BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
A blue-green algae warning for Marion Reservoir was continued Thursday for another week.
It is the only body of water in Kansas under an algae warning.
Such warnings, issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, have been in effect for the reservoir virtually every week during the summer vacation season for several years.
Marion County Lake is not affected.
More than 140 people crowded into St. Luke Hospital’s meeting room, stairwell, and clinic waiting room Tuesday to vote on a slate of six candidates vying for three seats on the board of directors.
When votes were counted after the lengthy voting process, two incumbents retained their seats and one new board member, former county commissioner Dan Holub, will be seated in July.
Public works employees spiffed up Central Park this week before mobs of people converged for Chingawassa Days.
Memorial and swan fountains were filled Tuesday morning, and both were scooped clean of leaves and other debris. Trees were trimmed, and grass mowed, so all would look inviting.
The population of Florence swelled more than tenfold this weekend as motorcycle riders and race enthusiasts — not to mention friends and supporters — crowded into town for the Flint Hills Bent Rims’ 2023 Florence Grand Prix.
The 501 registered racers came from Kansas, Colorado, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Vermont, Arkansas, and other states to compete.
Of the nearly 500 riders in Sunday’s Florence Grand Prix, three suffered injuries serious enough to require medical treatment.
One rider with a suspected fractured leg was taken to St. Luke Hospital.
Sarah Rathgeber was walking her dog, Tater, Sunday morning at Marion County Park and Lake when a larger dog that was not on a leash “came out of nowhere” at them.
“He saw my little dog, and he came flying,” Rathgeber said. “When he got up in Tater’s face, Tater barked, and when he barked, that was it. He got Tater. At this point, I’m yelling, including words my momma told me not to say.”
Cracks on Marion Municipal Airport’s runways have become a safety concern, an airport board member told city council members Tuesday.
Mitch Guetterman said a plane lost its tail wheel, and another blew out a tire.
Marion city council members voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint a retired Kansas City, Missouri, police captain as the city’s top law enforcement officer.
Gideon Cody will make $60,000 a year as police chief.
In a ceremony Tuesday on the street in front of the U.S. post office in Herington, the facility officially was renamed the Captain Emil Kapaun Post Office Building.
Kapaun was honored for his service as a military chaplain, and, particularly, as a chaplain at the Army air base east of Herington during World War II.
A color guard and firing squad from Gilbert-Poppe American Legion Post provided Memorial Day military honors at Pilsen and Lincolnville.
While some rural communities are losing their American Legion posts, the one at Lincolnville is very much alive and growing.
Deadline to file for office is noon today. As of Tuesday, Lehigh, Lost Springs, and Tampa had no candidates for mayor or council. Lincolnville had no filings for council.
Here are those who have filed. The number of positions is listed only if there more or fewer candidates have filed than there are number of positions to be filled.
Burns
Mayor — Mike Hammann.
Council — Roland Boesker and Mary Strotkamp.
Durham
Mayor — R. Gene Duke.
Council (5 positions) — Shirley Flaming and Nancy Lorraine Wedel.
Florence
Mayor (1 position)— Heather Burstein and Robert B. Gayle Jr.
Ward 1 — Gary “Mac” McCall.
Ward 2 (1 position)— John Burstein, Calvin Pendergrass, and Mark E. Slater.
Goessel
Council (3 positions) — Ariel Kraus and Amanda Voth.
Hillsboro
Mayor — Lou Thurston.
Ward 1 — Blake Beye.
Ward 2 — Ronald Wilkins.
Marion
Mayor — Mike Powers.
Council (2 positions) — Timothy Baxa, Ruth Herbel, and Amy M. Smith.
Unexpired council — Kevin Burkholder.
Peabody
Ramona
Council — Paul Alcorn, Mark Falley, and Arthur Stroda.
Centre SCHOOLS
Position
Position
Position
Position
Hillboro SCHOOLS
Board
Goessel SCHOOLS
Positions
Position
Marion SCHOOLS
Position
Position
Position
Position
Peabody-Burns SCHOOLS
Board (4 positions) — Paige Barnes and Teddy G. Dover.
Unexpired— no filings.
