Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

Workers among state's lowest paid
Marion County employers are among the lowest paying in Kansas, offering weekly wages 52.8% below the state average, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wages in east central Kansas tend to be lower, but Marion County wages are among the lowest of the low, ranking 98th among the state’s 105 counties.
Holiday miracle? Students walk away from crash
Two Arkansas sisters in their first week at Hesston Collegenarrowly escaped serious injury when a car they were traveling in on 150thRd. Monday afternoon ran off the road and careened in aspectacular trajectory through a ditch, narrowly missing a tree. “I blacked out,” driver Alexis Clemons, 23, a criminal justice major from Little Rock , said.
Aborted chase ends in arrest
Kansas Highway Patrol broke off a pursuit Friday night after a fleeing vehicle sped from McPherson County through Hillsboro. The vehicle was later found nearby, and an 18-year-old accused of being the driver was arrested.
Semi cargo fire still smoldering
A tractor-trailer loaded with cardboard continued smoldering Tuesday, more than a day after a blown tire sparked a four-alarm fire on US-50 near Alfalfa Rd. Florence firefighters returned Tuesday to check the remains, and may have to continue checking them until the tightly packed cardboard is completely extinguished, Marion County emergency management director Marcy Hostetler said.
Stranded boaters labor rescuers
Hillsboro firefighters were kept busy Labor Day weekend receiving two dispatches for boats stranded at Marion Reservoir. The first dispatch at around 1:25 p.m. Friday was canceled because another boater arrived to help.
A scary good display
Standing at 7 feet 8 inches, Marion Assisted Living’s scarecrow is hard to miss. It has a smiling jack-o-lantern for a head, a straw hat on top, and an oversized flannel shirt, and sits on hay bales surrounded by corn and milo donated by local farmers.

OTHER NEWS

Inaction leaves neighbor trimming tree
After the city did not act on his complaints, Peabody resident Floyd Smalley, 64, spent much of last week cutting back a neighboring tree that pressed against a transformer and pulled a communications line toward the ground. Fresh-cut limbs covered part of the alley Friday. A ladder braced what remained of the tree, Smalley’s pole saw stuck above it. A line still hung low through the work area.
Lone officer also a medic
Peabody’s lone police officer soon will have another job while he patrols the town. Charles Walker is expected to join Marion County Emergency Medical Service as a volunteer first responder, allowing him to provide additional medical care while an ambulance is en route.
County planning dispute continues
A dispute with Marion County planning and zoning officials continued Tuesday with commissioner Clarke Dirks accused planning and zoning of trying to thwart questions and applying a double standard to public criticism. Dirks used the public forum portion of a county commission meeting to respond to planning commission member Dave Mueller, who last week criticized what he called a “concerted attack” on planning and zoning.
Stop nets multiple doses of drugs
A traffic stop for a defective license-plate light led Hillsboro police to suspected fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and THC concentrate early Sept. 1. Brian Laroy Hart, 47, Hillsboro, was stopped in the 600 block of E. D St.
Marion approves tax increase
In a double-whammy Tuesday, Marion City Council unanimously approved its proposed 2027 budget exceeding the city's revenue neutral rate by four mills. A handful of members of the public attended back-to-back budget hearings, but none spoke during public comment.
Horses, goats win preliminary OK
A proposed zoning ordinance establishing a district for animals such as horses and goats within Marion’s city limits is moving forward. After Marion’s planning commission approved creating a special district Sept. 1, city council members Tuesday unanimously approved amendments to other ordinances allowing animals in the proposed district.

DEATHS

Jim Fitzmaurice
Graveside services for retired painter and handyman Jim Lee Fitzmaurice, 74, who died last Thursday at St. Luke Hospital, Marion, will be 10 a.m. this Thursday at Lincolnville Cemetery. Born June 14, 1952, in Wichita to Robert “Rocky” and Velma (Cannon) Fitzmaurice, he married Karen Love and worked as a painter for Wichita public schools and as a handyman.
Rodney Hague
Services for Rodney Hague, 75, who died Sept. 1 at his home in Peabody, were Sunday. Born Aug. 9, 1951, in Peabody to Eugene and Doris (McCoy) Hague, he also lived in Walton and on a farm near Hesston, where he graduated from high school and married Michelle Davis in 1969. They had two children, and the family settled in Peabody.
David Silhan
Funeral Mass for David W. Silhan, 62, who died Thursday at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro, will be at a time to be determined Saturday. Born Nov. 28, 1963, at St. Luke Hospital, Marion, to Robert and Juanita (Dowell) Silhan, he graduated from Centre High School in 1982 and attended vocational-technial school in Salina, majoring in offset printing.
IN MEMORIAM:
Neil Colle
IN MEMORIAM:
Margaret Glover
IN MEMORIAM:
Perry Steiner
IN MEMORIAM:
John Waner

