City, county agree to lend a hand in saving theater

By MICHELLE MCLEAN
Another historic Main Street building has a new lease on life.
With the blessing of the Traill County Commission and the Hillsboro City Comission, ownership of the 90-year-old brick building will be transferred from the county to the city to the newly-created Hillsboro Preservation Foundation.
Hillsboro business owners Michael and Amy Bishop have formed the “Hillsboro Preservation Foundation,” a non-profit organization with saving the theater as its first assignment.
Shuttered for 40 years, the Traill Theater belonged to Traill County — thanks to a delinquent tax bill.
Michael Bishop had asked city commissioners October 5 to help him obtain the theater from the county and save the fledging foundation $1,000 in back taxes.
The county and the city have now agreed to a “simultaneous deed transfer,” passing the property from the county to the city to the Hillsboro Preservation Foundation “all in one sitting.”

CV graduate travels the world on duty

By Anna Austin
From the time she was a very young girl, Tiffany Abentroth knew what she wanted to do in the future.
She would choose a path that would not only take her all over the world, but instill invaluable leadership skills and an outstanding sense of pride for her country.
It would turn strangers into family, and teach her a sense of camaraderie unknown to her before.
It would take her thousands of miles away from her home near Cummings, N.D., away from her family and friends and everything familiar for very long periods of time, but at the same time generate an infinitive appreciation for both when she returned home.
Since her graduation from Central Valley high school in 2003, Abentroth has been an active duty United States Marine.

War, abortion both national tragedies

Editor: We are very concerned about the deaths of our service men and women in Iraq. Since the war began 1,059 have died. Losing each life was a terrible tragedy.
Isn’t it also a tragedy that last year in North Dakota 1,354 unborn babies were aborted? The nationwide average is over one million a year. Also consider the long list of couples waiting to adopt.
Whatever the circumstances, this is tragic. Let us pray to end not only the war but also abortion.

Iva Mae Overmoe
Mayville
Valley I Believe in Life

Parade prompts thank you note

Editor: What a wonderful homecoming parade!
Thank you to the three marching bands and to their director, Mr. Wes Froehlich. Thank you to all the junior and senior high school classes that had floats. Thank you to everyone else that took part in the parade.
We stood by the elementary school and all the grades and their teachers sat by the curb. You could feel the joy and excitement in the air. The children made noise and were happy.
In the intersection uptown, the band played, the school song was sung and people clapped. There was noise and cheering. The comments were — what a great parade.

Mavis Johnson
Hillsboro

Parent praises marching band, music teacher

Editor: Wow, wasn’t that a great Homecoming parade?
Thank you, Mr. Froehlich, your wife Jan and family Jordan and Amber for all the extra time spent with our youth in getting them into synchronized marching. The time spent was truly worth it in our eyes.
Today we had a terrific small town parade with many good, imaginative floats and leading the whole thing — a marching band with enough kids for a drill team too.
We look forward to many more. Good job to Mr. Froehlich and his marching band.
Chris McInnes
Hillsboro Music Parents, president

Homecoming celebration brings back fond memories

Editor: When I saw that Hillsboro High School marching band come downtown along Caledonia Avenue last Friday, tears came to my eyes. It took me back a little over 60 years ago when I would do the same with my Wimbledon High School band. Later still I joined the Wimbledon Community Band and we loved to play and march too. We at the time played lots of John Philip Sousa marches. I especially liked them because I was a tuba player.
On Friday evening we also went to the football game and enjoyed the band again. Hillsboro has an unusually good tuba player in this band and the sound of the beat was nostalgic to me. The marching was well done and the music was amazingly good for such a short time of practice.