Eastshore Improvement
Trustee (3 positions) — Allen Albright, Brad Gorsuch, and Cliff Hodson.
LAKE Improvement
Trustee — Ed Burnett, Kathryn Shockley, and Greg Wyatt.
PILSEN Improvement
Trustee (3 positions) — no filings
Chisholm Trail Extension
Monday’s Memorial Day service at Pilsen included an unveiling of a Gold Star marker to honor family members of deceased veterans buried at St. John Nepomucene Cemetery.
The marker came about after a couple in Tennessee heard the story of Father Emil Kapaun on PBS. They contacted Garden Club of America, which arranged with Suburban Garden Club of Wichita, Kansas Associated Garden Club, and Pilsen Cemetery District to erect the marker.
A gathering in memory of former Marion resident Leon Hayen, 95, whose In Memoriam notice was published earlier, is planned for Marion Senior Center after his graveside service at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grant Township Cemetery east of Marion.
IN MEMORIAM:
Allen Schlehuber
That’s campsite No. 30 at Cottonwood Point.
They’ve set up their camper there for 19 years and counting.
They were raised in the Lincolnville and Marion area, but none of the eight siblings live there now. Five are planning to participate in the pilgrimage.
“Our parents’ memory and their faith inspire our family to make the pilgrimage,” daughter Nichole “Nicki” Bina said.
He lost everything in a 2018 fire in Paradise, California. He also struggled for years to try to make it as a musician in Nashville.
Now, Smith is an up-and-coming country singer whose song, “Whiskey on You,” reached the top of the country charts.
Andy Hansen owns one of Marion’s oldest homes at 202 E. Santa Fe St. Known as the Kellison house, the two-story limestone home dates to 1879, making it older than the Historic Elgin Hotel across the street.
It’s one of a multitude of stone structures across the county. A tour exploring the area to photograph them makes for a fun day.
The Rains family and the Dutton family meet at the lake most Memorial Day weekends to camp together.
They took a break from camping together for a couple of years, but still met this Memorial Day weekend.
The tick population already is heavier than usual this year, Marion County health director Krista Schneider said.
“There are a variety of reasons for that, including weather and the animal population,” she said.
We old editors have long memories and very special relationships with holidays.
Although later in my career I often was the editor in charge of various editions of the
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Another perfect dayLETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Memorial Day
Most of the work to refurbish an old school building into a child care center is done, and a Florence nonprofit organization is looking to hire a director for the center.
The soon-to-open child care center at 701 Doyle St. was more than 10 weeks in the works and involved bringing together a board of directors, forming a nonprofit organization, and recruiting volunteers to clean, paint, and refurbish an old special education building.
Sunshine Country Preschool marked the end of the school year recently with two celebrations.
The first was a program and picnic in Central Park at which students performed a variety of songs from the school year.
Libraries throughout the county will provide an escape from summer heat with a cool book to read. Participants can even earn prizes.
Burns
Burns Public Library’s summer reading program theme will be “All Together Now.”
ANNIVERSARY:
Couple to celebrate 50 yearsMEMORIES:
15,
30,
45,
60,
75,
110,
145 years ago
Losing Friday to St. Mary’s-Colgan in the state championship game, 13-3, in Great Bend, Marion became this year’s Class 2-1A baseball runner-up, finishing the season with a 21-3 record.
“In the finals, we just ran into the Colgan death star,” coach Roger Schroeder said. “They are a fantastic program that has competed at a high level for a long time,
Walking into the state tournament with an 8-13 record after winning a regional championship as an underdog, Hillsboro faced off last week against the 23-0 McLouth Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs run-ruled most opponents this year, but the Trojans were able to make them battle all seven innings.
Several Marion County athletes were among the top finishers when more than 3,000 athletes competed in six classes last week at the state track meet in Wichita.
Hillsboro
Zachary Denholm led the Hillsboro boys with a third-place finish in the 110 hurdles. Addison Jost led the girls with a fourth-place finish in the 800 run.
Marion’s Jack Lanning and Lander Smith this week were named to second team all-state in class 2-1A baseball.
Teammates Mitch Norris and Cooper Bailey made the honorable mention all-state team.
