25 years ago

September 12, 1984

Two raging prairie fires fueled by strong south winds left a charred path on southern Marion County Thursday and Friday, as volunteer firefighters from six city departments and many helping farmers fought the blazes. The first major fire started Thursday afternoon at “Watchorn Corner,” five miles east of Peabody. The second fire started Friday afternoon about 3½ miles south of Florence.

William Keith of Marion won many high awards in the clown competition at the Central States Shrine convention in Kansas City over the weekend. Keith belongs to Midian Shrine Temple in Wichita.

Several members of the John Hett family and some of their friends returned Friday from a week of fellowship and fun at Vacation Inn in Estes Park, Colo.

Marion High School Warriors dropped their first game of the season Friday night to Peabody, 34-23, a game that they were expected to win. Four starters were on the sidelines during the unlikely rout. Two of them were ineligible because they lacked the required number of practices, one was injured, and one was recovering from appendix surgery.