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Volunteers teach a class of students at the Hamilton County Youth Center about videography via the Videography Club course in partnership with Beyond School Bells.

Volunteers teach a class of students at the Hamilton County Youth Center about videography via the Videography Club course in partnership with Beyond School Bells.

Hamilton County Youth Center celebrates year of change, growth

Jacob Courtney
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
For one year, middle school and high school students have had a place to spend their free time out of class, socializing with others their age again. Since the re-opening of the Hamilton County Youth Center in June 2022, Paul Johnson has seen the growth of the center and activities available there.
Westfield Quality Care LPN Chrissie Logston, left, talks with resident Linda Hecht at the facility in Aurora. Over the past year the skilled-care facility has directly hired more local nurses and aides, reducing its dependence on more expensive staffing agency personnel.

Westfield Quality Care LPN Chrissie Logston, left, talks with resident Linda Hecht at the facility in Aurora. Over the past year the skilled-care facility has directly hired more local nurses and aides, reducing its dependence on more expensive staffing agency personnel.

This week's top stories

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Westfield less dependent on agency staffOne of the lingering impacts of the COVID pandemic is a nationwide shortage of registered nurses (RNs) and other medical professionals.
A wagon with the name of the new restaurant in Phillips sits next to the structure itself with the Phillips water tower in the distance. The saloon had a soft opening May 3 and will host a grand opening June 13 at 5:30 p.m.

A wagon with the name of the new restaurant in Phillips sits next to the structure itself with the Phillips water tower in the distance. The saloon had a soft opening May 3 and will host a grand opening June 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Winchesters Saloon debuts

Jacob Courtney
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Winchesters has returned to Phillips! After a soft opening starting on May 3, the management of Winchesters Saloon announced that a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday, June 13, at 5:30 p.m.
Aurora Huskies

Aurora Huskies

4R board begins reviewing strategic plan surveys, data

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
The Aurora 4R School Board conducted a preliminary review last week of feedback gathered through a detailed community survey process and will now begin using that information to establish goals and action steps that will guide district decisions over the next five to 10 years.Supt.
Aurora High School custodian Maddy Barnes places notes of encouragement on the mirror of the girls restroom. The sticky note project is just one way the young staff member makes connections and serves as a role model to students and staff.

Aurora High School custodian Maddy Barnes places notes of encouragement on the mirror of the girls restroom. The sticky note project is just one way the young staff member makes connections and serves as a role model to students and staff.

Encouragement that sticks

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Maddy Barnes, custodian at Aurora High School, is not that many years out of high school herself, so she knows the importance of an encouraging word to teenagers.
This team of Hampton Hawks won the Nebraska Stock Market Challenge, sponsored by Junior Achievement, and took third in the nationals earlier this month. From left are Shae Kingery, Sophia Schulze, Jacob Wishman and Kennedy McCullough.

This team of Hampton Hawks won the Nebraska Stock Market Challenge, sponsored by Junior Achievement, and took third in the nationals earlier this month. From left are Shae Kingery, Sophia Schulze, Jacob Wishman and Kennedy McCullough.

Hawks are stock market champs

Ron Burtz
Monday, June 5, 2023
Four Hampton Hawks high schoolers surprised their business teacher and perhaps even themselves recently when they won the state competition in Junior Achievement’s annual Stock Market Challenge. And they continued their winning ways by taking fourth place in the national contest on May 10.
Mitchell and Sarah Lyon show the front door of their office on the square that was broken out Friday by a young deer that had crashed through the back window in the alley before 7 a.m.

Mitchell and Sarah Lyon show the front door of their office on the square that was broken out Friday by a young deer that had crashed through the back window in the alley before 7 a.m.

Oh deer! Break-in reported Friday in downtown Aurora

Ron Burtz
Monday, June 5, 2023
Here’s something that doesn’t happen every day. A subject being pursued by the Aurora Police Department broke into the back of a downtown business office early Friday morning and then, four seconds later, she broke out again, this time through the front door.
A 21-gun salute is performed near the end of the Memorial Day service at the Aurora Cemetery on Monday morning.

A 21-gun salute is performed near the end of the Memorial Day service at the Aurora Cemetery on Monday morning.

This week's top stories

News Staff
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
MCHI nearly fully staffed with nursesThough not immune from the challenges of hiring and retaining nurses locally in the midst of a reported nationwide nursing shortage, Memorial Community Health Inc.
Kevin and Kayte Partch pose for a family photo with daughters, from left, Kendall and Kellan. The family lives in Lincoln where Kayte is the USDA Child Nutrition director for the Nebraska Board of Education.

Kevin and Kayte Partch pose for a family photo with daughters, from left, Kendall and Kellan. The family lives in Lincoln where Kayte is the USDA Child Nutrition director for the Nebraska Board of Education.

Keeping pace: Hampton native’s race for child nutrition, marathons

Jacob Courtney
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Becoming a runner takes both the proper food and mental determination to use that fuel to the limit. One Hampton graduate knows the importance of both continuing to run for herself and helping kids in Nebraska to have the basic nutrition to push themselves.