Marion County RECORD

Kapaun to receive Medal of Honor

Eugene Vinduska, 82, of Pilsen said he was grateful to know Father Emil J. Kapaun when he pastored St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church. “He was a hero in the war,” he said. “But he wasn’t a hero here. When he was living here, he was just an ordinary one of us. I saw him in the grocery store, at the church and mowing the lawn. He served the community. I remember many times when he would sacrifice his lunch hour to chaperone us when we were playing outside. He taught me how to play soccer.”

City boy becomes Florence pastor

Mitchel Diemer doesn’t just want to stand behind the pulpit on Sunday mornings. He wants to be there for his congregation, no matter what. “I believe I’m here to re-energize the church in Florence,” he said. “This church has suffered from just having a preacher, not a pastor. I preach, but I’m not there to preach. I’m there for people. I’m there to teach. I’m there to invest time in people and, when you start doing that, you see energy — and the church definitely has some energy.”

$20,000 raised for pastor's sick daughter

Kathy Davis was shocked and afraid when she learned her 24-year-old daughter Rachel was diagnosed with kidney failure. Rachel Davis, currently in her last semester at the Charlotte School of Law in North Carolina, has received expensive treatments for kidney disease since October. Her doctor is still trying to determine if medicine can be used to increase kidney function or if Rachel Davis needs to go on dialysis. She has already been told that her immune system would reject a kidney transplant.

St. Luke Living Center recognized

A recent study by U.S. News & World Report named St. Luke Living Center as one of the top nursing homes in the country. “This is an incredible honor,” said St. Luke Living Center Director Janet Herzet. “It is a direct reflection of the commitment by our entire staff to provide quality care to each resident, every single day.”

LaVonne Ammeter

LaVonne Rose Gillet Ammeter was born March 21, 1930, to Roy Gillet and Hester (Clark) Gillet. LaVonne was the second of three siblings: Yvonne, who died at age 3 before LaVonne was born, and Donald. The family lived on a farm near Peabody for a few years and then moved to Summit Township. LaVonne graduated from Burns High School. While attending high school, LaVonne met the love of her life, Sherwin Ammeter. They were united in marriage on Jan. 15, 1948. LaVonne and Sherwin were blessed with four children: Myron, Melody, Blaine, and Stanley. They lived in rural Butler County for a short time before moving to a farmstead in Summit Township.

Stephen W. Fisher

Stephen W. Fisher, 53, of Bel Aire died March 4 at Via Christi-St. Joseph in Wichita. He was born April 30, 1959, in Big Spring, Texas, to Monte and Carolyn (Cave) Fisher. He was a computer scientist at Boeing for nearly 29 years. He graduated from Remington High School and Wichita State University. He married Magda Colón on June 19, 1999.

Alberta B. Harms

Alberta B. Harms, 84, of El Dorado and formerly of Potwin died March 5 at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado. She was born May 6, 1928, in southern Marion County to Otto and Esther (Gaines) Weber. She worked as a teacher for 35 years, mostly in first grade at Remington Elementary School.

LaVerna O. Miller

LaVerna O. Miller, 97, of Herington died March 5 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. She was born Oct. 25, 1915, to J. Edwin and Esther S. (Peterson) Carlson at the family home near Burdick. She was a homemaker and was involved with her church circle. She graduated from Diamond Valley High School, Burdick, in 1933.

James W. Muzyka

James W. Muzyka, 57, died March 7. He was born Jan. 11, 1957, in Queens, N.Y., the son of Michael and Sandra (Calacicco) Muzyka. He married Diane Bedford on Dec. 16, 1987. He is survived by his wife, Diane Muzyka, rural Peabody; one son, Chris Muzyka, Norfolk, Va.; one daughter, Katrina Muzyka, Wichita; one brother, Michael Muzyka, Bronx, N.Y., and one sister, Joan Lizzi, Debary, Fla.

