Marion County RECORD

Inmates forced to sleep on floor

The state fire marshal’s office said Tuesday that it was investigating a complaint filed against Marion County Jail, currently so crowded inmates are sleeping on the floor. The jail has a capacity of 11 inmates. Monday, it was housing 15, and the sheriff’s office was adding three more Tuesday.

Sex offender, mother, son accused of rape

A 63-year-old convicted sex offender, a 37-year-old mother, and her 21-year-old son face gang-rape charges after a coordinated raid Thursday by Peabody and Marion police and sheriff’s deputies. Each of the three is accused of two counts of rape and single counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, and battery.

1st carnival in 2 years arrives in Hillsboro

Sun glinting off his dark wraparound glasses, Ed Burlingame whirls from corner to corner of his latest beachhead like a general directing landing craft for invasion. “Watch that up there,” he chides a key lieutenant, one of two adopted sons under his command — this one carefully laying out installations and pathways with a rolling measuring wheel. “You can slide that one in over there.”

Cities protest feedlot next to tainted beach

While a beach at Marion Reservoir closed because of E. coli in the water, Marion and Hillsboro decided this week to express concerns about a proposed feedlot expansion near the beach. The beach at Cottonwood Point has been closed since July 16 because of E. coli contamination, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Nate Herring said Tuesday.

Tax rate to fall as St. Luke begins renovation

Hospital district taxes should decrease next year even though work on a $6 million renovation St. Luke Hospital is scheduled to begin next week. At the St. Luke Hospital Board of Directors meeting Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Armstrong said that he will be accepting bids for ground work on the hospital construction project and electrical and engineering contracts Friday.

For new Florence chief, trust is key

New Florence Police Chief Michael Stone wants to build a trusting relationship with the community, especially children. “If people trust you, they’ll come to you,” he said Friday.

Summer workers help city finish projects

Marion has a Pete the Rhino Facebook page, complete with videos of Pete the Rhino, and links to Facebook pages of other Marion businesses because of Derek Stuchlik. Although the project waited almost four years, there is a roof over one of the dugouts of baseball Field D because of Marshall and Mitchell Ragland.

Rita Alleven

Rita Alleven, 68 of Sioux Falls, S.D., passed away on Thursday, July 22, 2010, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls after a battle with ovarian cancer. Survivors include a daughter, Anita Alleven, Sioux Falls; sons, Gary (Barbara) Alleven, Marion, and Michael (Teri) Alleven, Sioux Falls; brothers, Pete (Dawn) Dubbelde, Hartford, S.D.; John (Linda) Dubbelde, Salome, Ariz.; Ted (Jean) Dubbelde, Custer, S.D.; Jack (Faye) Dubbelde, Chancellor, S.D.; sisters, JoAnn (John) Fleming, Sioux Falls, and Barb (Charles) Jongeling, Lennox, S.D.; six grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.

Kenneth Dieker

Retired business executive Kenneth Gus Dieker, 85, formerly of Tampa, died July 20 in Modesto, Calif. Born Oct. 23, 1924, in Westphalia to Lawrence and Catherine Dieker, he graduated from Tampa Rural High School in 1942 and attended Wichita State University while working as an apprentice tool and die maker before he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943.

Lora Hettenbach

Retired Cedar Point ranch and farm wife Lora C. Hettenbach, 90, died Saturday at Parkside Homes, Hillsboro. Born Jan. 19, 1920, in Herington, to Wilhem and Anna (Lawrenz) Rohloff, she graduated from Woodbine High School and married Milton Hettenbach on Jan. 19, 1938.

Menno Lohrenz

Retired Cooperative Grain and Supply accountant Menno Lohrenz, 92, died Saturday in Hillsboro. He was born Nov. 10, 1917, to Gerhard and Mary (Penner) Lohrenz. He married Clara Wipf on Jan. 1, 1960, in Lincoln, Neb. She died in 2004.

Larry McClure

Lawrence G. “Larry” McClure, 84, died June 20 at his home in Hutchinson. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Aug. 6 at Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Peabody.

Theresa Ruck

Theresa A. “Terri” Ruck, 51, of Pilsen died July 25 after a short battle with cancer. She was born Sept. 14, 1958, in Madison, Wis., to Thomas and Burlean (Gobin) Tantillo.

Leona Widler

Services for Leona C. Widler, 105, were Friday at Zeiner Funeral Home, Florence. Burial was at Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence. She died July 19 at Legacy Park, Peabody. Born Sept. 13, 1904, in Florence to Henry and Mary (Bournout) Roberts, she graduated from Summit School and on Oct. 11, 1922, married Arthur Widler in Marion.

Accidents

Civil division

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Domestic division

Hillsboro police

Incident reports

Thirty pieces of steel pipe were removed from an abandoned residence between 7 a.m. June 20 and noon July 12 on the 2000 block of 310th Road, Burdick. The loss was estimated at $1,000. An individual was texting and calling the victim from 3 p.m. July 15 to 9 a.m. July 16 while a protection from abuse order was in effect.

Marriage licenses

Peabody police

Candidates trade barbs over funding

Republican candidates to represent the 70th District in the Kansas House of Representatives continued to make claims Monday about how the campaign has been funded and run. In a letter to district newspapers, challenger Cheryl Green, Rosalia, disputed claims that her campaign was funded and run by special interest groups.

Contributors listed

Candidates for the Republican Nomination for the 70th District in the Kansas House of representatives have spent $18,768 campaigning since Jan. 1. Candidates filed their receipts and expenditures reports with the Kansas secretary of state’s office Monday.

