Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

Census finds fewer - but larger - farms
Big farms grew bigger and the small ones got smaller according to a 25-year federal census of agriculture released this past week. “If you have guys around who are still going and have the opportunity to farm more land, they’re going to take it,” Marion farmer Alan Hett said. “Again, there are fewer farms, but your farm size increases.”
Resident wants zoning regs enforced
Donna Kaiser’s concern about her county lake neighborhood filling up with storage buildings brought much discussion at Monday’s county commission meeting. Zoning regulations in the residential area by the lake require single-family homes to be built in the area with water and sewer connections.
'A work of art': Blaze revives memories of visit to Notre Dame Cathedral
Jeff Hanschu’s memories of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris are like the vivid photographs he has pulled from storage. One snapshot of religious statues brings up recollections of a roof he explored 20 years ago as student of Tabor College. Another conjures memories of its elaborate gargoyles — yet another, the beauty of its South Rose window.
Man's 1929 pickup a two-decade project
Jake Sigel’s 1929 Ford pickup began its life as a coupe and has been assembled from pieces he collected over 20 years. The pickup started its life as a coupe, until someone converted it to a pickup, Sigel said.
Student aims to fight hunger in county with FFA project
It took Cassie Meyer eight months of work, but last week FFA members, students, and teacher volunteers — 80 people in all — bagged enough packages of fortified macaroni and cheese to provide 24,000 meals. Cassie, a Marion High School junior and vice president of her FFA chapter, wanted to help fight hunger in Marion County.
Easter egg hunts offer youthful fun
Several Easter Egg hunts will take place this weekend. St. Luke Living Center in Marion will host an Easter Egg hunt for children kindergarten and younger at 3 p.m. Friday.

OTHER NEWS

Interns value experience with Tabor's Project SEARCH
Tabor College’s Project SEARCH Hillsboro resident Abi Funk works in Tabor College’s JayShop, which allows her to work with money and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, she said.
Attempt to move bankruptcy case out of state denied
An attempt by Hillsboro Community Hospital owner CAH Acquisition Company #5 to have bankruptcy proceedings moved from Kansas to North Carolina proved unsuccessful Thursday. CAH filed a motion April 4 in United States Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina seeking to have an HCH bankruptcy case earlier filed in federal court in Wichita, as well as the bankruptcy cases of two other hospitals, transferred to Greenville, North Carolina and consolidated with a bankruptcy case filed there.
Wind farm opponents speak again
Opponents of a proposed wind farm spanning from Florence to Aulne to north of Peabody once again showed up at county commission meeting to ask for a moratorium on wind farm development. “What it comes down to, I think, is money,” said Hillsboro resident David Marsh. “If you have a moratorium, it will buy you time.”

DEATHS

Virgil Litke
Virgil Litke, 92, died April 16 in rural Marion. He was born October 12, 1926, to William and Lizzie Litke in Hillsboro. He married Phyllis Wiens June 15, 1948, at Ebenfeld M.B. Church in rural Hillsboro.
IN MEMORIAM:
Wanda Hayes

DOCKET

OPINION

If everyone's talking, who's listening?
Listening. In an age in which everyone’s talking, the challenge of shutting our mouths and opening our ears from time to time isn’t such a bad idea, particularly when it means listening not just to people we agree with. Small towns have a natural advantage. Unless we sink into the quicksand of social media, it’s nigh on impossible to surround ourselves with people who think (assuming brains actually are engaged) just like us.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Spreading the word
CALENDAR:
Calendar of events

