This week's featured stories

  • Mike Herman served as farm manager at Grain Place Foods near Marquette for more than 30 years, beginning in 1985. He is pictured here in 2015 with a photo that was appropriately labeled: “Outstanding in his field.”
    Mike Herman served as farm manager at Grain Place Foods near Marquette for more than 30 years, beginning in 1985. He is pictured here in 2015 with a photo that was appropriately labeled: “Outstanding in his field.”
  • Curiosity led Dr. Lane Handke to try the pay phone outside the Pierce Telephone Co. in Pierce. He asked Jeff Kesting, the phone company’s plant manager, why it wasn’t working. Kesting fixed the problem and encouraged Handke to try again. The pay phone is one of only 81 still in operation in Nebraska.
    Curiosity led Dr. Lane Handke to try the pay phone outside the Pierce Telephone Co. in Pierce. He asked Jeff Kesting, the phone company’s plant manager, why it wasn’t working. Kesting fixed the problem and encouraged Handke to try again. The pay phone is one of only 81 still in operation in Nebraska.
  • Showcasing the superior trophy they received during the NSBA State Marching competition on Saturday are drum majors Savanna James (left) and Tajel Lents.
    Showcasing the superior trophy they received during the NSBA State Marching competition on Saturday are drum majors Savanna James (left) and Tajel Lents.
  • Throughout her lifetime, Hamilton County Treasurer Jody Griffith has progressed through three careers, starting with stay-at-home wife and mother, then moving to banking at two local institutions and finally the last nine years as treasurer.
    Throughout her lifetime, Hamilton County Treasurer Jody Griffith has progressed through three careers, starting with stay-at-home wife and mother, then moving to banking at two local institutions and finally the last nine years as treasurer.
  • Avery Miller makes a quick escape from the Wolff Building as a clown (Brenden Zucco) chases after her Sunday night. Over 480 people visited the Hamilton County Haunted Fairgrounds during the opening weekend with many braving the maze twice or three times.
    Avery Miller makes a quick escape from the Wolff Building as a clown (Brenden Zucco) chases after her Sunday night. Over 480 people visited the Hamilton County Haunted Fairgrounds during the opening weekend with many braving the maze twice or three times.
  • Katie Muilenburg (center) is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research in Bethesda, focusing on liver cancer research. Pictured with Muilenburg from left are her brother Nathan, father Jeff and mother Cyndi.
    Katie Muilenburg (center) is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research in Bethesda, focusing on liver cancer research. Pictured with Muilenburg from left are her brother Nathan, father Jeff and mother Cyndi.
  • Jessica Clark owns Roam & Ivy Flowers, a flower-farming business that she operates on her family’s farm west of Aurora. Clark originally worked as a part-time massage therapist for approximately 20 years in Denver, Colo., and later in her hometown.
    Jessica Clark owns Roam & Ivy Flowers, a flower-farming business that she operates on her family’s farm west of Aurora. Clark originally worked as a part-time massage therapist for approximately 20 years in Denver, Colo., and later in her hometown.

    Some career changes are about chasing opportunity. Others are about finding peace — or purpose — in a new season of life. The latter describes Mike Herman’s story, and he sat down to reflect on his career path and life’s journey as part of the News-Register’s annual workforce recognition edition. You'll find his story on Page C1.

    Pay phones are becoming few and far between in these days, but surprisingly a reporter for the Flatwater Free Press found several of them right here in Aurora. Read writer Kevin Warnke's search for the elusive pay phone on Page B12 of this week's ANR.

    The Aurora Marching Huskies Band ended its season on a high note at the NSBA State Marching Competition in Kearney with the band, drumline and color guard all receiving superior ratings. 
     

    Starting off this year's ANR Workforce edition is an article about Hamilton County Treasurer Joann “Jody” Griffith, who began her adult life as a stay-at-home wife and mother and then spent 19 years in the banking industry. Read the story of her multiple careers on Page 1 of this week's edition.

    After a successful opening weekend of chills and thrills, the Haunted Fairgrounds event sponsored by the Hamilton County Ag Society will debut a not-so-scary edition of the popular attraction on Thursday evening this week. Read all about it on Page A4 of this week's paper. 

    The stars have been aligning for Aurora grad Katie Muilenburg as she dedicates herself as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research (NCI) in Bethesda, Md. Since beginning her postdoctoral fellowship last September, Muilenburg has felt blessed to grow in her understanding of cancer and helping develop optimal methods in cancer research. Read her story in this week's edition of “Where Are They Now?” on Page A9.

    Second careers are the focus of our annual Workforce edition and a story on Page C8 profiles Jessica Clark, who spent the first half of her career as a massage therapist but recently found a new challenge and fulfillment as a flower farmer.

    These stories and more, plus all the local high school sports highlights and photos of our local workforce, can be found in this week's jumbo edition the Aurora News-Register.