UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE

  • Hospital shutdown averted

    Utility shutoff at Hillsboro Community Hospital was averted Friday after a portion of its outstanding utility bill was paid. The city was paid $16,664.31 Friday morning, according to a press release sent out by city administrator Larry Paine.

  • Hospital, city, county named in foreclosure

    Hillsboro Community Hospital could be sold at a sheriff’s sale if Bank of Hays wins a mortgage foreclosure petition filed in district court Tuesday. The petition, filed Tuesday, seeks a court order that the sheriff sell the hospital building and its contents, then distribute the proceeds first to Marion County for $300,000 unpaid real estate taxes, and next to Bank of Hays for more than $9.8 million owed on the mortgage, interest, and costs of the lawsuit.

HEADLINES

  • Hospital faces Friday shutdown

    If Hillsboro Community Hospital doesn’t pay $28,644.31 owed to the city of Hillsboro for utilities, service will be shut off at noon Friday. “I have directed city administrator Larry Paine to shut off utilities at noon Friday if the bill is not paid in full by that time,” mayor Lou Thurston told city council members Tuesday.

  • 2018 a real bell-ringer for local cash registers

    Surprisingly good, fantastic, and like gangbusters are some of the adjectives business owners in downtown Marion use to describe 2018. The newest business in town, The Building Center, finished its first fiscal year.

  • Hurry up and wait for new commission

    Adding two new county commissioners is about to enter a hurry-up-and-wait phase. Gov. Jeff Colyer decided last week to forgo an opportunity to elect new commissioners this spring and instead set their election for Nov. 5.

  • County records 1st case of flu

    Influenza type A has made its appearance in Marion County. Roger Schroeder, marketing director for St. Luke Hospital in Marion, said he was told a Marion youth tested positive last week.

  • No, the county's not going to pot

    Flush with success from having wiped away what could have been a lockdown for similar reasons a week earlier at Hillsboro Community Hospital, Marion County emergency workers held their breath as they plunged ahead to investigate what could have been crisis No. 2 at a public restroom this past week. It all began at 10:36 p.m. Friday when a possibly fidgety clerk at Johnson’s General Store in Florence telephoned dispatchers to report what she thought might be a whiff of suspicious behavior.

OTHER NEWS

  • Hospital also faces state warrants for failing to pay withholding tax

    In addition to its payroll and utility problems, Hillsboro Community Hospital faces three tax warrants for unpaid state withholding taxes, the largest and most recent warrant filed by the Kansas Department of Revenue in November. In total, KDOR seeks $59,914.51.

  • Commissioners relent, won't hire administrator

    In a striking reversal, county commissioners voted 2-1 last week to rescind their controversial decision of three weeks earlier to hire a county administrator. Commissioner Dianne Novak made the surprise motion despite also having made the original motion to create the position, the idea of which was rejected by 55.3 percent of voters in a non-binding referendum a year ago.

  • 4-alarm blaze destroys barn

    County fire departments responded to a four-department alarm fire Monday that destroyed a barn on US-77 between 30th and 40th Rds. Eight trucks responded to the mutual-aid call, arriving from Florence, Burns, Peabody, and Marion, Burns chief Barry Black said. Also present were an ambulance from Peabody and a sheriff’s deputy.

  • Road conditions lead to tax protest

    Cattleman Merle Schlehuber paid his property taxes under protest because of the condition of county roads running by his land. So did Chasen Gann and James Enns. All told, county appraiser Lisa Reeder said Monday, annual property taxes on 37 parcels are scheduled for tax protests because of the conditions of county roads.

  • Florence council opens year with purchases

    Florence City Council started spending early in 2019, voting Monday to pay a $25,000 deductible for removal of asbestos from the city’s gymnasium floor. The deductible will be paid from the city’s $90,000 capital improvement fund.

  • Hostage crisis ends peacefully

    A New Year’s Eve hostage crisis at Goessel ended peacefully but with one man in jail on suspicion of four felonies and in lieu of $150,000 bond. David Matthew Impson, 41, 310 E. Commercial, Goessel, was booked into jail early Jan. 1 on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and reckless endangerment of a child.

  • Style show to cap off meeting

    St. Luke Hospital Auxiliary annual meeting will be Jan. 17 at the Marion Community Center ballroom. A catered meal will be served at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required.

  • Fire departments take predicting of wildfire danger in stride

    Although some forecasts call for increased wildfires this summer, Marion County fire departments won’t change how they prepare. Neighboring Chase and Butler Counties are among the Kansas counties most prone to wildfires.

  • Contractor making progress rehabilitating Westview Manor

    Since the day the state was given temporary operation of Westview Manor in Peabody, an agency hired to begin the rehabilitation process has had someone on the scene. Nichole Burger, regional director of operations for Mission Health Communities, said Kansas Department for Aging and Disabilities Services contacted Mission Health on Dec. 12, the same day a judge ordered the facility into temporary receivership after a state surveyor found numerous violations in the condition and operation of Westview Manor.

