This week's top stories

Here are the stories making headlines this week! 

  • This photo taken by Zach Hunnicutt as he waited out Thursday’s snow squall on 8th Road north of Giltner shows conditions as the storm began to pass by. Hunnicutt had waited in his vehicle for nearly 40 minutes for this moment so he could see to drive again.
    This photo taken by Zach Hunnicutt as he waited out Thursday’s snow squall on 8th Road north of Giltner shows conditions as the storm began to pass by. Hunnicutt had waited in his vehicle for nearly 40 minutes for this moment so he could see to drive again.
  • The official Hamilton County ballot dropbox outside the courthouse stands lonely and covered in snow now, but for about three weeks in May and November it will be well used by voters dropping off their mail-in or early voting ballots.
    The official Hamilton County ballot dropbox outside the courthouse stands lonely and covered in snow now, but for about three weeks in May and November it will be well used by voters dropping off their mail-in or early voting ballots.
  • Members of the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District conduct a meeting Thursday at the NRD offices in York. Pictured second from left is board member Bill Kuehner of Aurora.
    Members of the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District conduct a meeting Thursday at the NRD offices in York. Pictured second from left is board member Bill Kuehner of Aurora.
  • This rendering shows a typical ammonia plant using electrolyzer technology for hydrogen feedstock production. The same elements shown here would be utilized on a plant being proposed by Synergen Green Energy near Aurora.
    This rendering shows a typical ammonia plant using electrolyzer technology for hydrogen feedstock production. The same elements shown here would be utilized on a plant being proposed by Synergen Green Energy near Aurora.
  • This wrecked minivan parked along Highway 14 near the Aurora Cemetery on Friday morning was one of several vehicles involved in a pileup caused by Thursday afternoon’s surprise snow squall that blew through this area. As many as a dozen cars were damaged in several multi-vehicle collisions throughout the county.
    This wrecked minivan parked along Highway 14 near the Aurora Cemetery on Friday morning was one of several vehicles involved in a pileup caused by Thursday afternoon’s surprise snow squall that blew through this area. As many as a dozen cars were damaged in several multi-vehicle collisions throughout the county.

Freak snow squall blasts county 
A brief and fast-moving storm dubbed by the National Weather Service as a snow squall passed through Hamilton County last Thursday afternoon just about the time school was being dismissed. The storm which lasted about 40 minutes caused whiteout conditions leading to numerous traffic crashes, some with injuries. A full report on the storm begins on Page 1 of this week's ANR.

Election year means 12 months of additional work for county clerk
With the Iowa Presidential Caucuses now more than a week behind us and with the New Hampshire Primary taking place on Tuesday of this week, it should be no surprise to anyone that the 2024 election season is well underway. Here in Nebraska, besides the GOP primary for president, there will be a couple of statewide offices on the ballot as well as a number of local elections as well. And a new wrinkle this year will be the implementation of the voter ID law passed by the legislature in 2023. Our article beginning on the front page, gives all the details from Hamilton County Clerk Jill DeMers who will be busy from now until mid-December with election-related work. 

Ammonia plant proposed in Hamilton County
Houston-based Synergen Green Energy, Inc. announced plans this week for a proposed ammonia plant along the Highway 34 corridor west of Aurora, having narrowed its focus to a 160-acre Hamilton County site after a nationwide search that began almost two years ago. The plant would produce 600 metric tons per day of ammonia for use as fertilizer and other applications and is projected to create 100 permanent full-time jobs.

 

NRD board approves Synergen’s large water use permit
The Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District Board stood by its decision Thursday to approve a permit application from Synergen Green Energy Inc. to build a proposed ammonia production plant on a site south of Highway 34 near the Mars Petcare plant in Hamilton County. The board voted 16-1 to approve the application for a 2,300-gallon-per-minute water well at its Dec. 21 meeting, having heard a presentation by Olsson, a Lincoln-based consulting firm, detailing the results of its hydrological evaluation of the Synergen large water use request.

These and many of articles of interest can be found in the print or e-edition of the Aurora News-Register.