Rosalie A. Wheeler

Rosalie A. “Ro” Wheeler, 83, of Sarasota, Fla., died Feb. 26. A memorial service for family and friends to celebrate her life will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Marion Presbyterian Church. Survivors include her sons: Edwin Jr., with his spouse, Cheri, of Marion, and Christopher, with his spouse Helena of Bethesda, Md.; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one sister, Mariwilla (Bill) Lumb of Junction City, Kan.; and one brother, Rex Myers of Kansas City, Kan.

R. Floyd Woosley

R. Floyd Woosley, 92, of Herington died March 4 at Herington Municipal Hospital. He was born Aug. 1, 1920, in Herington to Elmer L. and Cecelia C. (Metty) Woosley. He was a mechanic and handyman. He served in the U.S. Army after graduating from Herington High School in 1938.

Accidents reported

Civil cases

County jail

Criminal cases

Deeds

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses

Traffic cases

Donkeys find home in farmers' hearts

Carol Duerksen and Maynard Knepp are typical Marion County farmers with a herd of 30 cattle and a flock of near 50 head of sheep at their rural Hillsboro farm. What is not so typical about their operation however, is the small herd of seven donkeys that grew in number by one last week. “We just have them,” Duerksen said on Sunday. “Maynard dreams of having a team of donkeys pull a cart someday, but we haven’t got that far yet. They are sweet animals, as long as you let them have their way.”

Planting trees keeps Hefley happy

While many other farmers are in the process of tearing out trees and burning brush piles to gain tillable land, Jon Hefley of rural Marion works steadily to plant and maintain rows and rows of trees and bushes in various stages of growth. “I do it because it makes a good windbreak for the farm,” Hefley said. “We need more wildlife habitat, not less. My wife, my daughter, and me — we love trees. It doesn’t bother me a bit that while everybody else is tearing them out, I am planting more trees. It’s something I really believe in and enjoy doing.”

Crop insurance a concern with Farm Bill

It is going to be more difficult to pass a Farm Bill this year that puts a priority on crop insurance, since Kansas won’t be represented on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Mel Thompson, Ag Assistant to Sen. Pat Roberts. “Pat Roberts tried to educate everyone on the importance of crop insurance,” Thompson said. “The senators in Michigan and Mississippi deal with different crops then we do in Kansas. They don’t depend on crop insurance like Kansas farmers do. It’s going to be a battle — and we don’t know who’s going to win in the end.”

Crop assistance deadline is Friday

The application deadline for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency for certain crops is Friday. Crops eligible for benefits are limited to those not insurable in the county and produced for food or fiber.

Futures depend on markets

The two top factors influencing 2013 crop markets will be the weather and potential for rebound in demand, which diminished last year with high prices, which were driven by the drought, Daniel O’Brien told growers at the Agriculture Information Meeting in Marion. “It all depends on what the market does,” the Kansas State University grain expert said. “If we continue to have a high demand, then we’ll have to produce enough to meet it. If that changes, though, who knows what we could see as far as prices are concerned. The projection just shows the expectation for the market. If the demand varies, you could see different results.”

County seeks storage construction plans

Marion County Commission Chairman Randy Dallke will consult with an expert on metal buildings about the possible construction of a storage building south of the new jail. The commission on Monday discussed construction of a building to store emergency communications trailers, as well as documents that are overcrowding portions of the courthouse.

Tampa council lacks quorum

Tampa City Council did not have a quorum because the mayor and three council members were absent on March 4. No official business was conducted at the meeting. The meeting April 1 will start at 8 p.m. because of Daylight Savings Time.

Adapting to new postal realities

Living in a county divided into two area codes for phone service (785 and 620) is confusing enough. Having our county split up among three different postal sectional centers (668xx, 670xx and 674xx) has proved very problematic. Papers we dutifully mail each Wednesday sometimes don’t arrive until Saturday or later. Now, thanks to hard work by circulation manager Jean Stuchlik and excellent cooperation from local postmasters, we’re finally able to offer some hope.

Action needed to avert dismal future

The year is 2043 and the place is Marion. Main Street still shows evidence of a grant it was awarded in 2013 for a facelift to the downtown area, but the weeds growing through the cracks of the sidewalks and the deteriorating storefronts are trying to erase that evidence. The hospital is no longer state of the art, but in fair enough condition to see patients. All the students in the school district are now meeting in the middle school/high school building; the elementary school is empty due to decades of declining enrollment.

Bad days happen

Everybody has a bad day every once in a while. Just ask the KU and K-State basketball teams. We had a doozey ourselves last week, especially regarding stories about schools. Losing track of a note that Marion High School’s spring musical event had been delayed until this Thursday and Friday, we stupidly ran a story mentioning the original, week-earlier dates for the much-anticipated production of “If a Man Answers.”

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

Marion Reservoir cleanup is April 20

Marion Reservoir Cleanup Day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 20. Volunteers will pick up trash around the reservoir and all connecting waterways and riparian zones. Gloves, trash bags, and refreshments are provided. Volunteers should meet at the Corps of Engineers Office on the east side of the dam.

Quilt show starts Monday at library

Marion City Library will have its annual Quilt show Monday through March 30 during regular hours. More than 25 quilts and wall hangings will be displayed, showcasing Marion County quilters.

Commodities available Monday

Senior centers in Marion County will begin distributing food commodities from U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday. Each site will distribute on its own schedule. Commodities are available based on income eligibility guidelines. The maximum income for a household of one to receive food is $1,211 per month. The income cap increases by $429 for each additional family member.

Butler offers fun day classes

A free day of classes will be offered April 6 in Marion by Butler Community College, 412 N. Second St. 8:30-9:35 a.m. “KW’s Workout for Kids and Parents,” with certified fitness instructor Karen Williams, Room 202.

St. Patrick's Day is theme of club meeting

Twentieth Century Club met March 4 at Zimmerman’s with 22 members present for dinner. The theme was St. Patrick’s Day, and the tables were decorated with Irish décor. Margaret Pickering and Helen Reznicek were the hostesses. They also spoke about their recent trip to Ireland.

Eurit to go to Wales

Colin Eurit is raising money to go to Cardiff, Wales on a 10-day mission trip. Eurit, currently a sophomore at Kansas State University, is collaborating with an on-campus ministry Called to Greatness for the trip. Eurit said the group will be serving a church that was planted a year ago. They also will be talking to hundreds of university students while overseas.

Neo-Century Club hears about gardening

Neo-Century Club met March 4 at Hilltop Manor in Marion. Hostesses for the meeting were Marge Christensen and Theodora Koslowsky. Wendy Youk, owner of Aunt Bee’s Garden Shop, presented a program on houseplant care and spring gardening tips.

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MEMORIES:

WEDDING:

Elementary school adding instruction

Marion Elementary School is going to increase the amount of instruction available for students who need it in math and reading in the 2013-14 school year, Cindy Vinduska and Michelle Flaming told USD 408 Board of Education on Monday. Three years ago, the school implemented Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in reading for students who need extra instruction, identified with tests in the fall, winter, and spring. Students who need the extra help are placed into small groups specific to the areas they need extra work on. The school has added MTSS for math since then as well.

Butler enrollment up in Marion

Amy Kjellin, director of Butler Community College in Marion and Council Grove, told Marion Kiwanis on Tuesday that enrollment is up about 20 percent compared to spring 2012. While community colleges have seen a sustained growth in enrollment in recent years, this year enrollment in the whole Butler Community College system was down a little bit. That makes the growth in Marion even more impressive.

Insurance premiums increase for Centre

After a presentation Monday by Bruce Shultz, a representative of Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance, the Centre Board of Education renewed the current policy for the next year beginning May 1, with a premium of $338 per employee, an increase of 6.98 percent. Shultz told the board to expect a double-digit increase next year. He said if a major illness or disease occurred among the insured, the premium could rise by as much as 15 percent, as allowed by state law.

