Elements of this community are still pretty much the same as they were decades ago-and most of those are good: caring people, personal safety and security, excellent schools and churches, expanding recreational opportunities and a can-do community attitude.

In fact, that can-do attitude makes Hillsboro worth a second look. Consider these ambitions:

-- the third phase of a $2 million Main Street renovation project this summer will complete a facelift for the downtown business district.

-- this fall, a $3 million upgrade of the water-treatment plant will make local drinking water even better and safer than it is already is.

-- the city will soon invest $3 million to build a wastewater lagoon system that will be a huge improvement over the current mechanical plant.

-- this spring, voters approved a funding mechanism to construct a $2.5 million aquatics center.

Add to those things some nice improvements at Memorial Park and the Sports Complex, a growing enrollment at Tabor College, the likely arrival of a new cheese company with dozens of jobs, a reinvigorated Hillsboro Industries....

There's a good future here in Hillsboro. Why not join it? -DR