Marion County RECORD

Tourism businesses left high and dry

Summer’s opener has been a slow one for area businesses that look forward to visitors to the county’s lake and reservoir. All campsites at Marion Reservoir have been closed indefinitely since May 8 because of high water.

New site sought for tower

Verizon Wireless, proposing a 129-foot cell phone tower at Commercial and Forest Sts., asked the city Tuesday to postpone a public hearing on its request for a conditional use permit while it seeks a different location. Scott Goble, managing member of Pamcorp, a real estate contractor for Verizon, explained why the company made the request.

Main St. is taking longer

Soggy weather may have extended work to revamp Marion’s Main St. past its goal date of Chingawassa Day’s weekend, but that won’t hamper celebrations, city administrator Roger Holter said Tuesday. Workers with Bryant and Bryant Construction of Halstead will cease work for the festival and there will be no cones or detours around construction sites.

Getting what we pay for? Maybe

Marion County residents hearing about a glowing report about how much value taxpayers get in return for the taxes weren’t too confident in the results this week. According to SmartAsset, an online financial service company, the county ranks 10th in the state.

Seniors have transport options but no consensus

Marion resident Helen Reznicek’s help transporting Jean Pierce began as a friendship. “Jean and I have been friends for years, and our husbands died around the same time,” Reznicek said. “She’s 20 years older than me, but we just started doing stuff together.”

Few file as election deadline nears

With the clock ticking down to a June 3 filing deadline for school board, city, and improvement district positions, 11 school board positions, three Florence council positions, one Hillsboro city council position, Marion mayor, two Marion city council positions, Lehigh mayor and a council position, and three Lincolnville city council positions still have no candidates. Three improvement districts have five positions and no filers. As of Friday, here’s who has filed.

Pilgrims prepare for 4-day walk to Pilsen

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of pilgrims will walk and pray for four days this week to honor the memory of sainthood candidate Father Emil Kapaun. The 11th annual Father Kapaun Pilgrimage will begin Thursday in Wichita and end Sunday with an 11 a.m. Mass on Kapaun Day at St. John Nepomucene Church in Pilsen, Kapaun’s hometown.

Counseling center seeks county aid

A counseling service that opened in January asked county commissioners Tuesday for $12,000 to treat indigent county residents for drug and alcohol abuse but got $4,276, the amount remaining in a special alcohol tax fun. Joy Waldbauer, of The Restoration Center in downtown Marion, told commissioners the have been covered by other Restoration Center offices.

Memorial to finance flags

Marion will be getting new flags for its new downtown light poles, and PRIDE member Margaret Wilson is eager to show appreciation of the gift, donated in memory of longtime businessman Charles Heerey, who died May 13. “It’s an excellent way for us as a community to show he loved Marion and we’re going to love him back,” she said.

Storms continue, likely to return

Tuesday’s stormy weather is expected to go away for a couple of days, but could quickly return, said Kevin Darmofal, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wichita. Tuesday bought a half an inch to an inch of rain to Tampa and Durham, he said.

Betrice Cannon

Services for Pilsen native Betrice (Kasha) Cannon, 97, a retired registered nurse who died Friday, will be Thursday at St. Jude Catholic Church, 3030 N. Amidon Ave., Wichita. Burial will follow in Pilsen.

Loren Groening

Services for longtime Hillsboro businessman Loren J. Groening, 84, who died Sunday at Parkside Homes, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at First Mennonite Church, Hillsboro. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Jost Funeral Home.

Albert Postar

Albert Phillip Postar, 80, husband of former Marion resident Marsha (Childs) Postar, died May 21 at the couple’s home in Lubbock, Texas. Born Dec. 4, 1938, in St. Louís to Joseph Loeb and Lottie (Zimring) Postar, he attended school in Granite City, Illinois, and graduated in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Central Methodist College and in 1965 with a doctor of optometry degree from the University of Houston.

Doyle Taylor

Services for former Pilsen resident Doyle Richard Taylor, 73, who died May 20 at his home in Magnolia, Texas, were to have been this morning at Zeiner Funeral Home in Marion. Burial with military honors was to have followed at Pilsen Cemetery.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

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County jail arrests and bookings

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Traffic Division cases

Starting with a splash

But just in time to rescue summer fun, two public pools opened this week, and a third is open year-round. For Aaron Paulus, visiting Hillsboro’s Family Aquatics Center is an opportunity to see peers over the summer.

Reluctant restaurateur now an institution

But one feature that has endured for 48 years is Al’s Café, a Mexican restaurant that began in 1970 and is still owned and operated by the same family. It draws from throughout the county and surrounding areas. The menu includes a variety of authentic Mexican food. Chips and dip served with owner Delora Alvarez’s own salsa recipe are a favorite starter.

Secluded rental home provides getaways

The house at 1475 240th St. has three bedrooms, which along with two cots, provides a capacity to sleep eight, although additional children sometimes sleep on a couch or the floor. A laundry room is available. Although Lynn Unruh will provide a full breakfast for guests, they have the option to use a fully equipped kitchen to make their own.

Bluegrass draws music lovers to lake

The 12th annual 2019 Bluegrass at the Lake will last two days, during which crowds will bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy two days’ worth of bluegrass and related music. On June 14, an open-mic singing event sponsored by Prospect Bluegrass will welcome anyone who wants to show bluegrass talent.

Shifting gears on car shows

The club charges a can of food and $20 as an entry fee and for each car. The can goes to Marion County’s food bank, and other proceeds go toward Marion County’s toy run, club president Kim Abrahams said.

