Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

State's worst drought grips county
Marion and Chase counties officially are being listed as the Kansas counties most impacted by drought. Both counties are listed as experiencing at least moderate drought — a long-term condition that even this week’s rainfall can’t automatically resolve.
New administrator wants Marion to thrive
The first order of business for Brian Wells, who will become Marion city administrator June 16, will be getting to know the community and council and then deciding the best paths to take from there, he said in an interview last week. The public can meet Wells at a public reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at the community center.
Marshals, troopers arrest Peabody pair
After a lengthy stakeout, U.S. Marshals and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two absconded parolees on undisclosed charges Thursday in Peabody. Melissa R. Merunka, 38, and Dusty L. Trusdale, 40, both of Peabody, were booked into the Marion County jail.
$1 million in new borrowing proposed
Marion City Council approved two proposals Monday that could lead to $1 million in new borrowing — $650,000 for improvements to Roosevelt and Coble Sts. and $350,000 for improvements to the city water system. Andrew Kovar, a lawyer with the Wichita law firm Triplett Woolf Garretson, urged council members to officially designate the entirety of Roosevelt and Coble Sts. as main trafficways or trafficway connections.
Grand Prix to drive thousands to Florence
Florence’s biggest weekend of the year is only a few days away. Flint Hills Bent Rims will be host Sunday for its annual Grand Prix, which sees thousands flock to Florence as gaggles of motorcyclists speed down Main St.

OTHER NEWS

Hillsboro gets $300,000 for renovation
A new $300,000 grant from the state will aid in a $461,500 renovation of the former Olde Towne Restaurant building at 126 N. Main St. in Hillsboro, city council members learned Thursday. Although the building is not going to be used for housing, Mayor Lou Thurston said he hoped that his declaration Tuesday of June as Fair Housing Month would “promote fair housing practices throughout the city.”
Commissioners get a look at new ambulance
County commissioners got their first look at the county’s newest ambulance Monday — two years after it was ordered. When the county ordered two ambulances in 2023, emergency medical services was down to four ambulances because two had been sold and the others were ailing and needed expensive repairs. Ambulances were being shuffled between towns to serve needs.
Work on Elm St. progressing
Work to replace curbs and gutters and replace a too-small drain pipe at the base of Marion’s Elm St. hill is expected to be completed before Chingawassa Days, June 6 to 8. Work began May 12. EBH engineer Darin Neufeld said weather had caused some slow days. Crews could work only portions of Monday because the ground and street were too wet.
Hospital board elections, filing deadlines for local races loom
St. Luke Hospital Board elections will be conducted during the board’s annual meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Two seats are up for election. Incumbent Byron Lange has said he intends to run.
Memorial services planned
Memorial Day services are planned for Monday at several cemeteries in the area. Cedar Point Cemetery — 10 a.m. Honors presented by John McKay American Legion Post of Florence.

DEATHS

Lee Shipman
Services for Ronald Lee Shipman, 57, who died May 12 at his home in Florence, will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Marion Christian Church Born May 17, 1967, in Newton to Ronald and Mary Lou (Slaughter) Shipman, he attended grade school and junior high in Florence and graduated in 1985 from Marion High School.
IN MEMORIAM:
Brandon Klenda
IN MEMORIAM:
Stephen Moore

DOCKET

GRADUATION

Hillsboro graduation marked by shoes, leis
Under orange-and-red lights in Shari Flaming Memorial Arts Center, Hillsboro High School graduated 38 Trojans on Saturday. The procession was a professional, polished affair, livened up by some choice attire.
Centre graduates 11
Members of one of the smallest graduating classes in recent years at Centre High School walked across the stage Sunday to receive diplomas. At least eight of 56 Kansas Online Learning Program graduates joined them.
Brother then sister win prestigious scholarship
Centre graduate Kaitlynn Bina is a 2025 Hagan scholarship recipient. She will receive $15,000 a year for four years.

HEALTH

Catcher OK after being hit in neck at playoffs
Marion junior Carson Krause is recovering at home after being hit in the neck by a baseball and collapsing at Marion’s regional playoff game May 14 against Little River. With the score 3-3, Krause was catching in the bottom of the seventh inning when a foul ball struck the side of his neck.
Caregivers see seniors as who they are
It’s something recently graduated high-schoolers know better than anyone: Marion County has a lot of old people. Census data indicate that of 11,795 county residents, 10% are in their 70s, and 6% are in their 80s and up.

OPINION

Eating our informational vegetables
I did it. My son did it. My grandson and granddaughters did it. It’s pretty much safe to assume that every kid’s done it at some point in his or her young life. “Eat your vegetables,” a parent extorts.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
The end of it all
LETTERS:
Democracy on ICE?, Memorial Day, Earthquakes

PEOPLE

Kapaun walk planned
Holy Family Parish plans a festival Friday to mark Father Emil Kapaun being named Venerable in his move up the ladder toward sainthood. “The Father has placed us together so that we might share his life, so let’s eat together, pray together, and play together,” the parish’s announcement says.
Cards requested for 65th anniversary
A card shower has been requested for Maurice and Nancy Meirowsky’s 65th wedding anniversary. They were married May 28, 1960, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Florence.
Blood drives planned
Three blood drives are planned in Marion County in coming weeks:
Director sought
Pioneer Bluffs, the Center for Flint Hills Ranching Heritage north of Matfield Green, is seeking a new operations director now that SammyJo Happy has returned to ranching. More information is available from Nancy Mattke at (620) 753-3484 or nmattke1452@gmail.com.
Peabody has banner day
Peabody’s community-made banners were erected last week and now are waving proudly on Main St. The banners were orchestrated by Topeka-based artist Carol Bradbury last fall thanks to a $8,500 grant provided by Kansas Arts Commission.
College degrees and honors
Senior center menus
MEMORIES:
15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 110, 145 years ago

