This week's top stories

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stories
  • Recent Aurora graduate Journey Noyes has been involved in Girl Scouts since kindergarten. She’ll now be a lifetime member and plans to continue her advocacy.
    Recent Aurora graduate Journey Noyes has been involved in Girl Scouts since kindergarten. She’ll now be a lifetime member and plans to continue her advocacy.
  • Veteran Fred Salmon (center) stands with a dedicated salute during the playing of the National Anthem during Aurora’s Memorial Day ceremony.
    Veteran Fred Salmon (center) stands with a dedicated salute during the playing of the National Anthem during Aurora’s Memorial Day ceremony.
  • Tate Nachtigal watches his tee shot off 18 before finishing his second day action at the Class B state golf tournament last week. Nachtigal finished tied for 19th and was three strokes short of a medal.
    Tate Nachtigal watches his tee shot off 18 before finishing his second day action at the Class B state golf tournament last week. Nachtigal finished tied for 19th and was three strokes short of a medal.

    Noyes follows Girl Scouts to Zoom with VP Harris
    Journey Noyes started Girl Scouts in kindergarten, with no more real intention than fun, friends and eventually some cookie sales. 
    But what started as something small grew with her into an incredible leadership experience and a Zoom call with Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.
    “I went with a troup that I (was part of),” Noyes began. “I kind of fell out of it throughout my Brownie years, but I got back into it in fifth grade and have been a major part of the Girl Scouts ever since.” 

    Service honors ‘best of America’
    A well-attended Memorial Day ceremony at the Aurora cemetery started promptly at 10:30 a.m. Monday, surrounded by American flags and led by familiar face Al Vetter.
    “On behalf of American Legion Post 42 and VFW Post 4993, I’d like to thank you for inviting us to participate in this Memorial Day observance,” he began.
    The colors were then advanced by the local Scouts and the Rev. Karl Larson presented the invocation. 
    “Please join with me in prayer. Almighty God we have gathered here on sacred ground for a solemn purpose,” Larson started, as the community bowed its head collectively in prayer. “We’ve gathered here today to remember the many individuals who have served our country bravely with honor, who now lie in rest at this sacred site. Our call today is to remember in a specific way. Our call is to remember with hearts filled with gratitude toward you.”

    Nachtigal earns top 20 finish at state
    Tate Nachtigal surprised everyone by qualifying for the Class B state golf tournament, seemingly out of nowhere. 
    He proved last week that his qualification was no fluke. In fact, he nearly left with some hardware. 
    The Aurora junior carded rounds of 84 and 82 for a 166 total to finish tied for 19th at the Class B state golf tournament played at Elks CC in Columbus. 
    In the end, Nachtigal finished three strokes short of a potential medal finish, and that fact alone was enough to make Nachtigal and his coach, Craig Badura, smile. 
    However, if someone asked Badura two months ago if his No. 5 golfer would finish top 20 at state, he would have been way off base. 

    Changes, new events coming to A’ROR’N Days
    There will be plenty of options for Aurora alumni and community members to wet their athletic whistle during A’ROR’N Days weekend. 
    Several activities are planned, including the annual MCHI fun run, street vault and several new events, like a tennis tournament and pickleball instructional. 
    The MCHI Fun Run is scheduled for Saturday morning, but will have a few different protocols in place to ensure everyone’s safety. 
    According to MCHI PT director Brad Bangs, there will be no registration or t-shirts for the event this year as the large changes for the event, but much of everything else will stay the same. 

    PPRI’s mission shared with Conservation NE
    Many people around Hamilton County are familiar with Prairie Plains Resource Institute (PPRI), but Sarah Bailey, greenhouse manager/naturalist educator shared their ongoing mission of restoring the Great Plains prairie through a Conservation Nebraska webinar.
    “Most of you probably know that grasslands are some of the most under-protected ecosystems in the world,” she began. “We’ve made it our mission at Prairie Plains to work on restoring and protecting these wild places.”
    PPRI has eight different educational lands around the state of Nebraska. She noted that they have prairie preserves that have led the way for high diversity, local eco-type prairie and wetland restoration work.
    The group also specializes in grassland management and naturalist education with its network of prairie preserves around the state. 

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