Masonic lodge observes 125th year in Hillsboro

   

By NEIL O. NELSON

Don Foss has often been told how the Masonic Lodge in Hillsboro, in another time, was crowded on meeting nights.

He has no reason to doubt the statement.

He only has to glance down the south wall of the Hillsboro lodge, which is lined with framed photographs of former Master Masons; the black and white and sepia-toned pictures could easily  be mistaken for a Who’s Who in Hillsboro business and agriculture over the last 125 years. 

Medical Center posts profit again

 

By MICHELLE MCLEAN

Black ink — again.

Hillsboro Medical Center ended the 2007 fiscal year in the black.

The news was “very positive” in the community hospital and nursing home’s annual audit shared with community advisory board members earlier this month.

Business was good in 3rd quarter of 2007

Business is good.

According to the latest sales tax figures released by the state tax commissioner’s office, Hillsboro continued its run of good business  in the third quarter of last year, mirroring the state’s increase in taxable sales and purchases for July, August and September 2007.

Traill County business also reported a good quarter in taxable sales for the third quarter in 2007.

Taxable sales increased in Hillsboro 17.52 percent, jumping from $3,077,919 in the third quarter of 2006 to more than $3.6 million in July, August and September last year. 

City hires new police officer

By MICHELLE MCLEAN

Hillsboro has its third new police officer in less than a year.

LaVerne Aventi was hired after a special city commission meeting January 10. Four candidates from among eight applicants were interviewed for the position.

The 25-year-old should be on the job by February 1, according to city hall. It was the second time Aventi interviewed for a police job in Hillsboro; she was a finalist when the department had an opening in September 2007. 

Helter-skelter

Hillsboro improved to 8-3 with wins this week over MayPort-CG and Northern Cass.

The Burros edged MPCG on a last-second shot by Jake Olsen Saturday and on Tuesday night they beat the Jaguars, 56-44.

Hillsboro, which plays Central Valley tonight at the Events Center, is at home again Tuesday against Fordville-Lankin. The Burros play Griggs County again next Friday at Cooperstown. 

The Burros should have had their brooms with ‘em on Saturday.

For the second time this year, the Burros swept the MayPort-CG Patriots in basketball.

Hillsboro, which beat the Patriots twice before Christmas, repeated the assignment Saturday at Mayville.

The Burros girls won 61-54 behind Ashley Doeden’s 24 points and the boys were victorious on a last second shot by Jake Olsen. 

Burros lose starter, game to DP Knights

 

Ouch! That hurt.

Hillsboro lost a three-year starter for the season and a game to Dakota Prairie this week.

The Burros sandwiched a solid win over MayPort-CG between the two losses.

Playing one of their better games of the season in beating Griggs County last Thursday, a game they lost junior Joelle Evenson to a torn ACL, the Burros beat MayPort-CG Saturday behind Ashley Doeden’s 24 points before being upset by Thompson Tuesday night.

Burros avenge loss

Just as predicted.

Burro wrestling coach Eric Ptacek wrestled the match on paper and his team won 38-33. The Burros wrestled the Central Cass Squirrels on the mat and the home team won 39-33 — just like their coach predicted.

The Region 2 dual victory avenged a 33-30 Burro loss to the Squirrels earlier this season at the Carrington tournament.

Wrestling at the Hillsboro Events Center, the scrappy Squirrels pulled out to a 33-12 lead before the Burros battled back with five consecutive wins — three pins, a decision and a forfeit in Hillsboro’s favor.
In the final match of the evening, Burro sophomore Garrett Burg brought the crowd to their feet when he pinned Jack Wilcox in 58 seconds and broke a 33-33 tie.

In a mood.

Unannounced.

Uninvited.

Unwelcome.

In a word, “grumpy.”

My grandmother always talked about a January thaw — a brief reprieve that made winter bearable, a glimmer of hope that spring couldn’t be far away. A “mood brightener” — that’s what I was looking for this week. But no such luck. 

For more than 30 years…

 — it’s closer to 40 years, actually — I’ve been writing a personal column, much like the one you’re reading now.

The title has changed and the printed photograph accompanying the column has revealed how I’ve aged.

Pictures don’t lie, we must remind ourselves.

It’s safe to say I’ve written more than 1,900 columns.

Some good, some bad, some indifferent, some poignant, some I would like to think were hilariously funny, some not so funny.

Let me say, you’re not alone if you fail to catch the drift of my columns on occasion.