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A photo taken last week at the High Plains high school building in Polk shows a portion of the $3.85 million project. -
Young Jameson Gilliand holds on tight, even after his bull Ghostbuster takes off on a run underneath him, during the tiny tots portion of Sunday’s bull-rides at the Tuff Nuff Rodeo. -
4-H buddy Cassidy Aycock helps Jase Bergen show his steer, Whoa, in the Hamilton County Raised Market Steer division at the fair Friday. -
Father Mark Seiker began serving St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aurora and St. Joseph parish in Giltner in June, replacing Father Loras Grell.
Phase one of HPC construction almost complete
Students returning to High Plains Community Schools this fall will be greeted by some major changes at the high school as phase one of a $3.85 million addition is nearly complete.
With classes set to begin Aug. 18, Ayers & Ayers Construction crews and various subcontractors are pushing hard toward the finish, which high school principal Cameron Hudson said has been a fascinating and impressive process to observe.
“We still start school on time, Aug. 18, so that’s the main thing,” Hudson reported Monday. “We will need to work with them up until around Labor Day for what we call phase one. At that point that will open up the west side, which gets us into the gym. Our first home activity is Sept. 7 and that’s a goal of ours to be able to use the common area concessions.
Dust settles on successful county fair
The 2021 Hamilton County Fair lived up to its theme, “pioneer ways to modern days,” this year as the perfect combination of new and old.
The week-long celebration highlighted a plethora of never-before-seen events to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds that once were, or are currently, county fair staples elsewhere. This includes eating contests, a ladies skillet throw and an anvil firing.
“I would say that this year’s fair was an outstanding success,” said Trevor Emahizer, Hamilton County Ag Society president. “Everyone we talked to was more than pleased with everything from the livestock shows to the grandstand events, all the entertainment on the grounds and all the extra things that we had going on this year.”
There were even new rides on the midway for the young and old to enjoy.
4-H spirit alive and well at fair
Cassidy Aycock is no stranger to the show arena at the Hamilton County Fair, or showing livestock.
Despite being a member of 4-H for around 10 years and approaching some of her last opportunities to step into the ring as a showman, Cassidy’s role looked a little different this year.
“We had a young man that was able to show this year,” said Tammy Stuhr, 4-H and Nebraska Extension lead educator. “It was his first year in 4-H and because we had a great senior leader step up to the plate to work with him in a way that allowed him to show.”
Cassidy became Jase Bergen’s 4-H buddy for the 2021 Hamilton County Fair, entering the ring by his side to help him through the process of showing his steer in the Hamilton County Raised Market Steer division during the Friday beef show.
Seiker assigned as new priest in Aurora, Giltner
Father Mark Seiker began his tenure as pastor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aurora and St. Joseph parish in Giltner recently, continuing his 37-year calling in the priesthood.
Seiker’s assignment here was effective June 14, as he replaces Father Loras Grell, who was appointed pastor of catholic churches in Wymore, Odell and Barneston.
“The Lord, through the bishop, has assigned me in various different parishes over the years and each of the parishes has been where the Lord wants me at the time,” Seiker said. “Each move has brought kind of a sense of mixed emotions and mixed experiences. There are people in a previous parish that you’ve grown close to and there are new persons to meet in a new parish. I’m connecting names and connecting faces now through a process of repetition and when the names match the face then there’s kind of a click.”
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