FOR THE RECORD

OPINION

Seeking a respite from heat -- outdoors and in politics
If you can believe them, forecasters have been trotting out computerized groundhogs this week to tell us that today should be the first day of relief after 11 consecutive days of hat-trick temperatures in triple digits. Can you believe that it was only last year when we sponsored a contest to predict the year’s first 100-degree day and ended up having only one such day for the entire year?
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Famous last words
AMERICA AT 250:
Leaders who do less can sometimes do more

PEOPLE

New schedule for commodities
After a brief hiatus, free food distribution will resume in September at 10 Marion County locations. Bimonthly U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities will follow a new schedule. Distributions for residents of Marion, previously at the senior center on the third Wednesday of even-numbered months, now will be the third Thursday of odd-numbered months at Marion County Food Bank.
Cemetery board to meet
Public comment about cemetery-related concerns will be welcome at Prairie Lawn Cemetery’s budget and board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Peabody Senior Center.
School tech group to meet
Directors of Technology Excellence in Education Network, which provides online services to area school districts, will meet at 6 p.m. Sept 16 at the Hillsboro school district offices, 416 S. Date St., Hillsboro. More information is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.
Senior Center menus
MEMORIES:
10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 110, 150 years ago

SPORTS

FOOTBALL:
Marion holds off Remington; Peabody dominates
VOLLEYBALL:
Goessel starts season undefeated
CROSS COUNTRY:
Marion boys win at Lindsborg

MORE…

HOVER OVER IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT

A 7-foot-8 scarecrow waves to Eisenhower Dr. from outside Marion Assisted Living Community. Activities director Tabitha Meier said it took two days for the display to be set up. Materials came from Hobby Lobby, Goodwill, and area farmers.

Everyone gathered at a vintage baseball game Sunday evening in Florence to watch a game. A boy sat behind home plate enjoying a hot dog while watching vintage baseball.

As many as 30 various flags, with some featuring military insignia, were drawn by motorcycle Monday afternoon during Burdick's Labor Day parade.

Marion running back Landon Hendricks falls to the bottom of a dogpile in the end zone Friday for the Warriors' first touchdown of the season. Hendricks, a sophomore, was one of three players to score touchdowns in Marion's 18-8 season-opening victory.

Marion County RECORD

Kansas Highway Patrol broke off a pursuit Friday night after a fleeing vehicle sped from McPherson County through Hillsboro. The vehicle was later found nearby, and an 18-year-old accused of being the driver was arrested.

Hillsboro firefighters were kept busy Labor Day weekend receiving two dispatches for boats stranded at Marion Reservoir. The first dispatch at around 1:25 p.m. Friday was canceled because another boater arrived to help.

Standing at 7 feet 8 inches, Marion Assisted Living’s scarecrow is hard to miss. It has a smiling jack-o-lantern for a head, a straw hat on top, and an oversized flannel shirt, and sits on hay bales surrounded by corn and milo donated by local farmers.

Peabody’s lone police officer soon will have another job while he patrols the town. Charles Walker is expected to join Marion County Emergency Medical Service as a volunteer first responder, allowing him to provide additional medical care while an ambulance is en route.

A traffic stop for a defective license-plate light led Hillsboro police to suspected fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and THC concentrate early Sept. 1. Brian Laroy Hart, 47, Hillsboro, was stopped in the 600 block of E. D St.

In a double-whammy Tuesday, Marion City Council unanimously approved its proposed 2027 budget exceeding the city's revenue neutral rate by four mills. A handful of members of the public attended back-to-back budget hearings, but none spoke during public comment.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

AMERICA AT 250:

Public comment about cemetery-related concerns will be welcome at Prairie Lawn Cemetery’s budget and board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Peabody Senior Center.

Directors of Technology Excellence in Education Network, which provides online services to area school districts, will meet at 6 p.m. Sept 16 at the Hillsboro school district offices, 416 S. Date St., Hillsboro. More information is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.

MEMORIES:

FOOTBALL:

VOLLEYBALL:

CROSS COUNTRY: