Watching Olympics is good TV

Written by Joel Klaassen Tuesday, 19 August 2008 13:51

The Olympics always provide some good television. There’s way more to see than we have time for, but I like the sports competition I am familiar with, like track and field, swimming, gymnastics. I liked basketball before the pros took it over.

Especially interesting to watch this year was Michael Phelps, with his eight gold medals, and the sprinters—both men and women—from Jamaica.

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I don’t know how many people noticed it, but a photo of men’s 100-meter-dash winner, 21-year-old Usain Bolt of Jamaica, showed that his left shoe was untied at the end of the race. I wonder if it was that way from the beginning? It didn’t matter. And that he slowed down before the finish and still won in world-record time was even more...

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We feel good about 10 years

Written by Joel Klaassen Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:02

With last week’s edition of the Free Press we have completed a full 10 years of publishing a free community weekly newspaper. It feels good.

We have many people to thank for our longevity. Our first edition on Aug. 12, 1998, included contributions from Natalie Roth, David Hanigar, Diane Steiner, Andy Johnson, Connie Faber, Ellyne Wiebe, partner Don Ratzlaff and me. Tina Groening joined us shortly thereafter and has been with us ever since.

We will post a pdf of that first issue on our Web site this week if you would like to see what was going on back then. The closing of the DFA plant was a huge lead story to get us on our way.

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Many other people have been on board through the years, as well as several behind-the-scenes supporters...

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The view from the grandsons

Written by Joel Klaassen Tuesday, 05 August 2008 14:22

It has taken a decade to get to this day, but I have convinced my grandsons, Louis, 8, and Alex, 10, to share some of their impressions and observations of the Hillsboro scene.

They flew back to Atlanta last night but it’s been a great two weeks having them stay at our house. –JK

 

Well here’s a bummer, our mom told us there wasn’t a carnival right as we got off the plane. Do you how it feels to be let known that there’s not going to be a carnival at a bad time like 11:10 at night? –AC

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The pool is pretty different than Atlanta. In Atlanta we don’t even have any diving boards let alone a giant water slide and fountains. –LC

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For the past years that we have come to Hillsboro we haven’t known anybody here...

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Busy days won't end very soon

Written by Joel Klaassen Tuesday, 29 July 2008 14:20

I wonder what it would be like to have nothing to do. Can’t imagine it would even be possible. It’s been a whirlwind around here for the past week and it doesn’t appear that will change anytime soon. Amy and George have come and gone already but left the boys behind to stay with us until next week.

We sat down Sunday night to make a list of what we are going to do for nine days. It’s quite extensive.

 

At the fair, George and the boys took a liking to the animals in the 4-H barns. He thought it would be neat to have a goat to mow their hilly backyard in Atlanta and eat the leftovers from the restaurant. The boys thought it would be cool to have some bunnies for pets. I’m betting neither will get their wish.

 

We...

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