PEOPLE

Pathfinder speaks to historical society
Brian Stucky says he lives to uncover things that have been hidden, like graves, foundations, and old trails. Stucky presented a slide show April 9, during the annual meeting of Marion County Historical Society, of 32 trails he has pinpointed that ran through Marion County. His newest findings since Christmas include one this previous week.
Conservation districts sign-up extended
Marion Conservation District’s sign-up period for the water resources and non-point cost share programs will run through May 31. The programs are funded by the Kansas Department of Agriculture through money from the Kansas Water Plan Fund.
Marion senior center to distribute commodities
Marion Senior Center will distribute commodities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. More information is available from the Marion County Department on Aging at (620) 382-3580.
Sleep lab employees to discuss apnea
Tate Moore and Mitchell Defiesta of the PM Sleep Lab will discuss sleep disorders, from sleep apnea to snoring, during the Lifelong Learning program at 9:45 a.m. April 26 in Tabor College’s Shari Flaming Center for the Arts. An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep-related issues, according to the America Sleep Apnea Association.
Neo Century to meet on May 6
Neo Century members were fascinated with photos and narration Amy Kjellin gave April 1 during a program titled “Scotland and its Rugged Landscape.” Souvenirs were on display afterward. Neo Century’s May 6 meeting will be a dinner catered by Carlsons. Officers for the 2019-2020 club season will be installed.
Tampa senior center's board to meet
The board of directors of Tampa’s Senior Center will meet at 10 a.m. April 19 at the center. Morning refreshments will be served.
SENIOR CENTER:
Seniors get in Easter mood, Marion Senior Center menu
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 110, 140 years ago
MEMORIES IN FOCUS:
Marion pioneer was 'rustling' bridge-builder

SENIOR LIVING

Seniors stay active in their community
At 80, Goessel resident Mimi Freeman lives an active life volunteering with Goessel library on a regular basis. The library cannot do without her, said library director Laura Dailey.
Par for the course: Golfers stay dedicated to sport even as seniors
Baseball is heralded as America’s pastime, but for Marion resident Jerry Smith, it’s golf that has remained in his life. “During the summer I go six or seven days per week,” he said. “Unless it’s raining or 100 mile per hour winds. That’s about the only thing that keeps me away.”
Home security tips for seniors
Seniors are often targeted by criminals. Though many criminals target seniors from afar via telephone or internet scams, criminals seek to enter seniors’ homes. The Bureau of Justice Statistics offers that, between 2003 and 2013, the ratio of property crime to violent crime was higher for the elderly and persons between the ages of 50 and 64 than it was for younger persons between the ages of 25 and 49.

SCHOOL AND SPORTS

Aspiring astronaut to attend STEM academy
As a first step toward fulfilling her dream to become an astronaut, 15-year-old Sarah Spencer of Peabody has accepted an invitation to attend the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science at Fort Hays State University for her junior and senior years. The Peabody-Burns sophomore was bubbling with enthusiasm April 9 when she formally signed with the school.
Marion FFA takes third at contest
Students from Marion FFA placed third in the freshman division at the South Central District FFA Livestock Judging Career Development Event on April 9. South Haven FFA played host, featuring breeding and market classes in cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. Freshmen contestants had to evaluate and place nine classes of livestock, then present justification.
Centre FFA member named 'star greenhand'
Centre FFA Chapter traveled to Kingman on Monday for the South Central District (SCD) Banquet, where Centre FFA member Dillon Knepp was named SCD Star Greenhand in Placement. Knepp works for Jirak Brothers Produce in Tampa, leading crews in planting, picking and maintaining 40 acres of pumpkins, 60 acres of melons, 35 acres of corn, and 20 acres of tomatoes and cucumbers.
Hillsboro native wins second place
The students earned silver in electrical design, mechanical design, construction, and integration.
Students to hold display at Centre greenhouse
Centre horticulture students will have the opportunity to show off their work from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. The students have been getting ready for spring since they returned from winter break. They have grown a variety of flowers and vegetables including geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, and peppers.
Marion teams sweep Moundridge
Things are continuing to look good for both Marion’s baseball and softball teams as the two completed sweeps Friday of feisty visitor Moundridge. The Warrior baseball team has had little problem with any opponent not named Little River, and Marion rolled to its seventh straight victory, pounding the Wildcats by 11-1 and 16-1 scores to up their mark to 9-1.
Centre track takes 11 gold medals at Central Christian
Centre track has a limited roster, but that has yet to stop the athletes so far this season. The Cougars eight athletes had another strong showing April 8 at Central Christian, taking 11 first-place medals, and earning another four medals.
Marion athletes set personal bests at Lindsborg
Marion track teams saw a day of improvement at Friday’s Smoky Valley Invitational in Lindsborg. Anne Baliel set a personal best in the girls pole vault with a second-place jump of 10-feet, while Noah Dalrymple took second in boys high jump with a personal record of 6-feet-2-inches.
Centre and Marion school menus

