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Volunteers from the Hamilton County Backpack Program have been busy preparing for Friday’s Soup Bowl Fundraiser. From left are Pam Emahizer, Jo Gilson, Jeanne Robertshaw, Beth Andrews, Jan Dick, Pat Pickering, Diana Shaffer and Lynda Ochsner. Not pictured, Shelly Maul, Verda Friesen, Loree Moss, Becky Kliewer, Claire Frevert, Mardell Jasnowski and Pastor Rudy Flores.

Volunteers from the Hamilton County Backpack Program have been busy preparing for Friday’s Soup Bowl Fundraiser. From left are Pam Emahizer, Jo Gilson, Jeanne Robertshaw, Beth Andrews, Jan Dick, Pat Pickering, Diana Shaffer and Lynda Ochsner. Not pictured, Shelly Maul, Verda Friesen, Loree Moss, Becky Kliewer, Claire Frevert, Mardell Jasnowski and Pastor Rudy Flores.

Soup Bowl Fundraiser to aid Backpack Program

Elizabeth Hunter
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Busy hands have been hard at work crafting clay soup bowls in preparation for the upcoming Soup Bowl Fundraiser at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ (PUCC) in Aurora.
Sam Elge, left, plays Owen Casey, a private investigator who is not amused by aspiring musician Nelson Henry, played by student actor Atticus Miller, right. At center is a ticket holder played by Derek Wilson.

Sam Elge, left, plays Owen Casey, a private investigator who is not amused by aspiring musician Nelson Henry, played by student actor Atticus Miller, right. At center is a ticket holder played by Derek Wilson.

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Aurora students present a ‘whodunnit’

Elizabeth Hunter
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Aurora High School’s cast and crew are all aboard as they spend their final week making final touches to this year’s spring play, “Murder on the 518” by Michelle Giles, a comical murder mystery sharing the rails of the Orient Express. Performances are set for Friday and Saturday evenings.
Ramer Fassnacht (center) celebrated his 100th birthday on March 4. Celebrating with him, from left, are his granddaughter, Katie Elder, daughters Glenell Ratzlaff, Joleen Gustafson and Teresa Elder-Smith and granddaughter Lizzy Smith.

Ramer Fassnacht (center) celebrated his 100th birthday on March 4. Celebrating with him, from left, are his granddaughter, Katie Elder, daughters Glenell Ratzlaff, Joleen Gustafson and Teresa Elder-Smith and granddaughter Lizzy Smith.

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Celebrating a cent-tenarian milestone

Elizabeth Hunter
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
The Hampton Auditorium was alive with festivities as friends and family of Ramer Fassnacht came together to celebrate the Hampton native’s 100th birthday on Sunday. Adding to the celebration was Fassnacht’s success in reaching his goal of collecting a penny for each day of his 100 years of life.
One of the many challenges students at Hamilton County 4-H faced at Lego Robotics was to put in the right measurements to steer their robots around obstacles. From left, Lillie Land, Cody Paton and Dalton Land watch as their robot attempts to navigate through the course.

One of the many challenges students at Hamilton County 4-H faced at Lego Robotics was to put in the right measurements to steer their robots around obstacles. From left, Lillie Land, Cody Paton and Dalton Land watch as their robot attempts to navigate through the course.

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Lego Robotics builds STEM skills

Elizabeth Hunter
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
A class combining kids’ love of Legos with basic robotics recently came to a successful conclusion for students involved in Hamilton County 4-H.
Dan and Linda Huenefeld pose for a final photo in the Boundary Waters escape room game, which featured puzzles all created personally by the owners.

Dan and Linda Huenefeld pose for a final photo in the Boundary Waters escape room game, which featured puzzles all created personally by the owners.

Huenefelds retire from Escape Aurora

Kurt Johnson
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Almost six years after Dan and Linda Huenefeld started inviting people to try and solve mysteries in a timed escape room experience just off the downtown square, the couple announced this week that they are retiring from Escape Aurora.
The well head for the Village of Hampton’s newly dug test well sits in a grassy area between the parking lots at the ball park on the west side of town. Water from the well tested at over 15 for nitrates so it cannot be used for drinking water.

The well head for the Village of Hampton’s newly dug test well sits in a grassy area between the parking lots at the ball park on the west side of town. Water from the well tested at over 15 for nitrates so it cannot be used for drinking water.

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Hampton test water well determined to be no go

Ron Burtz
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
High hopes for a timely and relatively cost-effective solution to Hampton’s ongoing water problems were dashed Monday night when it was announced that water test results from the recently-drilled test well came back showing high levels of nitrates.
One of the highlights of his recent trip to California for Nebraska Teacher of the Year Scott Phillips was a visit to Google Headquarters in Mountain View in Silicon Valley. Phillips can be seen in the back row peeking through the capital G. Pictured with him are fellow teachers of the year from around the country who formed his “home room” group during the orientation event.

One of the highlights of his recent trip to California for Nebraska Teacher of the Year Scott Phillips was a visit to Google Headquarters in Mountain View in Silicon Valley. Phillips can be seen in the back row peeking through the capital G. Pictured with him are fellow teachers of the year from around the country who formed his “home room” group during the orientation event.

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The first of many firsts for Teacher of Year Phillips

Ron Burtz
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Aurora math teacher Scott Phillips’s year as Nebraska’s Teacher of the Year is leading to many firsts in his life and — as seems to be typical of the outgoing educator — he is making the most of all of it.
Aurora 4R School Board news

Aurora 4R School Board news

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4R board adds snow make-up days to calendar

Kurt Johnson
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
The Aurora 4R School Board faced a full agenda at its regular monthly meeting Monday, spending nearly 40 minutes discussing the best options to add a day and a half of classes before the end of the school year, then ending the nearly three-hour meeting with two executive sessions regarding possible...
Hamilton County Board of Commissioners news

Hamilton County Board of Commissioners news

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County finds solution to space issue

Ron Burtz
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
After three county commission meetings in a row and several hours of behind-the-scenes activity by a subcommittee of the board, Hamilton County arrived at a solution for its space concerns at the county courthouse on Monday.
Volunteers from the Hamilton County Backpack Program have been busy preparing for Friday’s Soup Bowl Fundraiser.

Volunteers from the Hamilton County Backpack Program have been busy preparing for Friday’s Soup Bowl Fundraiser.

This week's top stories

News Staff
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
More than 75 ceramic soup bowls have been hand-crafted in preparation for this Friday's Soup Bowl Fundraiser at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ (PUCC) in Aurora.