Over the Years

50 YEARS AGO
April 11, 1957 — Arrested just hours after robbing two Hillsboro grocery stores, a remorseful suspect pled guilty just four days later and was sentenced to a year at the state prison farm. The late night bungling burglar had left a trail of footprints in freshly fallen snow for local police to follow and netted just $32, six packs of cigarettes and a wrist watch in his crime wave.
Hillsboro Civic and Commerce hosted the annual Mr. and Mrs. Community Night at the HHS auditorium. A free show by The Elksters and a free supper were part of the festivities.
A wet snowfall dashed hopes for an early spring.  
40 YEARS AGO
April 12, 1967 — Northern States Power announced plans to build a new 69,000-volt transmission line into Hillsboro from the south. The 11.5-mile line was expected to cost $45,000 and would serve as a standby power source for the city.
Traill County residents paid a total of $135,741 in North Dakota state income taxes.
Six teachers resigned from Hillsboro schools — Curtis Peterson, Diane Kuether, Louis Ostrom, Joan Ostrom, Janice Paulson and Agnes Bjerke.
Paintings by Hillsboro artist Marlene Diehl were included in a “one-man show” at the Rourke Gallery in Moorhead, Minn.
30 YEARS AGO
April 14, 1977 —  Northwestern Bell invited the public to an open house at their new Hillsboro offices.
Country Kitchen in Hillsboro advertised an Easter Sunday ham dinner special for $2.50 — served all day.
Temperatures over the past weekend pushed into the 80s.
20 YEARS AGO
April 13, 1987 — Controversy brewed over a city-owned parking lot behind city hall. One local businessman was hoping to expand nearby and offered to buy the land adjacent his business. The move would allow another businessman to expand his business across the street. The offer to buy the city property sparked protest from a number of other downtown business owners. The city parking lot was purchased by more than a dozen downtown businesses in 1968 and given to the city to maintain. Jim Bugge, president of the city commission, tried to negotiate a plan to satisfy all the parties involved.
Elizabeth Pribula opened EJ’s Flowers in downtown Hillsboro.
10 YEARS AGO
April 12, 1997 — Hillsboro High School’s scholarship fund reached its first milestone — raising $100,000 in six years. The scholarship committee started awarding scholarships in 1987 and set the fundraising goal in 1991 to coincide with the school’s centennial year. Each spring about $5,000 in scholarships was awarded to HHS seniors.
Over the past week, “April’s power” delivered a full spectrum of weather events —  a flood, an ice storm and a blizzard. Sandbaggers and pumps helped keep basements dry until a record-breaking ice storm downed power lines and cut electricity to residents up and down the valley. A day later, a blizzard dropped seven to 12 inches of new snow and 50 mph winds blasted the region. Many residents faced the days ahead without heat, water or phone service.
— compiled by Michelle McLean