Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

County faces backlash over administrator
County commissioners faced a packed house at Monday’s meeting — many of them there to vent their opinions on a vote to proceed with hiring a county administrator. Former commissioner Dan Holub was among those who came to speak against last week’s split vote to move forward on seeking a county administrator despite a 2017 advisory vote in which voters gave a thumbs-down to the idea.
Commission unable to agree on redistricting
County commissioners spent more than an hour and a half Monday discussing a new county redistricting proposal and proposing two additional ones, but ultimately chose none of them and set a work session for Thursday. Commissioners have given much discussion to redistricting the county since voters approved creation of a five-member commission in November. No apparent resolution has been found.
State takes over Westview
Operation of Westview Manor in Peabody was taken over Dec. 12 by Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services after the state agency petitioned the court for an immediate order putting them in charge. KDADS also filed a petition seeking to hold Westview in receivership until all issues are resolved. State law requires that petition to be heard within seven to 17 days. It is scheduled for hearing Dec. 27.
State has many care homes in their control
Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services has taken receivership of 21 adult care facilities to date in 2018 — far more than a typical year. “The number of receiverships this year is attributable to bad/incompetent operators, operator insolvency, fraud and misuse of patient funds,” said Angela deRocha, KDADS director of communication.
Guilty as charged
Theresa Huffman, former county economic development director, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misuse of $46,870.89 in public funds. She is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 20.
Be prepared for outage
Power to Marion residents will be interrupted from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. January 15 and 16 so switchgear and substations can be repaired. On the 15th the entire town will be without power, but only certain parts of the city will be out on the 16th.

OTHER HEADLINES

Woodcrafter takes carving to next level
Working with wood and cabinets was an area of expertise for remodeler Richard Sardou, but by the dawn of the new millennium, he’d found a new form of expression. Sardou and his wife Linda first got into carving in 2001 when they met an expert wood carver and now-retired Dremel product instructor in Pennsylvania.
Ramona man gets bum steer
There are no second chances when competing in the National Finals Rodeo. In his first trip to the nationals Dec. 6 through 16 in Las Vegas, Tanner Brunner of Ramona threw nine steers in 95.5 seconds.
Tampa farmer in corn class
Derek Belton of Tampa has been selected to participate in the third class of Kansas Corn Corps, a program for young farmers funded by Kansas Corn Commission and Kansas Corn Growers Association. Belton farms with his father, Ed Belton, in a crop and livestock operation.
Hospital bomb threat believed not credible
Hillsboro Community Hospital was one of at least 10 Kansas businesses to get an emailed bomb threat Thursday. The bomb threat, which included a demand for money, was sent to two hospital employees about 1:40 p.m. and the building was evacuated, Hillsboro assistant police chief Jessey Hiebert said.
Marion school board extends contract
Marion superintendent Aaron Homberg’s contract was extended through June 2022 by the school board Dec. 10. The decision came following an executive session to discuss the matter. The board approved a bid for $9,950 to purchase security cameras for the elementary and middle schools.
Florence sets special meeting
Florence city council will hold a special meeting Dec. 27 to review end of the year financials.
Recovering addict seeks to help others
Kendra Henry of Hillsboro knows what it’s like to lose everything to drug addiction and depression, and get it back again. Now she wants to share her story with others to keep them from going through the same hell.
Hospital auxiliary 'hears'about audiology services
Katie Zogelman, Doctor of Audiology, from Hearing Life Hearing Aid Center of Wichita, explained her services to St. Luke Hospital Auxiliary members at the Dec. 6 meeting. She comes to St. Luke Medical Clinic one day a month. She tests all ages for hearing loss, including babies, and dispenses hearing aids.

DEATHS

Norma Birdsall
Funeral services for Norma Nelson Birdsall, 91, who died at Cedar Point Dec. 11, was Saturday at the Flint Hills Community Church with interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Manuel Kuchda
Manuel Kuchda, 87, died Dec. 12 in Durham. He was born Nov. 2, 1931, at Ft. Leavenworth to Manuel and Francis Svestka Kuchda.
Kathleen Ludwig
Funeral services for Kathleen Ludwig, 86, who died at Newton Medical Center, will be 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Christian Church of Florence. She was born April 24, 1932, in Gideon, Oklahoma.
IN MEMORIAM:
Joseph Sklenar

DOCKET

OPINION

From bad to worse
To gerrymander or not to gerrymander, that is the question. And to date, county commissioners seem to have had no Shakespearian dilemma in resoundingly answering the question without a “not.” New plans unveiled Monday would be downright immoral if not patently illegal. One would create districts of dramatically unequal size. Two others would create districts that are not geographically contiguous, isolating portions of both Marion and Hillsboro from the rest of the districts that would include them.
A dilly-dilly of a deal
If you’ve never dragged yourself up the courthouse steps, plopped your rear onto an uncomfortably cold metal folding chair, and witnessed for hours on end our county commissioners in their full glory, you’ve missed a fine bit of drama. Think of a scene from Medieval times when a king holds court for a steady progression of peons seeking audiences with His Majesty — except in our case not one but three monarchs, soon to be five, are sitting on their thrones, ready to issue after interminably long discussion thumbs up, thumbs down, or a shouted “Dilly! Dilly!” to each request.
How about a tax cut?
I’ve noticed people streaming to the courthouse the past few weeks to pay their real estate taxes. Others have mailed them. Thursday is the due date for the first half of 2019 taxes. As I was preparing to pay our taxes, it struck me that government operations including county, school districts, fire districts, etc., rely on property owners for a large part of their funding. People who rent don’t pay property taxes, only property owners do.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
All I want for Christmas
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
A Response

