Marion County RECORD

Council suspends city code - and decorum

Contention was sharp at Monday’s Marion City Council meeting as a city attorney was appointed despite violation of city code, a resolution was approved directing the planning and zoning commission to alter codes, a changed real estate contract was approved for a Family Dollar store, and city employees received a 20% utility discount and extra days off, all on split votes. Council members voted 3-2 to hire Brian Bina as city attorney despite a city code requirement that the attorney must attend council meetings. Instead, Bina’s associate, Zachary Strella, who graduated from law school six months ago, will be the one to attend meetings.

COVID soars at record pace

As people prepare to gather with families for Thanksgiving, the number of COVID-19 diagnoses in Marion County has made a steep upward climb. Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports show 87 Marion County residents were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the week spanning Nov. 7 to Saturday.

Nuts about tradition; Cookie baking shows no sign of crumbling

Peabody Senior Center has been filled with the smell of sugar and cloves every Monday and Thursday since Oct. 11 thanks to a peppernut operation occupying its kitchen and front room. The center’s biggest fundraiser, selling peppernuts in $6 and $10 bags, has been occurring every autumn for 20 years. Money collected goes primarily to paying the center’s utilities over the winter.

Another Tabor athlete arrested

A 22-year-old sophomore guard on the Tabor College basketball team was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of driving an unregistered vehicle on the wrong side of the road while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Leon N. Srisamutr, whose hometown is listed on Tabor sports rosters as Manchester, England, was stopped at 1:43 a.m. Saturday at 3rd and Adams Sts. in Hillsboro by Hillsboro police officer Randal Brazil, according to monitored police transmissions.

Poaching probe nearly results in armed encounter

A search Saturday for poachers allegedly using spotlights to illegally target out-of-season deer resulted in a brief confrontation at gunpoint, according to monitored radio transmissions. A bow hunter heard a gunshot near him and called 911. Dispatchers referred him to game warden Evan Deneke.

Candidate opposes race theory

Forty members of Marion County’s Patriots for Freedom showed up Sunday to listen to state treasurer candidate Michael Austin speak at Marion County Lake Hall. Among them were county commissioners Kent Becker, Dave Crofoot, and Jonah Gehring; Marion city council member Ruth Herbel; and Hillsboro city council member Renee Gehring.

Shipping containers approved for storage

County commissioners made minor changes Monday to zoning regulations. Commissioners voted 4-1 to allow shipping containers to be used as accessory storage buildings.

Lake resident to lead health

A county lake resident born and raised in McPherson, now working at Hillsboro Community Hospital, was hired Friday to be the new county health department director and public health officer. Krista Schneider will begin her duties Dec. 20. She was chosen over one other candidate.

Hillsboro water may cost more

Hillsboro city council members approved a new contract Tuesday that drove up the cost of raw water that the city produces from Marion Lake by 30 cents per 1,000 gallons. The price of treating lake water for blue-green algae, added to increased water cost, could result in a rate increase for Hillsboro residents.

Write-in votes range from comical to famous

Although no candidates who filed for election were defeated by write-in candidates Nov. 2, a cast of imaginary characters and numerous people who did not file got votes for various elected positions. City elections

Cemetery board to meet

Prairie Lawn Cemetery Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Peabody City building’s council room to discuss payroll, payables, burials, budget, and cemetery-related concerns.

Worker finds trucking delivers on reducing burnout

Driving 11 hours a day for two weeks straight to deliver a semi-trailer across the continent is no easy task, but in comparison to working as a paramedic, trucking is a pleasant job. Brandon Moore of Goessel worked as a paramedic for eight years and an emergency medical technician for three years, driving ambulances and tending to patients in Sedgwick, Marion, and McPherson Counties. He quit in 2018 because of burnout.

After crash, where does car go?

It seems to happen at least once in life: Your car is in a serious crash, and the last time you see it, it’s being pulled away behind a tow truck. Several things happen to your car after that, even if you never see it again.

As weather gets colder, battery checks become vital

Call any tire repair, auto repair, auto parts, or auto dealership store in the area and a serviceperson will be willing to come and jump-start a dead battery in your vehicle. Calls for such service, which typically include service fees, increase as winter progresses.

Pearl Ensz

Services for Pearl Ensz, 90, who died Nov. 9 at Moundridge Manor, were 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Alexanderfeld Church in rural Hillsboro. She was born March 21, 1931, in Clear Springs, Manitoba, to David and Katharina (Reimer) Toews. She married Marvin Ensz on Nov. 2, 1958, in Inman.

