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Pictured from left in the new Aurora Eyecare Professionals location on 12th Street, are from left: Sharon Beck, office manager Cassie Fink and Dr. Christa Hunnicutt, who is one of five doctor/owners of operations based in Aurora and Grand Island.

Pictured from left in the new Aurora Eyecare Professionals location on 12th Street, are from left: Sharon Beck, office manager Cassie Fink and Dr. Christa Hunnicutt, who is one of five doctor/owners of operations based in Aurora and Grand Island.

Aurora Eyecare relocates across square

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Aurora Eyecare Professionals has completed its renovation of a newly purchased building on the west side of the square, a transition which owners say provides more space and expanded product offerings.Dr.
Lofton Ferguson and Aydenn Scherff

Lofton Ferguson and Aydenn Scherff

Hampton graduation set for Saturday

News Staff
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Hampton High School will graduate the 11 seniors of the Class of 2026 on Saturday at the main gymnasium. The commencement exercises will take place at 2 p.m.The valedictorian speech will be given by Lofton Ferguson followed by a speech from Salutatorian Aydenn Scherff.
Peyton and Rylee Hofmann

Peyton and Rylee Hofmann

HPC to honor 2026 graduates Saturday

News Staff
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Thirteen High Plains Community Schools seniors will celebrate their next big milestone in life Saturday.The HPC class of 2026 commencement exercises will begin Saturday at 1 p.m. at the high school gym in Polk.
Nebraska's Primary Election is Tuesday, May 12

Nebraska's Primary Election is Tuesday, May 12

2026 Primary Election is Tuesday

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
With Nebraska’s Primary Election set to take place on Tuesday, Hamilton County Clerk Jill DeMers announced Monday morning that her office has already received a number of mail-in ballots and is making final preparations for the election.
The county board of commissioners gave its blessing for County Emergency Management Director Ben Crabtree to form a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to be administered under his office

The county board of commissioners gave its blessing for County Emergency Management Director Ben Crabtree to form a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to be administered under his office

County to form civilian emergency response team

Ron Burtz
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Hamilton County residents will soon have the opportunity to be part of a new organization being created to help out their neighbors in an emergency.
The Aurora City Council approved three projects last week proposed by the Aurora Downtown Revitalization Committee

The Aurora City Council approved three projects last week proposed by the Aurora Downtown Revitalization Committee

City OKs 3 downtown improvement projects

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
The Aurora City Council approved three projects last week proposed by the Aurora Downtown Revitalization Committee, which is seeking to allocate all of the remaining CDBG funds after applying to the state for a deadline extension from May to Dec. 31 of this year.
Karen (Bergen) Jackson (center) works as a NICU nurse and clinical educator at Children’s Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis. Pictured with Jackson, are her seven granddaughters whom she calls the light of her life. From left are: Zoe, Izzy, Adalynn, Sloane, Annalyse, Amellia and Abbigail.

Karen (Bergen) Jackson (center) works as a NICU nurse and clinical educator at Children’s Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis. Pictured with Jackson, are her seven granddaughters whom she calls the light of her life. From left are: Zoe, Izzy, Adalynn, Sloane, Annalyse, Amellia and Abbigail.

Jackson: “Our everyday is a parent’s once in a lifetime”

Elizabeth Hunter
Thursday, April 30, 2026
For nearly four decades, Karen (Bergen) Jackson has stood at the intersection of life’s most fragile beginnings and its most powerful moments, dedicating her career not only to caring for critically ill newborns but also to shaping the nurses who will carry that responsibility forward — blending...
Aurora native Nate Boerkircher holds a Jacksonville Jaguar hat in his hands, shortly after hearing his name called in the second round of the NFL draft. Pictured with him are his fiance, Paxtyn Dummer, and mother Sherry.

Aurora native Nate Boerkircher holds a Jacksonville Jaguar hat in his hands, shortly after hearing his name called in the second round of the NFL draft. Pictured with him are his fiance, Paxtyn Dummer, and mother Sherry.

From D1 walk-on to NFL

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Most people cannot stand and completely ignore spam callers these days. It was a really good thing Nate Boerkircher answered that call Friday night. Despite the former Husky’s caller ID reading “potential spam,” it turned out all of Boerkircher’s hopes and dreams were on the line.
A community advisory group met for the fifth time since November last week

A community advisory group met for the fifth time since November last week

Community survey to focus on school facility study

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Aurora Public Schools will distribute a survey in the coming weeks hoping to gather community input regarding facility needs throughout the district which have prompted in-depth discussions about a possible bond issue election.
The 2026 edition of ANR's Making the Grade is here

The 2026 edition of ANR's Making the Grade is here

Area students are making the grade

News Staff
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
ANR tips its hat this week to area students who have earned a seat at the front of the class. This week's Making the Grade edition honors the top students based on academic performance at Aurora, Hampton, Giltner and High Plains public schools.