Paul Jantzen (left) and Randy Smith, of the First Mennonite “Green Team,” toss bottles into the No. 1 plastics bin at the Hillsboro Recycling Center. The Green Team has begun coordinating the volunteers who assist at the center on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. David Vogel / Free Press
For any church, the terrain for service stretches as far and wide as the world. But sometimes the call can be as close as one’s back yard.
For First Mennonite Church, Hillsboro, that statement is almost literal.
The Hillsboro recycling center, located only a short walk from First Mennonite’s building, has been without a strong organizer since Paul Jantzen, the city-employed coordinator for nearly a decade, had to withdraw for health reasons.
“I took a leave for hip replacement surgery in 2007,” Jantzen said.
Jantzen said he has been concerned about the responsible use of natural resources since he was a child.
Two weeks ago, Kosova, an impoverished territory in Europe with a population of mainly ethnic Albanians, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.
David Kohl (seated) responds to questions from seminar participants during a break. The economict from Virgina Tech described several “megatrends” in agriculture.
David Kohl, agricultural economist from Virginia Tech, advised about 110 farm producers and businessmen Feb. 26 at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethern Church to keep their cash reserves up and stay flexible in the coming economic world.
Congressman Jerry Moran stopped at the Peabody Senior Center Monday
afternoon for his annual “Big First” tour stop in Marion County. About
17 people gathered to listen to Moran’s summary of political
developments in Washington, D.C., and to ask questions. Moran listed a
national energy policy, health-care reforms and a review of “No Child
Left Behind” as key issues needing to be addressed. He said the country
needs an energy plan that will reduce its dependence on foreign oil and
changes in health care to make delivery affordable to more people. He
also said No Child Left Behind is unattainable and needs to be revised,
if not scrapped. Moran said he voted against President’s Bush’s
economic stimulus package. “I don’t think $600 will change the
economy,” he said of the checks heading to taxpayers. “And, we have to
borrow the money to do it.” During the question-and-answer time,
listeners asked about a variety of issues, including a proposal to
bring passenger-train service to Peabody and other Kansas communities,
the Air Force’s decision to buy planes from France instead of Boeing, a
federal bailout of home-mortage lenders and the debate in Kansas about
constructing coal-fired energy plants near Holcomb.
The Marion County Fair Board moved its office Saturday from the Hillsboro Management Board office at 109 S. Main St. to the Marion County Fairgrounds.
The move, credited to cost-cutting, will allow the fair board to put more money back into the fair, and will allow the board to focus 100 percent on the fair, said Chuck McLinden, board president.
Jayson Hanschu (left), HCF board member, congratulates Mike Moran, who received an Impact Fund grant check for the after-school program at Hillsboro Elementary school.
Members of the Hillsboro Community Foundation Board presented checks Friday to the first six recipients of its Impact Fund grants.
A total of $6,000 in earnings were distributed among the successful applicants. HCF completed its fundraising campaign for the Impact Fund Dec. 31. The initial goal of $250,000 was surpassed by about $16,000, including cash and pledges.
