This week's featured stories

  • Giltner school board member Nathan Most describes the location of new locker rooms planned for the high school gym at Monday night’s school board meeting.
    Giltner school board member Nathan Most describes the location of new locker rooms planned for the high school gym at Monday night’s school board meeting.
  • ANR ad representative Bekah Mead, left, was named runner up Saturday in the Nebraska Press Association’s Outstanding Young Journalist award. Pictured at right, co-publisher Kurt Johnson accepted the Omaha World-Herald’s Service to Agriculture award.
    ANR ad representative Bekah Mead, left, was named runner up Saturday in the Nebraska Press Association’s Outstanding Young Journalist award. Pictured at right, co-publisher Kurt Johnson accepted the Omaha World-Herald’s Service to Agriculture award.
  • Elna Johnson, front center, is surrounded by members of her immediate and extended family, all of whom are descendants of Niels and Anna Marie Andersen. Johnson and her children -- Brenda, Randy, Lori and Kurt -- presented the family’s Danish Bible back to St. John’s Lutheran Church during a ceremony April 21 at the church in Kronborg.
    Elna Johnson, front center, is surrounded by members of her immediate and extended family, all of whom are descendants of Niels and Anna Marie Andersen. Johnson and her children -- Brenda, Randy, Lori and Kurt -- presented the family’s Danish Bible back to St. John’s Lutheran Church during a ceremony April 21 at the church in Kronborg.
  • Approximately 30 girls from Aurora and Hampton and their run buddies ran a 5K through Streeter Park Monday evening, the last leg of an international nonprofit program designed to help build self-esteem.
    Approximately 30 girls from Aurora and Hampton and their run buddies ran a 5K through Streeter Park Monday evening, the last leg of an international nonprofit program designed to help build self-esteem.
  • Connor Smith displays the State Champion banner he won at the SkillsUSA collegiate competition in Grand Island on April 13. He is now preparing for the national competition in Atlanta, Ga. in June.
    Connor Smith displays the State Champion banner he won at the SkillsUSA collegiate competition in Grand Island on April 13. He is now preparing for the national competition in Atlanta, Ga. in June.

Members of the Giltner School Board, Hausmann Construction, First National Capital Markets and Wilkins Design hosted a special school board meeting Monday to address information regarding the $11.41 million school bond election for Giltner Public Schools set for May 14. During the meeting, faculty from Giltner Public Schools and the Little Stingers Daycare presented in front of the 18 community members in attendance discussing the need for more classrooms for both the daycare and school as well as a planned new kitchen area. The full story of the meeting begins on the front page of this week's ANR. 

The Aurora News-Register received the Omaha World-Herald’s Service to Agriculture Award Saturday and later earned distinction as a top newspaper in its circulation class at the Nebraska Press Association convention in Lincoln. At the same time, ANR sports editor Richard Rhoden received the top award for best sports photo of the year among all Nebraska newspapers and ANR advertising representative Bekah Mead was named as Outstanding Nebraska Young Journalist runner-up, honoring her for outstanding achievement in the News-Register’s advertising and marketing efforts. ANR also received a number of other awards at the convention. Details can be found on Page 9 which is this week's Business Page.

A Danish Bible that belonged to one of the original charter members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kronborg was returned to its home parish last week and now has a permanent home in the church archives. Elna Johnson and her four children -- Brenda, Randy, Lori and Kurt -- presented the Bible during a church service on Sunday. The story of the Bible's origins and journey back home to Hamilton County can be found on Page A6 of this week's ANR. 

Girls on the Run took a detour this week and the end result was a feel-good finish for 30 young ladies who were able to complete a 5K in front of family and friends at Streeter Park in Aurora. Originally scheduled to complete the 5K portion of the program Sunday in Lincoln with hundreds of other participants, that Girls on the Run plan was washed out by a series of weekend storms. Young runners had smiles on their faces as they were greeted and cheered on by friends, family and members of the community. You can see those smiles and read the story on Page A3. 

After a rocky journey of more than four years with SkillsUSA, Aurora’s Connor Smith has finally hit the big time and punched his ticket to the national finals in Atlanta, Ga. this summer. The Northeast Community College (Norfolk) freshman was the winner of the construction division of the SkillsUSA collegiate competition held April 11-13 at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island. The story of his years-long trek to meeting a goal he set as a high school freshman is on Page A4 of the May 1 edition of ANR.

These stories and more, plus our special Making the Grade section highlighting the top graduating scholars in area schools, can be found in the print and e-editions of the Aurora News-Register this week.