Church fixture for more than 40 years

“The music at Highland Lutheran is “absolutely fantastic.”
— Marty Baumgartner

His mother was a strong musical influence as well as mentor.
Darrell Lilleberg, well-known for his musical ability, also credits his mother, Lillian Lilleberg, for much of his staying-power in the 40 plus years of organ and piano playing at Highland Lutheran Church in rural Cummings, North Dakota.
The Lilleberg family, like many in the area, were originally immigrants from Norway, where Darrell tells, his great grandfather was a carpenter “making caskets and such.” At the turn of the century, grandfather Marcus was working in farms around Cummings and by the early 1920s had purchased his own farm holding.
Darrell, brother Phillip and sister Laurel grew up on a farm near Cummings, where church and activities related to Highland Lutheran were a strong component in his life. “Originally the church, which was established in 1879, met in various members homes, and in 1895 the structure was built,” Darrell tells.

HBA considering webpage advantages

In the spirit of yesterday, at the same time recognizing where people today find information, the Hillsboro Business Association is considering incorporating a webpage to be used as a vehicle not only to promote the town but to also act as a welcome wagon.
Couples and new families are moving to Hillsboro, HBA members acknowledged this week.
What the new residents are not receiving, HBA members know, is a welcome wagon package, a time-honored practice adopted by civic groups everywhere, Hillsboro included in past years.
Rather than extending a welcome wagon package, the Hillsboro Business Association is hoping a webpage, complete with links to other civic groups, including the city, school and medical center, in addition to member businesses will serve as a welcoming package for new residents.

Sign dedication planned between sets of calypso music

With an open dance card, Hillsboro’s business association, which served a crowd of more than 500 last summer with music playing on the front steps of the courthouse, is ready to fill the community’s plate again this year to the tune of tropical songs.
Calypso music, anyone?
Anticipating a warm summer night on July 12, HBA members plan to serve an evening meal on a weekday night, starting at 5 p.m.
The Thursday evening affair will officially dedicate the new electronic sign at the intersection of Caledonia Ave. and Main Street, downtown Hillsboro.
The old-fashioned block party will feature music of some kind, HBA members meeting this week promised.

Circus is coming to town . . . again

The Big Top will be back in Hillsboro Wednesday, July 18.
The Culpepper-Merriweather Circus of Hugo, Oklahoma, will be coming back to Hillsboro this summer at the invitation of the Hillsboro Kiwanis Club.
The circus was in town two years ago— again courtesy of the Kiwanis. In late July 2005, circus goers were treated to two evening shows complete with clumsy clowns, growling tigers, graceful jugglers and daring trapeze artists.
Don Foss, Kiwanis president at the time, recalled how the show wowed the crowds. Families — three generations in many cases — piled into the bleachers when the circus set up for the day south of the armory.

New traffic count could change stop sign plans

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
A four-way stop is not needed at the junction of ND Hwy. 200 and Caledonia Ave. in Hillsboro — at least that’s what the state DOT has designed on paper for the 2008 reconstruction project. City leaders and local residents disagree.
A traffic count done last November suggested the number of cars, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians meeting at the intersection doesn’t warrant traffic control. Traffic on ND Hwy. 200 should be allowed to pass through town without stopping, the DOT determined.
A new traffic count planned for the week of May 14 may help change the state’s mind — at least that’s what city leaders are hoping.

County names Ken Nichols extension agent

A former vo-ag teacher with the Hillsboro School system is Traill County’s new extension agent.
Ken Nichols will start work Tuesday, May 29.
Nichols, who taught school in Hillsboro during the 1979-80 school year, has been associated with extension service 21 years.
For the last 10 years, he has been the Grand Forks County Extension Agent.
“I’m excited about the opportunity of working with the farmers in Traill County,” Nichols said Thursday.

City agrees to assist rec district with payroll

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Hillsboro city commissioners extended a helping hand Monday to the new Hillsboro Recreation District.
Approving a written request from Rec District president Tracy Buzick, commissioners agreed to have the city auditor’s office handle the payroll for temporary, seasonal rec district employees like baseball coaches and open gym supervisors.
Buzick explained that having city hall employees Lesley Connelly and Becky Foss deal with the payroll process during the summer months will save the Rec District a good deal of money and a fair amount of headaches.

Bids for Prairieview infrastructure come in less than expected

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Good news again for Hillsboro construction projects.
Bids opened April 26 for infrastructure in the new Prairieview Addition came in less than engineers had estimated.
Advanced Engineering had estimated the complete project would cost about $950,680.75. The low bid from Kindred Plumbing and Heating was $785,912.
Bids ranged from $678,475 to $884,889 for the basic project. The city’s consulting firm, Advanced Engineering of Grand Forks, had estimated a cost of $788,993.
Adding to the cost were bid alternatives including the options of using high-density polyethylene pipe or reinforced concrete pipe for storm sewers. The difference between the two options was only slight in the two lowest bids — $785,912 from Kindred Plumbing and Heating (for concrete) and $771,196 from Master Construction (for plastic). Roger Grimsley of Advanced Engineering advised the commission to accept the bid from the Kindred, N.D. firm. He said the concrete pipe, while a little more expensive, was “a better value” for the long-term.

City commission increases liquor, beer license fees

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Bars and liquor stores will pay more for the privilege of selling booze in Hillsboro.
In order to balance the proposed 2007 budget last fall, city commissioners penciled in increases for liquor and beer licenses. At Monday’s regular meeting they inked an amended ordinance to hike license fees by about 35 percent.
On-sale liquor licenses will increase from $1,200 to $1,600 while on-sale beer licenses will go from $50 to $100. Off-sale liquor licenses will be boosted from $300 to $400. Off-sale beer licenses will now cost $140 compared to $100.
One other license change includes a beer and wine on-sale license, like the one held by Country Hearth, which will increase from $150 to $200.

DOT gives green light to wide Hwy. 200 rebuild plan

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Hillsboro’s wish for a new Hwy. 200 is one step closer to reality.
The state Department of Transportation has given a green light to the city commission’s recommendation that the north-south asphalt road be rebuilt in 2008 at its present width — 56 feet — and be resurfaced in concrete.
The state DOT had proposed a less-expensive plan that would have narrowed the heavily-traveled road to 44 feet. The plan drew sharp criticism from local residents who charged the narrow road compromised safety and access, harming the city’s business traffic.
While divided in their support, the majority of city leaders sided with a $3 million plan many local residents vocally supported. The city forwarded that “wide-road” recommendation to the state in mid-April. Grant Levi, state deputy director of engineering, signed off on the proposal May 1.