Lyle Leppke, auctioneer with Leppke Realty & Auction, looks for bidders Monday morning on a collection of chairs from the former Olde Towne Restaurant on North Main in Hillsboro. Owners Linden and Dorie Thiessen closed the business on Christmas Day 2008 and were now selling the interior furnishings. The Thiessens opened the restaurant as their own in 1992 and it became well-known in the area for its Low German cooking and baked goods.

The Hillsboro City Council approved at its June 16 meeting a demolition permit for Emprise Bank to raze the adjacent building it owns at 106 N. Main.

Bradley K. Bartel, vice president and branch manager at Emprise, said Monday the building “has declined to the point it needs to be removed; plans for the space are not definite at this time.”

In fall 2006, Emprise Bank submitted a plan to the city to remove the brick structure, known historially as the Entz Building, and construct a drive-through window in its place.

It’s hard to believe one billion people—almost 20 percent of the world’s population—are hungry. I’m not talking about people who miss a meal a day, but those who are chronically malnourished.

At the same time, the world’s population is exploding. Some say the greatest growth in the history of our world is underway.

It’s estimated 3 billion more people will be born during the next 40 years. This would increase the world’s population to 9 billion people. Most of these people will be born in the hungry parts of the world.

Hannah Perry (top left) of the Goessel Goal Getters placed first and Carrie Carlson (top right) of Lincolnville Wide Awake placed second in the senior division at the 4-H Food Fest June 13, in Hillsboro. Participants selected a meal theme, table setting and decorations, created a menu and gave a short presentation. At left are junior-division winners: (from left) SaRae Roberts (second), South Cottonwood; Reece Berens (first), Tampa Triple T's; Madeline Meier (third) Goessel Goal Getters.