Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 11 June 2008 06:18

I’m not as familiar with Grand Funk Railroad as some of the other bands back in the day, but the verdict is in: The headliner concert at this year’s Chingawassa Days in Marion was another big hit, according to people with whom I spoke. I overheard law enforcement estimating the crowd at 1,800 to 2,000.

When GFR turned on its amps I about jumped out of my seat. The volume was working. Very well.

The weather cooperated and the wind was a good thing. It kept the bugs at bay but not too windy to be a distraction.

I thought I had at least one vinyl album of Grand Funk but couldn’t find it. My idea was to convert it to digital so I could listen on iTunes. Hope I didn’t sell it at a garage sale 30 years ago.

Every now and then...

Read more: 'Railroad' a big hit for Marion

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 04 June 2008 10:33

Hypermiling might be a new trend in driving with the high gas prices wenow have—prices that probably won’t be going down anytime soon.

The other night, a guy on TV who tries all kinds of tactics to increase his gas mile­age claims upward of 50 miles per gallon. He rolls his car down the driveway into the street before turning it on, coasts in neutral, turns the motor off when at a stoplight and even turns the car off while coasting down the road. Don’t know how safe that is or even if it’s legal.

I tried my own version of hypermiling this past weekend on a short trip to Wichita.

For the first 35 miles I set the cruise on 55. I didn’t pass anyone at that speed except for the two cars that were stopped at the side of...

Read more: Find every way to save gasoline

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 28 May 2008 08:13

The Hills­boro High School all-school reunion Saturday night was another blast. Max Hein­richs, who will become the new HHS principal in a few weeks, was the emcee and did a marvelous job hosting the event.

The food was great, the crowd was larger than last year and some of the stories were just plain hilarious.

It appears we don’t really get interested in coming back to a class reunion until about 20 years out, which has been the case for the past several years.

Mark your calendars for May 23, 2009, which is the date for the next all-school reunion at “dear old Hillsboro High.”

 

I mentioned last week that I was into a new British dish called “Bangers and Mash.” It’s not something I would eat every day, but now I...

Read more: Reunion was great once again

Written by Joel Klaassen Wednesday, 21 May 2008 07:12

Our coaches used to tell us to get in shape for sports. Getting in shape is a relative term. I witnessed what getting shape really means this past Friday at the regional track meet in Marion.

Senior distance runner Cody McMillen qualified for four events at the state track meet this coming weekend in Wichita by running 800 meters, then 1,600 meters, then 3,200 meters followed by 400 meters—all within four hours. The 4x400, relay which was his last event, came about 15 minutes after the 3,200. In that relay he took the baton in third place and brought it in first on his leg.

While others were gasping and falling down after their races Cody calmly walked off of the track and went to the infield to keep warming up for the next event...

Read more: McMillen a model of endurance