Fishing offers fun, even for furry family members

He has a ready-made place to stay, a lakeside trailer owned by his parents, Rick and Irene Barkman of Hutchinson. The Barkmans come to the lake every other weekend to enjoy camping. Osborne primarily comes to fish. “We used to come for camping, but now he comes for fishing,” Osborne’s mother Irene said.

Camping on 60 years of tradition

Oliphant, matriarch of the family, started taking her grandchildren camping at her beloved lake more than 60 years ago. “It’s a beautiful lake,” Oliphant said. “It’s quiet and peaceful. It was probably the first one we came to when we came to Wichita.”

Summer calendar

Symphony to return to Flint Hills

The event, beginning at noon, will celebrate music, art, and the ecology of the Flint Hills. The state’s motto, Ad Astra per Aspera, “to the stars through difficulties,” will be the theme of this year’s event, which will culminate in a sunset performance by the world-class Kansas City Symphony.

A whirlwind of nostalgia

We interrupt this editorial to bring you a bulletin from chief kibitzer Rip Snorter. The National Newspaper Association has issued a severe nostalgia warning for this page, effective until the end of this column. Should nostalgic conditions threaten, be prepared to return to a place of safety in the present or to a sturdy interior room, preferably with porcelain fixtures. If you’re of the right age, you probably spent a great portion of your youth hearing sirens and cowering in the southwest corner of your basement. Actually, your age can fairly accurately be calculated by exactly which part of the basement you retreated to. It changed numerous times during the period.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

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Silhan drives family heirloom in parade

It wasn’t just any old trip through town when Fred Silhan of Hillsboro drove his prized 1936 Case C tractor during Lehigh’s Small Engine Show on Monday. Fred grew up in Pilsen. His step-grandfather, Frank Svitak, gave the antique tractor to him in 1994, when Fred was in high school. His grandfather provided guidance as Fred rebuilt the engine and got the tractor in operating condition.

Marion remembers those who served

Hearing radio commentators discuss a horse initially chosen as a contender in this year’s Kentucky Derby made Jeremiah Lange realize much of military history has been lost. “They were talking about a horse named Omaha Beach,” Lange said. “They said there is no beach in Omaha, and I felt sorry for our country. We have forgotten.”

Four generations honored at Lincolnville

For the first time, four generations of one family have been members of Gilbert-Poppe Legion Post in Lincolnville, according to post commander Duane Dittman. They were recognized at Monday’s Memorial Day service. The youngest of the four is Braden Pagenkopf, who recently returned from a deployment with the National Guard to Kuwait and Iraq. Steve Steger is Braden’s father-in-law; Phil Smith is his grandfather; and the late Lloyd Pagenkopf was his great-grandfather.

Holts to celebrate anniversary

Terry and Ann (Cameron) Holt of Marion will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary June 9. The couple met while attending Emporia State University and were married at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Prairie Village.

Alumni celebrate 123 years

More than 142 people attended Florence’s 123rd annual alumni banquet Saturday in the Florence gymnasium. Alumni from nine states, including California, Florida, and South Carolina took part, with alumni from as long ago as 1945 to present. The alumni banquet, which first met in 1896, is thought by the alumni committee to be the oldest in Kansas. Marion High School graduate Emmy Hess was chosen as the recipient for Florence Alumni Association’s $1,000 scholarship. Free stretching classes planned

Free stretching classes planned

More than 142 people attended Florence’s 123rd annual alumni banquet Saturday in the Florence gymnasium. Alumni from nine states, including California, Florida, and South Carolina took part, with alumni from as long ago as 1945 to present. The alumni banquet, which first met in 1896, is thought by the alumni committee to be the oldest in Kansas. Marion High School graduate Emmy Hess was chosen as the recipient for Florence Alumni Association’s $1,000 scholarship. Free stretching classes planned

State's longest running rodeo returns this week

Bareback riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, team roping, and bull riding will be featured at Kansas’ longest-running rodeo starting Thursday in Strong City. Thursday will be Kids Night. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free. The first 200 kids entering through the east gate will get a ticket for a free hot dog.

Magic show planned

A new, space-themed magic show featuring family-friendly humor, a gravity-defying trick, and tributes to astronauts and the 50th anniversary of America’s lunar landing will kick Marion’s summer reading program. Magician Jeff Quinn’s show at 3 p.m. Friday in Marion Community Center will be free and open to all ages.

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MHS vaulter wins state

Marion sophomore Anne Baliel snagged headlines over the weekend in Wichita with a state championship in pole vault. She cleared 10 feet 6 inches to match Marion’s school record but was unable to reach 11 feet.

Passed ball dashes MHS title hopes

Marion’s soon-to-be senior Luke Lanning has rapidly transformed into one of the Warrior baseball team’s most reliable hitters. Anytime Marion has needed a clutch hit when hopes were grim, Lanning has been one who the Warriors have been able to count on.

Centre sprinter takes silver

Centre senior Xavier Espinoza capped his high school career at the weekend’s state track meet in Wichita with a silver medal. Despite ranking outside the top 10 for the 100-meter dash, Espinoza took second with a time of 11.14 seconds and won his heat. His time set a personal and school record, breaking the mark of 11.19 seconds set in 1989.

15 named to all-league teams

Fifteen Marion High School athletes were named to all-league teams in baseball and softball this week. The state runner-up baseball team had four Heart of America first-teamers: senior pitcher Sam Zinn, senior first baseman Evann Heidebrecht, junior third baseman Luke Lanning, and junior utility man Cooper Carpenter.

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