in softball, basketball and multi-state medalist in track. For complete coverage on each award, see Sports pages A6-8 of this week's print or e-editions.

    The fifth annual July 3rd Celebration in Phillips took off with a bang last Wednesday. Folks of all ages lacked for nothing to do during the community Independence Day party in and surrounding the Phillips Memorial Hall. There was a dinner, a car show, bouncy houses for the kids, a dunk tank, a basketball throw and much more. However, because of a thunderstorm that rolled in later in the evening the annual fireworks display was postponed until Friday. 

    Bands on the Bricks kicked off its seventh season Friday night with music by Mike Semrad and the Riverhawks.
    With perfect weather and great music, the turnout for 2024’s first Bands on the Bricks was all they could ask for, said organizer Sara Sutherland. “This has been probably one of the best first nights so far, which is great because we love to see the turnout (and) we also love to see setup go smoothly,” she said. Bands on the Bricks continues Friday evening, July 12 with the rock music of Joey Leone's Chop Shop from New York and Arizona. 

    Exactly 20 years after opening a furniture refinishing and restoration business in downtown Hampton, Dane Schafer and his family are celebrating success while also announcing exciting changes. Danish Oak has evolved into everything the young entrepreneur could have imagined, he observed looking back, and is now on the brink of significant growth. “We opened on July 1st, 20 years ago, so this is kind of a big year for us,” Schafer began. “Looking back at where we started and how naive we were, success was the only option, I guess. I don’t know how we got where we are besides all the long list of people that I need to thank for getting us here.”

    Hampton Fire and Rescue joined together with the Bradshaw Fire Department and Henderson Fire & Rescue to test out Central Valley Ag’s (CVA) grain training trailer on June 11. Arriving with 10 volunteers from Hampton, fire chief Dane Schafer said Bradshaw Fire had invited Hampton to participate in the session to try out the training trailer for grain engulfment rescue scenarios. “We always jump at the opportunity to train with our neighboring departments as it really helps us work together in a real-life emergency,” Schafer said.

    These stories and more can be found in the print or e-editions of this week's Aurora News Register.