SPORTS

He's wrestling with success . . . at age 10
Bea Holub described watching her son Axl compete at this month’s Greco-Roman state wrestling tournament as a humbling experience. “He, at only 10 years old, worked really, really hard at his craft,” she said. “All the time that he spends, all the money that is spent, all the traveling, those are the moments that make it all worth it.”
Warriors, Trojans eliminated
The Warriors’ season ended last week when Marion lost 4-3 to Little River in the first round of baseball playoffs May 14. Jameson Looper and Carson Krause each had two hits and scored one run. Pitcher Lander Smith had a hit and a run scored.
Regional coming to Marion
Top athletes from 16 schools, including Marion and Hillsboro, will compete Thursday in a Class 2A regional track and field meet at Marion. Marion and Hillsboro are among the sixteen competing.
Hillsboro, Goessel, Centre golfers heading to state
Hillsboro’s golf team placed third place as a team Monday in Erie, qualifying to compete as a team Tuesday at state in McPherson. Individually, Lincoln Wichert placed eighth, and Braxton Biebert placed ninth.

MORE…

HOVER OVER IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT

Kainoa Defiesta wears garments around his head and neck to represent the Hawaiian concept of 'aina, or love of land, at Hillsboro High School's graduation Saturday.

A worker wades in a deep pool of water Tuesday in front of EBH Engineering in Marion. The water flowed downhill on Elm St. during a Monday evening thunderstorm.

Centre senior Daniel Moenning displays his interest in auto mechanics at graduation Saturday.

Lander Smith pitches a gem against Little River last week, pitching six innings and allowing only one earned run but in a losing cause.

Marion County RECORD

Marion and Chase counties officially are being listed as the Kansas counties most impacted by drought. Both counties are listed as experiencing at least moderate drought — a long-term condition that even this week’s rainfall can’t automatically resolve.

After a lengthy stakeout, U.S. Marshals and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two absconded parolees on undisclosed charges Thursday in Peabody. Melissa R. Merunka, 38, and Dusty L. Trusdale, 40, both of Peabody, were booked into the Marion County jail.

Florence’s biggest weekend of the year is only a few days away. Flint Hills Bent Rims will be host Sunday for its annual Grand Prix, which sees thousands flock to Florence as gaggles of motorcyclists speed down Main St.

St. Luke Hospital Board elections will be conducted during the board’s annual meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Two seats are up for election. Incumbent Byron Lange has said he intends to run.

Memorial Day services are planned for Monday at several cemeteries in the area. Cedar Point Cemetery — 10 a.m. Honors presented by John McKay American Legion Post of Florence.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

Under orange-and-red lights in Shari Flaming Memorial Arts Center, Hillsboro High School graduated 38 Trojans on Saturday. The procession was a professional, polished affair, livened up by some choice attire.

Members of one of the smallest graduating classes in recent years at Centre High School walked across the stage Sunday to receive diplomas. At least eight of 56 Kansas Online Learning Program graduates joined them.

Centre graduate Kaitlynn Bina is a 2025 Hagan scholarship recipient. She will receive $15,000 a year for four years.

Marion junior Carson Krause is recovering at home after being hit in the neck by a baseball and collapsing at Marion’s regional playoff game May 14 against Little River. With the score 3-3, Krause was catching in the bottom of the seventh inning when a foul ball struck the side of his neck.

It’s something recently graduated high-schoolers know better than anyone: Marion County has a lot of old people. Census data indicate that of 11,795 county residents, 10% are in their 70s, and 6% are in their 80s and up.

I did it. My son did it. My grandson and granddaughters did it. It’s pretty much safe to assume that every kid’s done it at some point in his or her young life. “Eat your vegetables,” a parent extorts.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS:

A card shower has been requested for Maurice and Nancy Meirowsky’s 65th wedding anniversary. They were married May 28, 1960, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Florence.

Three blood drives are planned in Marion County in coming weeks:

Pioneer Bluffs, the Center for Flint Hills Ranching Heritage north of Matfield Green, is seeking a new operations director now that SammyJo Happy has returned to ranching. More information is available from Nancy Mattke at (620) 753-3484 or nmattke1452@gmail.com.

Peabody’s community-made banners were erected last week and now are waving proudly on Main St. The banners were orchestrated by Topeka-based artist Carol Bradbury last fall thanks to a $8,500 grant provided by Kansas Arts Commission.

MEMORIES:

The Warriors’ season ended last week when Marion lost 4-3 to Little River in the first round of baseball playoffs May 14. Jameson Looper and Carson Krause each had two hits and scored one run. Pitcher Lander Smith had a hit and a run scored.

Top athletes from 16 schools, including Marion and Hillsboro, will compete Thursday in a Class 2A regional track and field meet at Marion. Marion and Hillsboro are among the sixteen competing.

Hillsboro’s golf team placed third place as a team Monday in Erie, qualifying to compete as a team Tuesday at state in McPherson. Individually, Lincoln Wichert placed eighth, and Braxton Biebert placed ninth.