New year is a great time do indoor maintenance projects

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 18 January 2011 16:17

Applying silicone-based caulk to bathroom fixtures is an inexpensive way to save thousands of dollars in leakage problems. For many, the new year means a fresh start and there is no better place to begin than inside the home. Your home is meant to last, but over time, simple wear and tear can result in inefficient systems and less-than-perfect conditions.

To keep your home looking and operating like the day you purchased it, home expert Lou Manfredini suggests a few easy maintenance projects that will make a big impact in the end.

• Give your baseboards the protection they need.

While adding a new coat of paint to your walls is always a good idea when maintaining your home, Manfredini also recommends you freshen up your baseboards, which often see the most wear and tear.

Wash them down using a pine-based cleaner, a little bit of warm water and a...

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A natural ice sculpture

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 18 January 2011 16:16

The combination of initial snow melt, a roof drainage pipe and a dried weed below the pipe spout created this unique ice sculpture along first Street in Hillsboro just east of Main Street. Melting continued Monday but a cold spell was expected to arrive Tuesday, which may keep the sculpture around awhile.

Tips for coping with hearing loss in a social setting

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 11 January 2011 17:17

Whether you’re attending an office party, listening for your flight number to be called in an airport or participating in a high-power board meeting, not being able to clearly hear what’s going on around you in a public setting can have serious repercussions. Ignoring hearing loss is easier when you’re alone. You can turn up the volume on the TV or radio as loud as you want, and you don’t have to ask anyone to repeat what they just said. But how do you cope with hearing loss when you’re in a social or business setting?

The question is far from academic. One out of every six baby boomers has a hearing problem, and one in 14 members of Generation X has a hearing problem, according to the Better Hearing Institute. Hearing loss affects about 10 percent of the American population.

The difficulties associated with hearing loss can be more pronounced and troublesome when experienced in a social or professional setting.

Whether you’re attending an office party, listening for your flight...

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Exemptions, deductions rise due to inflation

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 04 January 2011 15:32

In 2011, personal exemptions and standard deductions will rise and tax brackets will widen due to inflation, an official with the Internal Revenue Service said.

These inflation adjustments relate to eight tax provisions that were either modified or extended by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 that became law on Dec. 17.

New dollar amounts affecting 2011 returns, filed by most taxpayers in early 2012, include the following:

• The value of each personal and dependent exemption, available to most taxpayers, is $3,700, up $50 from 2010.

• The new standard deduction is $11,600 for married couples filing a joint return, up $200; $5,800 for singles and married individuals filing...

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