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High Plains Community Schools

High Plains Community Schools

Concern from public voiced to HPC board

Friends, family and supporters of a Polk family turned up in droves to a jam-packed High Plains January school board meeting Monday night. More than 30 people attended the start of Monday’s regular monthly meeting in the Polk board room, there for the purpose of public comment.
Barricades have been erected by the Village of Hampton around this 1893 opera house building which was declared an unsafe building by the board last month. Owner Dan Klute has presented a proposal to tear down the structure and salvage the building materials.

Barricades have been erected by the Village of Hampton around this 1893 opera house building which was declared an unsafe building by the board last month. Owner Dan Klute has presented a proposal to tear down the structure and salvage the building materials.

Hampton trustees take action on hazardous building

The Hampton Village Board is closer to solutions to two current community problems following the first regular meeting of the new year on Monday night.
As part of her practice in pelvic floor therapy, Stefanie (Hansen) Urbom (standing) provides women rehabilitation to their muscles within their pelvic floor.

As part of her practice in pelvic floor therapy, Stefanie (Hansen) Urbom (standing) provides women rehabilitation to their muscles within their pelvic floor.

This week's featured stories

When opening Lincoln’s first specialized pelvic floor physical therapy clinic, Empower Physical Therapy, Aurora grad Stefanie (Hansen) Urbom was determined to empower patients in understanding pelvic health. “We’re very passionate and we feel like everyone deserves care,” Urbom said.
This drone photo taken Friday captures a view of the KAAPA Partners Aurora ethanol plant from the east. Several large projects at the plant helped boost this year’s building permit total to more than $53.6 million, more than double any other year in the past decade.

This drone photo taken Friday captures a view of the KAAPA Partners Aurora ethanol plant from the east. Several large projects at the plant helped boost this year’s building permit total to more than $53.6 million, more than double any other year in the past decade.

Local construction soars in 2024

A new carbon capture facility at the Aurora ethanol plant created the largest single surge in the city’s building permit history since construction of the ethanol plant itself began back in 2007, part of a significant year of growth as documented at Aurora City Hall.
Therapists at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln use a bowling ball to help Ryan Goertzen recover the use of his right arm.

Therapists at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln use a bowling ball to help Ryan Goertzen recover the use of his right arm.

No place like home for the holidays

The phrase “home for the holidays” took on a whole new meaning for one Hamilton County man this year.
Kirk Penner

Kirk Penner

Penner: NDE board addressing teacher shortage

As he prepares to begin a fourth year as a member of the Nebraska State Board of Education, Kirk Penner shared what he believes are significant changes approved by the board in December which could address a growing statewide teacher shortage issue.
The 4-H Building near the entrance to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds will be the new home for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) drivers license testing station in Aurora. The office will be open on Tuesdays starting Jan. 14.

The 4-H Building near the entrance to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds will be the new home for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) drivers license testing station in Aurora. The office will be open on Tuesdays starting Jan. 14.

DMV station to reopen Jan. 14

Four months after the Nebraska DMV drivers license testing office at the Hamilton County Courthouse was closed, local residents will again have a location in Aurora to get their drivers licenses renewed.
Lily Francl (center) presses a button that unlocks a tool for the escape room’s next puzzle. With her is aunt Kim Bossert and Lily’s brother Nolan.

Lily Francl (center) presses a button that unlocks a tool for the escape room’s next puzzle. With her is aunt Kim Bossert and Lily’s brother Nolan.

Escape room ends with 111 on nice list

After completing its run on Saturday, the Edgerton Explorit Center’s escape room had seen 111 participants try to escape with their names on the good list.
A waterway in a field west of Highway 14 near Marquette flows with muddy water in late April as more than four inches of overnight rain runs off.

A waterway in a field west of Highway 14 near Marquette flows with muddy water in late April as more than four inches of overnight rain runs off.

2024 was wettest of the past five years

Hamilton County received enough precipitation in 2024 to not only recover from the drought of the previous two years but it also turned out to be the wettest of the last five years. The second wettest year since 2020 was the year 2021 which, at 28.
ANR

ANR

NSP reports sex offenders living in Hamilton County

The number of registered sex offenders living in Hamilton County remains at 18 as 2025 begins, the same number listed by the Nebraska State Patrol at the beginning of 2024.Two names were added to the list for 2025 and two were removed.