Alma Schlehuber

Services for Alma Schlehuber, 86, who died Nov. 10 in Wichita, were 10 a.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church in Hillsboro with a graveside service at Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Hillsboro. She was born Dec. 6, 1934, in Hillsboro to Samuel and Leah (Winter) Laubhan. She married Allen Schlehuber on Jan. 18, 1952, in Durham.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal Division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Police activity reports

Offenses reported

Drive-thru Thanksgiving runs out of food

Goessel’s Community Thanksgiving meal ran out of food after serving 375 people — a record number, according to volunteers. “We served every last little thing that we had,” organizer Lois Harder said. “The last few meals that we served, we let people know that we had more of this or none of that and asked if that was OK. They said it was fine. We served food until all the serving dishes were empty.”

Giving holiday cheer globally

Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church, 610 S. Main St., Hillsboro, is a local drop-off point this week for an effort to send vital items to those in need around the world. Dorothy Broce of rural Lost Springs has participated in Operation Christmas Child for many years.

We can't ignore ignoring the law

Like a bad episode of “Judge Judy,” without a headstrong judge to rein things in, Marion’s dysfunctional city government was on full view again Monday night. Disagreement wasn’t the problem. In civic affairs, as in editorials, strong-throated presentation of myriad questions and diverse points of view is what makes our crucible of democracy work.

Critical in theory

You’d think we have enough to fear from COVID-19, but critical race theory appears to have become the real boogeyman of 2021. At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental misunderstanding of how education works. Education is not indoctrination. Students aren’t taught what to think. They are exposed to different ways in which others think, in part so they can understand and work with others and in part so they can develop their own sense of what’s the best way to view things.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Award surprises Peabody woman

Kansas Sampler Foundation conspired with Susan Mayo to surprise Peabody resident Marilyn Jones with a We Kan! award Monday for her services to Peabody and Kansas as a whole. Jones helped restore Morgan House, started Peabody’s farmer’s market, and got Peabody on the National Register of Historic Places. She is the vice chair of Sunflower Theatre and a member of Flint Hills Counterpoint Coalition, Peabody’s historical society, and Peabody’s library board.

Shopping for a cause

An annual charity event that supports local and international causes drew a large crowd Saturday at Marion Community Center. Booths for 29 international causes and five local causes were available for visitors to learn about organizations and give money to help them.

Senior center menus

4-H:

MEMORIES:

'Rumspringa' premieres at Goessel

Carol Duerksen’s “Swedish Rumspringa” had its world premiere Saturday at Goessel High School’s theater. Duerksen approached the school at the start of the year with a loose stage adaptation of one of her novels, a coming-of-age story focused on Swedish exchange student Henrick (called “Swede” by most characters). The novel focuses on his relationship with the Amish grandfather of his host family, nicknamed Dawdi or “Old Man”.

3 districts garner awards

Three county school districts are among 172 districts statewide to get Kansans Can Star awards from the state Department of Education. Marion-Florence schools received a copper award for academic preparation for postsecondary education, a silver award for postsecondary success, and a commissioner award with honors.

Donations sought

Safehope, a nonprofit that serves families impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and mass violence, is taking donations of gift items through Dec. 3. Suggested gifts are kitchen items, gift cards, arts and crafts, toys and games, teen gifts, small appliances, movies, music, towels, and room decor.

College degrees and honors

Marion FFA places 2nd

Marion/Florence FFA officers participated in the district leadership conference Nov. 8 at Arkansas City. Marion placed second in parliamentary procedure, third in FFA information, and 10th in opening ceremony ritual.

First half pushes Beloit past Hillsboro

Hillsboro football coach Demetrius Cox was fully aware of whatit what it would take for the Trojans to clinch a ticket to the semifinals of the Class 2A state football playoffs. To match the success of a Hillsboro team that made the Final Four 15 years ago, the Trojans would have to survive a dose of “bullyball” from another batch of Trojans in the sectional round Friday in Beloit.

Goessel's season ends with 70-20 loss

From the start Friday, the Meade Buffaloes dominated their playoff game against the Goessel Bluebirds. A 30-yard pass play set up the first touchdown for the Buffaloes, scoring after little more than a minute played.

Bowling league results

Hillsboro, Peabody-Burns may join Marion swim team

Hillsboro and Peabody-Burns schools are considering joining Marion’s school swim team, as Centre schools have already done. Deadline for joining is Jan. 1 so the swim team can participate in the 2022 season, beginning at the end of February.

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