DEATHS

  • Kenneth Funk

    Services for Kenneth A. Funk, 84, who died Jan. 5 at Via Christi — St. Teresa Hospital in Wichita, were to be this morning at First Mennonite Church in Hillsboro. Burial was in the Haven of Rest Cemetery, rural Hillsboro.

  • Verden Harms

    Services for Verden Harms, 88, who died Jan. 5 at Salem Home in Hillsboro, will be 1 p.m. Friday at Marion Christian Church. Born June 22, 1930, to W.W. and Anna (Thiessen) Harms in Goessel, he married Pauline Ollenburger on June 12, 1981, at Marion Christian Church. She died in 2017.

  • Linda Kelsey

    Services for Linda Marie Kelsey, 69, who died Tuesday in her Topeka home, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Marion Christian Church. Born Nov. 17, 1949, in Florence to Irwin and Pauline Creamer, she married Ron Kelsey on July 12, 1971. After starting a family in the Marion area, the Kelseys moved to Hiawatha, where Linda worked as a farm service administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

  • Perry Ratzloff

    Services for carpenter and painter Perry L. Ratzloff, 90, who died Dec. 31 at Via Christi – St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, were Friday at Alexanderfeld Mennonite Church, rural Hillsboro. Burial was in Eden Cemetery, Burns. Born July 21, 1928, in Moundridge to Peter H. and Adina (Smith) Ratzloff, he moved to Cedar Point in 1939, to Burns in 1946, and later to Marion, eventually moving to Hillsboro in 2006.

  • Dewy Stevens

    Services for Dewy Z. Stevens, 81, who died Thursday at his home in Florence, were Tuesday at Florence United Methodist Church. Burial was in Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence. Born Aug. 10, 1937, in Satanta to Dwight and Mable (Jones) Stevens, he graduated from Florence High School in 1955 and worked as a machinist for Boeing for 30 years. He also farmed, operated a service station, and drove a school bus.

  • Betty Meier

    Services for Betty Meier, 96, who died Jan. 4 at Asbury Park in Newton, were Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Durham. Interment was in Haven of Rest Cemetery, rural Hillsboro.

  • IN MEMORIAM:

    Paul Gianakon

  • IN MEMORIAM:

    Sharon Nelson

DOCKET

FINANCE

  • Government shutdown may delay tax refunds

    People who file income tax returns early will likely need to be patient this year because of the partial federal shutdown. Income tax returns are not likely to be processed until the shutdown ends.

  • Comparing drug plans can lead to big sayings

    More than 207 senior citizens in Marion County were helped by comparing their prescription drug plans with other available plans, Department on Aging director Gayla Ratzlaff said Tuesday. Each person’s list of medications was submitted to the Medicare website. Then, his or her drug plan was brought up and compared to one or two less expensive plans.

  • Pre-arranging funerals can ease grief at difficult time

    Planning and paying for a funeral can be difficult after the death of a family member. An increasingly popular alternative is to plan and finance the service ahead of time. Jennifer Metzger, secretary for Baker Funeral Home in Peabody, knows about the pre-arranging process from personal experience.

  • 1040 no longer EZ for some

    The 1040A and 1040EZ tax forms have been eliminated for 2018. All taxpayers will submit a new 1040 form that fits front and back of a half sheet of paper. The new form has 23 lines instead of 79. Much tax data will be relocated to other forms or schedules that will be attached to the 1040 return as needed.

OPINION

PEOPLE

  • Ex-postmaster to celebrate 100th

    Evelyn Hensley’s four children will be hosts for a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 19 at Tampa Senior Center celebrating her 100th birthday. Born Jan. 22, 1919, in Durham Park Township to Reinhardt and Julia (Nuss) Schmidt, she was the youngest of eight children.

  • Hetts spend Christmas together

    For the 32nd year, members of Jackie Hett’s family spent Christmas at a Wichita motel. Attending from Marion were Travis and Kelley Schafers and Trevor; Jeff and Laura Ensey, Zeke and Elizabeth; Larry and Melanie Ensey; and Jackie Hett.

  • Librarian has her own book collections

    As if she doesn’t get enough of books as Marion’s head librarian, Janet Marler has several private collections. Her collections focus on children’s books because of their colorful and interesting illustrations.

  • Senior board to meet Jan. 18

    The Senior Citizens of Marion County board will meet 9:30 a.m. Jan. 18 at Hillsboro Senior Center. Lunch reservations are being accepted through Jan. 16 at (620) 947-2304. Transportation requests are due Jan. 17.

  • SENIOR CENTER:

    Poodle skirts to greet 'Elvis', Marion Senior Center menu

  • MEMORIES:

    10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 110, 140 years ago

  • MEMORIES IN FOCUS:

    Always a battleground, even in 1881

SCHOOL AND SPORTS

MORE…

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