BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
A woman in her 20s became Marion County's 60th confirmed COVID-19 patient Tuesday. Other cases confirmed this week are a woman in her 30s on Friday, a teenage boy on Thursday, and a woman in her 70s Wednesday.
Five county residents, none of them hospitalized, continue to exhibit symptoms or receive treatment, health officials reported Tuesday afternoon.
Commissioner Dianne Novak is on her way out the courthouse door after being beaten nearly 3-1 in Tuesday’s primary election.
“Not only is our district relieved, I think the whole county is relieved,” winner Mike Beneke said. “There was just as much concern outside our district as inside our district.”
As the county’s COVID-19 total swelled again this week, with six new cases pushing the total to 56, a case at one of the more vulnerable locations in the county has shut down some senior meals.
Hillsboro’s senior center is closed until Aug. 17 because an employee tested positive and was hospitalized for COVID-19.
Hope is on the horizon for Marion County’s algae-plagued lakes.
Scientists are still evaluating the effectiveness of a hydrogen peroxide-based algaecide as a solution to harmful blue-green algae blooms.
Postponing several projects in mid-July left Marion searching for ways to patch and hold its streets together for at least another year, which streets director Marty Fredrickson blamed on lost revenue.
Money was planned for two blocks somewhere in town in 2020, but it never materialized because COVID-19 decreased income for the city.
A series of brownouts has prompted some Marion businesses to file claims against the city’s insurance, but information on how many claims have been filed is not available.
Insurance agent Alex Case, who represents the city’s insurance company, said several businesses had filed for damages they incurred, but he declined to provide a specific number.
Power to portions of downtown failed Thursday after a tree branch on Washington St. tripped a fuse when it came in contact with an electrical line.
City crews had to replace the fuse and trim the branch from the power line.
When Thad Looper got his chance to buy a tire service, the county resident saw it as the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I’ve done stuff like this, working on cars, all my life,” he said. “It’s always been a dream to do something for myself.”
An incident involving Edward’s Café owner Mike Beneke and customer Lloyd Meier will not be pursued by the Marion County attorney.
A report of the July 26 is being filed by Marion police.
A car stolen from Hillsboro and found Friday in a McPherson County retainer pond could be part of a string of incidents, according to police chief Dan Kinning.
The 2012 Ford Fusion had been stolen Friday morning from Ronald Herbel’s garage in the 400 block of Floral Dr. while Herbel was sleeping, according to offense reports. No signs of forced entry were reported.
Burning campaign signs in a Peabody street Monday night prompted a knock on county commissioner Randy Dallke’s door.
Peabody officer Megan Chizek found four Dallke campaign signs burning in the 300 block of W. 1st St. about 11 p.m.
Sewer lagoons are a standard for farmers who own livestock, but the topic becomes trickier when considering whether to use one for a house, county resident Duane Kirkpatrick said.
Kirkpatrick, who lives on Sunflower Rd. south of Marion, had to go through that process last year when he started building a sewer pond to replace his failing septic tank.
July 31 was Betty Richmond’s last day at Marion County Conservation District office. She has been district secretary since July 1, 1963, shortly after graduating from Marion High School.
Richmond got the job through Kenneth Muse, the district conservationist, who she had worked with while keeping Sunday School attendance and collection records at First ME Church, now Valley United Methodist Church.
A virus that primarily affects horses, first confirmed in Marion County in early July, has since spread to 97 premises in 24 counties.
Vesicular stomatitis virus was first confirmed June 16 in Butler County and appeared two weeks later at two locations in Marion County.
We’d much rather be talking about people fulfilling their dreams — a veteran mechanic finally getting to open his own shop, a police officer at long last following in the flatfoot footsteps of his family.
We’d prefer writing about the irony of a thousand-dollar bridge on lovers’ lane faithfully inspiring generations for 133 years — only to learn it needs $183,000 in refurbishing.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
It's a cat's tale!
County commissioners, one of them defying a Marion ordinance by failing to wear a mask, didn’t even vote Friday on a watered-down version of a mask mandate requested and originally drafted by the county health nurse
Commissioner Dianne Novak, despite sitting less than six feet from Commissioner Dave Crofoot, was the lone person in the room who refused to cover her mouth and nose with a mask.
A detention center once considered a model for Marion County is dealing with a cluster of 29 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The Chase County Health Department said positive cases at Chase County Detention Center are all men.
A beloved Hillsboro tradition won’t happen this year.
Planners of the Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair, scheduled for Sept. 19, announced Monday the event was cancelled. This would have been its 51st year.
Zach Hudlin always knew he wanted to be a police officer.
Specifically, he wanted to be a law officer in Marion County, where his roots run deep.
Peabody Historical Society is sponsoring a sweet fund raiser to raise money to put a $19,000 roof on the Print Museum.
Society members are selling apple dumplings priced at $10 for a pack of four.
A pulled-pork meal benefitting Florence Public Library will be 5:30 p.m. Monday at the library.
The menu will include corn on the cob, potato salad, and desert. Orders, which can be delivered to in-town residents, or picked up curbside, are being accepted through Thursday at the city library.
A card shower has been requested for Marie Navrat, Marion, whose 95th birthday will be Aug. 12. Her address is 535 S. Freeborn St., Marion KS 66861.
The 102nd Hett family reunion has been canceled because of COVID-19 safety concerns. The 103rd reunion is planned for 12:30 p.m. Aug. 8, 2021, at Marion County Lake Hall.
The senior center’s egg donor made a second appearance last week, sharing that she is glad for a place to share her bounty.
She is not the center’s only food donor, as other people are willing to share tomatoes or cucumbers with seniors.
SERMON ON WEEK:
Living water satisfies our spiritual thirstMEMORIES:
10,
25,
40,
55,
70,
100,
140 years agoMEMORIES IN FOCUS:
Is lover's lane due for some love?
Marion Country Club’s new website was supposed to debut Saturday but it hit a bump out of the gate. The web address, golfmarionks.com, resulted in a message that the site was unregistered.
The site was working by Monday.
A two-court, indoor tennis facility that will allow team members to practice year-round will be built this fall on the Tabor College campus.
The facility, a gift of undisclosed size from an anonymous donor, will be just south of football stadium parking and is expected to be completed by December.