PEOPLE

New board members to be installed
Senior Citizens of Marion County will have their December meeting 9:30 a.m. Friday at Marion Senior Center. Newly-elected board members Jan Frantz, Barbara Craney, Judy Mellott, and Pat Henderson will be installed. Marion seniors will serve lunch. Reservations must be made by today by calling (620) 382-2942 or (620) 382-3580. Transportation requests must be made by Thursday. Barbara Smith reported at the November meeting that the silver-haired legislature approved eight resolutions, including raising rates for Kansas liability on vehicles, paying low-income grandparents to keep children, and working on how to better inform grandparents when there is a hearing for grandchildren in a custody or abuse situation.
Christmas story told
Neo Century members enjoyed listening to “The Christmas Story: Two from Galilee,” presented Dec. 3 by Joyce Duke. It told the experiences and accompanying thoughts of Mary and Joseph as they worked through their lives and traveled to Bethlehem, where they experienced the miracle of Christ Jesus’ birth and visits from shepherds and kings. Karen Ehrlich, Shirley Carlson, Janice Maag, and Charlene Anderson were hostesses. Christmas refreshments were served from a decorated table.
Surprise party set
A surprise 85th birthday party for Shirley Hamm is planned for 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 23 at Durham Baptist Church. The family invites friends and loved ones to help her celebrate. If unable to attend, cards can be sent to 725 Abilene Ave., Durham, KS 67438.
Card shower requested
The family of Cleta Richmond requests a card shower for her 90th birthday Dec. 27. Cards can be sent to her at Peabody Health and Rehab, 407 Locust St., Peabody, KS 66866.
Card shower requested
SENIOR CENTER:
Work of art matches jigsaw puzzle, Marion Senior Center menu
UPCOMING:
Calendar of events
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 110, 140 years ago

SPORTS AND SCHOOL

Marion teams suffer tough losses
Marion basketball had it rough in the Heart of America/Central Plains League challenge Thursday and Friday. The girls lost their toughest game of the season at home Thursday to Douglass 51-42. Despite playing a tight game against the Bulldogs on the scoreboard, Marion lost three of the four quarters.
Centre teams defeat Wakefield
Centre boys and girls basketball teams both claimed victory Friday in home games against Wakefield. The boys won 37-25 while the girls shut down the Bombers, 51-26. Boys
Marion wrestling team places 13th at Marion County Dual
The first half of the Marion High School wrestling team’s season is in the books and Warrior wrestling coach Tyler McMichael is pleased where his team is at this time of year. Now comes the grueling second half of the season.

Marion County RECORD

Theresa Huffman, former county economic development director, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misuse of $46,870.89 in public funds. She is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 20.

Power to Marion residents will be interrupted from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. January 15 and 16 so switchgear and substations can be repaired. On the 15th the entire town will be without power, but only certain parts of the city will be out on the 16th.

There are no second chances when competing in the National Finals Rodeo. In his first trip to the nationals Dec. 6 through 16 in Las Vegas, Tanner Brunner of Ramona threw nine steers in 95.5 seconds.

Derek Belton of Tampa has been selected to participate in the third class of Kansas Corn Corps, a program for young farmers funded by Kansas Corn Commission and Kansas Corn Growers Association. Belton farms with his father, Ed Belton, in a crop and livestock operation.

Hillsboro Community Hospital was one of at least 10 Kansas businesses to get an emailed bomb threat Thursday. The bomb threat, which included a demand for money, was sent to two hospital employees about 1:40 p.m. and the building was evacuated, Hillsboro assistant police chief Jessey Hiebert said.

Marion superintendent Aaron Homberg’s contract was extended through June 2022 by the school board Dec. 10. The decision came following an executive session to discuss the matter. The board approved a bid for $9,950 to purchase security cameras for the elementary and middle schools.

Florence city council will hold a special meeting Dec. 27 to review end of the year financials.

Kendra Henry of Hillsboro knows what it’s like to lose everything to drug addiction and depression, and get it back again. Now she wants to share her story with others to keep them from going through the same hell.

Funeral services for Norma Nelson Birdsall, 91, who died at Cedar Point Dec. 11, was Saturday at the Flint Hills Community Church with interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Manuel Kuchda, 87, died Dec. 12 in Durham. He was born Nov. 2, 1931, at Ft. Leavenworth to Manuel and Francis Svestka Kuchda.

Funeral services for Kathleen Ludwig, 86, who died at Newton Medical Center, will be 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Christian Church of Florence. She was born April 24, 1932, in Gideon, Oklahoma.

IN MEMORIAM:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

A surprise 85th birthday party for Shirley Hamm is planned for 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 23 at Durham Baptist Church. The family invites friends and loved ones to help her celebrate. If unable to attend, cards can be sent to 725 Abilene Ave., Durham, KS 67438.

The family of Cleta Richmond requests a card shower for her 90th birthday Dec. 27. Cards can be sent to her at Peabody Health and Rehab, 407 Locust St., Peabody, KS 66866.

SENIOR CENTER:

UPCOMING:

MEMORIES:

Centre boys and girls basketball teams both claimed victory Friday in home games against Wakefield. The boys won 37-25 while the girls shut down the Bombers, 51-26. Boys

The first half of the Marion High School wrestling team’s season is in the books and Warrior wrestling coach Tyler McMichael is pleased where his team is at this time of year. Now comes the grueling second half of the season.