MORE…

HOVER OVER IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT

A Red-tailed hawk soars over Marion County Reservoir at 4 p.m. Monday. The bald eagles have since moved on at the reservoir leaving ample hunting for other raptors.

Neal Whitaker demonstrates how to draw a slingshot before using it to shoot a marshmallow. Marion Historical Museum will be conducting a children's workshop, ages 6-14, on how to make slingshots. Marshmallows will be the ammunition. The workshop will be Saturday, April 20. Reservations are required.

FFA members and other student volunteers, joined by Marion High School teachers, pack bags of ready-to-cook food destined for Marion, Hillsboro, and Kansas food banks.

Marion athlete Braxton Schuh makes his leap during his final attempt in the long jump Tuesday at Hillsboro.

Marion County RECORD

Donna Kaiser’s concern about her county lake neighborhood filling up with storage buildings brought much discussion at Monday’s county commission meeting. Zoning regulations in the residential area by the lake require single-family homes to be built in the area with water and sewer connections.

Jake Sigel’s 1929 Ford pickup began its life as a coupe and has been assembled from pieces he collected over 20 years. The pickup started its life as a coupe, until someone converted it to a pickup, Sigel said.

Several Easter Egg hunts will take place this weekend. St. Luke Living Center in Marion will host an Easter Egg hunt for children kindergarten and younger at 3 p.m. Friday.

Tabor College’s Project SEARCH Hillsboro resident Abi Funk works in Tabor College’s JayShop, which allows her to work with money and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, she said.

Virgil Litke, 92, died April 16 in rural Marion. He was born October 12, 1926, to William and Lizzie Litke in Hillsboro. He married Phyllis Wiens June 15, 1948, at Ebenfeld M.B. Church in rural Hillsboro.

IN MEMORIAM:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

CALENDAR:

Marion Conservation District’s sign-up period for the water resources and non-point cost share programs will run through May 31. The programs are funded by the Kansas Department of Agriculture through money from the Kansas Water Plan Fund.

Marion Senior Center will distribute commodities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. More information is available from the Marion County Department on Aging at (620) 382-3580.

The board of directors of Tampa’s Senior Center will meet at 10 a.m. April 19 at the center. Morning refreshments will be served.

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

MEMORIES IN FOCUS:

At 80, Goessel resident Mimi Freeman lives an active life volunteering with Goessel library on a regular basis. The library cannot do without her, said library director Laura Dailey.

Baseball is heralded as America’s pastime, but for Marion resident Jerry Smith, it’s golf that has remained in his life. “During the summer I go six or seven days per week,” he said. “Unless it’s raining or 100 mile per hour winds. That’s about the only thing that keeps me away.”

The students earned silver in electrical design, mechanical design, construction, and integration.

Centre horticulture students will have the opportunity to show off their work from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. The students have been getting ready for spring since they returned from winter break. They have grown a variety of flowers and vegetables including geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, and peppers.

Centre track has a limited roster, but that has yet to stop the athletes so far this season. The Cougars eight athletes had another strong showing April 8 at Central Christian, taking 11 first-place medals, and earning another four medals.

Marion track teams saw a day of improvement at Friday’s Smoky Valley Invitational in Lindsborg. Anne Baliel set a personal best in the girls pole vault with a second-place jump of 10-feet, while Noah Dalrymple took second in boys high jump with a personal record of 6-feet-2-inches.