This week's featured stories

  • Second-year teacher Kelsey Schulte, center, helped her FFA students host their first Giltner FFA Fun Run on Saturday, Aug. 10. Pictured from left are Giltner FFA officers Karly Eastman, Kailyn Wilson, Tanner Schelkopf, Schulte, Peyton Schutt, Avery Reeson and Gracie Kreutz.
    Second-year teacher Kelsey Schulte, center, helped her FFA students host their first Giltner FFA Fun Run on Saturday, Aug. 10. Pictured from left are Giltner FFA officers Karly Eastman, Kailyn Wilson, Tanner Schelkopf, Schulte, Peyton Schutt, Avery Reeson and Gracie Kreutz.
  • Andrew and Taylor Willis stand outside their Diamond J location on Grant Street in Aurora, after announcing that their company has been acquired by Hastings-based Cooperative Producers, Inc. The company is now operating as Diamond J Custom Services, powered by CPI.
    Andrew and Taylor Willis stand outside their Diamond J location on Grant Street in Aurora, after announcing that their company has been acquired by Hastings-based Cooperative Producers, Inc. The company is now operating as Diamond J Custom Services, powered by CPI.
  • Employees from both the Grain Weevil and Aurora Boardworks display one of the early production models of the visionary robot, parts of which were produced here in Aurora.
    Employees from both the Grain Weevil and Aurora Boardworks display one of the early production models of the visionary robot, parts of which were produced here in Aurora.
  • A Grain Weevil prototype crawls through grain in a bin in Iowa.
    A Grain Weevil prototype crawls through grain in a bin in Iowa.
  • Giltner's Garrett Harmon shows off his breakaway speed, scoring a TD for the Hornet flag football squad.
    Giltner's Garrett Harmon shows off his breakaway speed, scoring a TD for the Hornet flag football squad.
  • Melissa Widner holds her daughter, Bailey, during Friday’s half-time PCAN presentation. Bailey is now in remission, a year after the family received proceeds from the Aurora PCAN donation night in the midst of her battle against cancer.
    Melissa Widner holds her daughter, Bailey, during Friday’s half-time PCAN presentation. Bailey is now in remission, a year after the family received proceeds from the Aurora PCAN donation night in the midst of her battle against cancer.

    With the school year underway, Giltner FFA advisor Kelsey (Swantek) Schulte is excited to lead the chapter into its second year. Enthusiasm for the chapter was given a boost when the chapter’s welding team qualified for state FFA last spring.“They were the first team to ever qualify for state (from Giltner),” Schulte said. “It’s been one year, but ever in Giltner’s history, I think that’s a huge thing for them to be proud of.” See the story on Page A4 of this week's ANR for a look back at the historic first year of the Giltner program as well as Schulte's plans and goals for the year ahead.

    Cooperative Producers, Inc. (CPI) announced recently that is has strengthened its presence within the CPI trade area through the acquisition of Diamond J Custom Services LLC. Based in Aurora, Diamond J was started by Andrew Willis, his wife Taylor, and Jeff Jacobsen in 2015 to better serve the application and agronomic needs of the growers in the area. In 2019, CPI and Diamond J began a partnership in which Diamond J became CPI’s premier third-party associate, providing services to customers of CPI as well as their own. According to terms of a transaction completed in late July, Diamond J Custom Services will continue to operate under the Diamond J name and Willis will continue to lead and manage the day-to-day operations out of the Aurora location. Read the whole story of the transition on Page B12, the Business Page of this week's ANR. 

    It's National Farm Safety & Health Week and, in observance, ANR is throwing the spotlight on a product invented right here in Hamilton County that will hopefully soon be reducing accidents and deaths in grain bins. On our front page this week, you'll find an article about how the inventors of the Grain Weevil are working with Aurora Boardworks to create circuitry for the ag robot. Then on Page C1 of this week's four-page Aglife section leads off with an article about the latest Grain Weevil developments and a plan to get the robots working in bins across four Midwestern states by the end of the year.

    It's peak flag football season in Aurora with record numbers of 133 players on 16 teams, including several from both Giltner and Hampton. Page B6 of this week's paper is filled with pictures of the action from Saturday's games, and look for team photos of all the teams in our Sept. 25 edition. To view hundreds of action shots as well as team photos of all 16 teams, click on Photos/Special Events/Flag Football 2024

    Young Bailey Widner was back in front of Aurora’s football crowd last Friday night, but this time she was wearing all smiles. A year ago Bailey and her family members were introduced as Gary Peters explained the work and focus of the Pediatric Cancer Action Network (PCAN), an organization focused on providing financial support to families who have a child battling cancer. See our story on Page A3 of this week's print or e-edition to learn how Husky fans are generously helping to support this worthy cause.

    You'll find the details on these stories and so much more, plus all the news from the busy fall high school sports season, in the print or edition of this week's Aurora News-Register. Pick up your copy today.