Pumpkin prank ends with apologies to victim families

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 06 November 2012 15:42

Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning stands amid the sea of pilfered pumpkins that appeared in the courtyard of the Tabor College women’s residential quad Halloween morning. Ten students will be apologizing to families victimized by the prank, according to Beth Riffel, Tabor’s director of communications. Ten Tabor College students will be making personal apologies to several families victimized by the Oct. 30 theft of more than 100 pumpkins from residential areas in Hillsboro.

The pumpkins were taken sometime during the early morning hours of Oct. 31 and then placed in the courtyard at the women’s quad on campus, said Beth Riffel, Tabor College director of communications,

“These young men will be doing some community service hours and restitution in conjunction with this caper,” she said.

As for the personal apologies, Riffel said the students will be escorted by a staff member to the homes of people who called in and reported pumpkins stolen.

It may have seemed to be in the “spirit of fun,” she said, as to why the...

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Almost 40 students run as HES observes Red Ribbon Week

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 06 November 2012 15:40

Second-grader D’myia Cox gets a palm slap of congratulations from Evan Yoder, Hillsboro Elementary School principal, as she completes her half-mile race during the 17th annual Red Ribbon Drug Free Run Thursday at Joel H. Wiens Stadium. Thirty-nine students from grades one through five participated in the event as part of Red Ribbon Week. Hillsboro Elementary School capped its Red Ribbon Week activities with the 17th annual half-mile Drug Free Run on Thursday and an all-school assembly on Friday.

Thirty-nine students from grades one through five participated in the run, which occurred at 4 p.m. at Joel H. Wiens Stadium.

The first-place finishers from each class were: Zaylee Werth, first grade; Brekyn Ratzlaff, second grade; Grayson Ratzlaff, third grade; Teegan Werth, fourth grade, and Elias Kalua, fifth grade.

Throughout the month of October, HES counselor Mike Moran taught third- through fifth-graders about the effects of drugs and alcohol.

“Our focus at the elementary school for Red Ribbon Week is making healthy choices,” Moran said.

On Red Ribbon Day...

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HHS ‘Students of the Month’ for October

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 30 October 2012 15:04

Herbel Erich Herbel, junior



Parents: Delayne and Christine Herbel

Extra-curricular: I participate in the Technology Student Association and attend First Baptist Church in Durham.

Hobbies/interests: I enjoy creating and designing mechanical things. I have a parttime job during the school year and full-time job in the summer at Hillsboro True Value.

Future: I plan on going to Kansas State University and majoring in architecture or engineering.

Tena Loewen, senior



Parents: Dave and Joanne Loewen

Extra-curricular: Volleyball, basketball, softball, fall musical, Parkview youth group, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, StuCo.

Hobbies/interests: Cooking, kayaking, being artistic, spending time with family and friends.

Future: I plan to...

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GHS to present ‘Wizard of Oz’

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 30 October 2012 15:03

Cast members David Hesse, Keenan Stultz, Alex Hiebert, Georgia Thiesen, Mark Schmidt, Luke Unruh and Davis Cook will play key roles in the Goessel High School production of “The Wizard of Oz,” Nov. 9 and 10. Since the beginning of the school year, the Goessel High School Theater department has been rehearsing, memorizing, and choreographing the Kansas-based production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

The musical originally was written as the book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum in 1900. The book was later adapted for film use and was produced as the well-known 1939 musical fantasy film, “The Wizard of Oz.”

Goessel will be staging the Royal Shakespeare Co. version with music and lyrics of the MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg, Herbert Stothart and John Kane.

The production traces the story of Dorothy Gale and dog, Toto, as a twister takes her away from her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and three farm hands...

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