HHS homecoming parade deserves round of applause

Editor: I want to express my gratitude and admiration toward the organizers and participants in the Homecoming celebration held last week. It was a wonderful way to show community pride and school spirit. I thank each and every one of the participants for making it a thoroughly enjoyable event.
Each of the class parade floats was well done and the builders and their classmates should be proud of their handiwork. The businesses which fielded floats and parade units showed their community pride and support. Let’s all support them by giving them our business.
We enjoyed the parade so much that we watched it from three different locations along the route. All of the people I have talked to about the parade were very pleased that our school and community have revived this inspiring tradition. Putting three marching bands on the street from our own schools is a powerful testament to Mr. Froehlich’s plan to build a strong music program.
It was such a moving experience that it brought tears to the eyes of several people to whom I spoke. Let’s keep the tradition alive and plan for an even bigger and better celebration next year.
Congratulations to the Burros football team for their hard won victory in the Homecoming game. Go Burros!
Congratulations to King Adam Smith and Queen Katy Larson and their court. They are indeed a very fine group of young people.

Jim Knecht
Hillsboro

County’s economic development director afloat in choppy waters

Traill County commissioners this week had an inkling they could somehow discharge their economic development director.
The inference was: They would explore the waters, most certainly.
With depth charges manned and ready, the county’s commissioned frigate sank quicker than a deflated inner tube Tuesday morning when the county commission met with the Traill County Economic Development board.
Sure, arguments were made, points raised, issues noted.
Meanwhile, director Rick Forsgren still has his job.
Not that it was in jeopardy; his ranking with his own Traill County Economic Development board is sound; his quarters ship-shape; sailing strategy true to course.

Simple fixes.

Our office had been promised new computers for months. I was excited about the idea — but still harbored a few reservations.
Teaching this old dog new tricks can be painful — for everyone involved. I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to “the latest and greatest.” Let someone else work out the kinks, first — that’s what I say. From what I’ve experienced — all technology has its limits — and so does my brain.
The day finally came for the new wave of technology to arrive. I couldn’t decide if I was happy or dreading the very thought of this “upgrade.”
The techno wizard — a very young man — proved exceptionally patient with me. I told him right up front — I’m difficult and I’m demanding and I’m not techno-savvy. Don’t disappoint me.
While Tech Boy was shoving me into the 21st century with giant flat-screen monitors and wafer-thin keyboards, I heard the sound of powertools in the upstairs apartment.
There’s a spacious three-bedroom abode above the Banner office that has all the charm and character of a 100-year-old building. The plumbers had been called in to make sure the bathtub remains upstairs.
As the unofficial landlady, it was my job to “supervise” the plumbers. Not that they really needed me, I just listened for someone tumbling down the 21 steps from the top floor to the street.
Obviously, the order of the day was to upgrade — new computers and a new bathtub. Everything was clicking — but that was only temporary.
Anyone notice how cool the room is?
The furnace — a monster dating from the 1950s — had refused to spit any hot air into the offices. It sat idle, tired, I suppose. The furnace guy is on our speed dial. Our monster heat machine requires a regular dose of TLC. I sent out the SOS and the furnace guy answered — as usual.
The tip of my nose was cold and my fingers were numb. The fuel tank had fuel oil but it wasn’t getting to the furnace. The line was checked; the pump — he told us — was to blame.
A simple standard part needed to be replaced. Crisis averted — at least temporarily.
We ought to consider an upgrade, the furnace guy advised. Eventually, we won’t have a choice.
Meanwhile, the plumbers were trying to make a 21st century bathtub work in a 19th century bathroom. They’re miracle workers and the job was done. The bathtub — or any bathwater — will not be dropping — or dripping — through the ceiling any time soon. Crisis again averted.
That left the Computer Kid. Like a mad man, he rewired the entire office. Old machines were carted out and new ones stationed in their places. Gone was the familiar, the comfortable. Staring back at me was something sleek, black and new. We certainly weren’t on the same wavelength yet. I ought to be impressed, right. I was intimidated.
The old dog in me spoke. I barked a couple times and wheeled my chair closer to the 20-inch screen.
Simple fix or crisis? We’ll have to wait and see.

Crying out loud.

A bleeding heart, for sure.
But, when it comes to moving mountains, Ellen DeGeneres is your man. Check that, she’s the person you want on your side, pleading your case, not necessarily crying in your beer, but crying all the same.
When women cry, people take action.
When they cry on live television, the reaction is immediate, intense and immense.
When Ellen tears up, people glued to their televisions are on the move within the hour, in cyberspace with their computer or calling cross-country on their cell phones. Many are seen racing out their front doors, screaming, “Ellen needs us. Now.”