Primaries are Tuesday

Republicans and Democrats will vote Tuesday to select their candidates for numerous offices. In the race for Republican nomination to represent the 70th District in Topeka, incumbent J. Robert Brookens is challenged by Cheryl Green. There are no Democratic candidates for the seat.

Marion agrees to help pay for reservoir tests

With the county looking to reduce its $30,000 contribution to reservoir water quality, the City of Marion voted Monday to contribute $7,500 to help test reservoir water. The money is crucial because it amounts to the local matching funds for a $300,000 federal grant. The county also is asking Hillsboro to contribute, Marion County Commissioner Dan Holub said.

We deserve our own legislator

All the fuss leading up to Tuesday’s election has us wondering whether we’re still in Kansas anymore. The torrent of attacks and counterattacks — some of them all too personal — makes us wonder whether we are in the midst of a California mudslide. The only breath of fresh air has come from Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker, the most famous part-time resident of our circulation area and a retired leader of such courage and dignity that she merits all her last names.

Hope in the Heartland

As the one running drew closer, the son could hear his own heart pounding in his ears like a fist on a door. He couldn’t believe his eyes — it was his father! He knew that the moment of face-to-face repentance was fast approaching. His breath caught in his dry throat as his father came closer. He could see tears streaming down his father’s weathered face and a look of deep affection shining from his eyes.

One Woman's View

How many of you out there are tired of all the campaign advertising? And the general election is still two months away. Before I start a rather angry diatribe, I want to make two things clear.

LETTERS:

Health providers honored for work with poor

Marion County Early Childhood Task Force is presenting plaques to physicians, dentists, optometrists, and mental health care providers who work with low-income families. “Somebody needs to be there for the kids,” physician Don Hodson said Friday.

Small-town charm appeals to new veterinarian

Rachel Davelaar, 25, is a new veterinarian at Animal Health Center in Marion. She started July 12. Davelaar learned of the position while working in Nebraska and was connected with Animal Health Center veterinarian Jessica Laurin.

Groom gives special meaning to decor

When Matthew Mitros and Marion native Carrie Darrow decorated the lake hall Friday for their wedding reception, they did so with vases Mitros crafted. “I first learned to throw when I was 10, but I didn’t take it seriously until I was 20,” he said.

Need forces veterinarian to work as dentist on mission trip

The poverty in Nairobi, Kenya, is staggering. The people of Mathare slum live in small tin houses, tightly packed together in rows. Some of them have electricity, but most don’t. “A lot of them live on like 80 cents a day,” Becca Erwin said.

Pilsen farmer plants seeds globally as head of U.S. council

Terry Vinduska has farmed his family land west of Pilsen since 1973, but he also fulfilled a promise to his parents that he would graduate from college and use that college education. Now Vinduska is the chairman of the U.S. Grains Council.

Rancher introduces chefs to real value

Rancher Mark Harms has spent most of his life raising beef, but it turns out he’s not bad at cooking it, too. Harms was part of a team of chefs that won best entree as a part of the annual Pasture to Plate Chef’s tour throughout south central Kansas.

Scouts attending National Jamboree

Marion Boy Scouts Troop 102 members Justin Barr and Dylan Goebel are attending the 2010 Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. The 2010 jamboree celebrates the 100th anniversary of scouting in the United States. About 40,000 scouts were expected to attend.

Board member’s calling: draw more to booths

Janie Peters felt it was her time to make a difference. “I finally got to this point in my life where I was ready to make something happen for the fair,” she said.

Agility course turns work to play for dogs

Dogs bounded over hurdles, climbed up walkways, and even walked across a seesaw Saturday at Marion County Fairgrounds. 4-H members and their dogs participated in an agility competition after showmanship and obedience demonstrations in a dog show, the first event of the fair.

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Special ed offers vacant wing for health office

Deb Geis, chairman of Marion County Special Education Cooperative, offered the vacant east wing of the co-op’s building at 1500 E. Lawrence St., Marion, as a home for the county health department. The county has been considering whether the department should stay in its current building, move to an existing building, or a new building.

Kjellin to direct Butler campus

Amy Kjellin of rural Marion is the new director of Butler Community College’s Marion and Council Grove campuses. Kjellin took over July 12 for retiring director Pauline Holub. She previously worked at Hutchinson Community College’s McPherson campus and Tabor College in Hillsboro.

CVL 11-year-olds bounced out of tourney by Ottawa

The Cottonwood Valley 11-and-under team’s season ended Sunday night in Marion with a 9-2 loss to Ottawa. Ottawa went undefeated through pool play. Cottonwood Valley was the only team Ottawa didn’t defeat by at least 10 runs.

CVL recap

The 9-and-under Cottonwood Valley League all-stars won their district with victories over Lyons and Council Grove, but lost in the state tournament in Paola. The 10-and-under CVL all-stars were the runner-up in District 4.

CVL 14-year-olds end run to repeat

The Cottonwood Valley 14-and-under all-stars lost, 5-0, to Humboldt on Monday to end their season at the state tournament in Altamont. The tournament gave a most valuable player and WOW award to each team after each game.

3 from county to play in all-star game

It’s something that doesn’t happen: Two athletes from the same school playing in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association all-star game. Marion High School graduates Lindsay Hett and Julia Zeiner will compete in the KBCA all-star game 6 p.m. Aug. 5 at Lee Arena on the Washburn University campus in Topeka.

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