FFA members win awards

Members of the Marion/Florence FFA were selected to receive several awards at the South Central District FFA selection day activities on Friday. Five members were selected to receive district proficiency awards for activities relating to their supervised agriculture experience programs. In order to apply, members had to complete a 10-page application explaining their activities and financial earnings along with six pictures of their project.

Middle school choir rates high

Marion Middle School music department participated in the Heart of America League Music Festival on March 5 in Galva. Choir received a “One” rating, the best available. Band received a “Two” rating. The seventh- and eighth-grade boys ensembles each received a One rating. The seventh-grade and eighth-grade girls ensembles each received a Two rating.

Centre cooks enjoy serving students

“Hello. How are you this morning?” Inga Nordstrom meets students with a cheery greeting as they come to the Centre lunchroom to eat breakfast on school day mornings. She often addresses them by name.

Chinese students visit Centre

The first of several planned cultural exchanges between USD 397 students and Chinese college students in the U.S. occurred March 1 at Centre. Nine Kansas State University students and their professor, Wei Wu, visited classrooms and taught kindergarten through 12th grade students about Chinese culture and the Chinese New Year. Students learned Chinese words, symbols, and music.

Scholars bowl teams place at middle school

The Marion Middle School scholars bowl teams both placed at the Berean Academy meet on Monday. The seventh grade team posted a 4-1 record to win its division. The Wildcats defeated Canton-Galva, 40-25, Berean, 60-50, Peabody-Burns, 80-20, and Centre, 60-30. They lost to Remington, 60-35.

Turnovers plague Lady Cougars at state

Competing against third-seed St. John March 6 in the state 1A Division 1 tournament at Emporia proved to be tougher for the sixth-seed Lady Cougars than they or the coach expected. A strong defense and numerous steals resulted in a 55-26 loss. St. John put on a full-court press, double-teaming or even triple-teaming point guard Shelby Makovec as she worked to bring the ball to the Centre end of the court. Coach Alan Stahlecker called it a “suffocating” defense for which he had not properly prepared his players.

End-of-year stats reported for Centre girls

The Centre High School girls’ basketball team ended the 2012-13 season with a record of 16-7. The team shot an average of 36.4 percent from the field and 58.4 percent from the free-throw line. Final statistics on team members who played 20 to 23 games follow. Individual statistics

Two-point field goals: Cacey Simons, 75-of-172 (43.6 percent); Bryanna Svoboda, 29-71 (40.8); Makenzie Deines, 69-176 (39.2); Shelby Makovec, 68-181 (37.6); Genesis Rudolph, 18-50 (36); Beka Basore, 41-134 (30.6); Amy Makovec, 18-66 (27.3).

Three-point field goals: Deines, 2-4 (50); Rudolph, 8-23 (34.8); Simons, 24-70 (34.3); Shelby Makovec, 32-113 (28.3); Svoboda, 12-50 (24); Amy Makovec, 1-6 (16.7).

Free throws: Simons, 41-56 (73.2); Shelby Makovec, 89-133 (66.9); Amy Makovec, 8-12 (66.7); Rudolph, 7-12 (58.3); Basore, 33-62(53.2); Svoboda, 8-16 (50); Deines, 23-60 (38.3).

Total points: Shelby Makovec, 321 (14 avg.); Simons, 263 (11.4); Deines, 167 (7.6); Basore, 115 (5); Svoboda, 102 (4.9); Rudolph, 67 (3.2); Amy Makovec, 47 (2.1).

Total rebounds: Basore, 190; Simons, 140; Deines, 128; Shelby Makovec, 65; Svoboda, 55; Rudolph, 39; Amy Makovec, 33.

Assists: Shelby Makovec, 100; Simons, 48; Svoboda, 35; Amy Makovec, 34; Deines, 28; Rudolph, 17; Basore, 15.

Blocks: Simons, 28; Deines, 19; Svoboda, 14; Basore, 12; Shelby Makovec, 5; Rudolph, 1.

Steals: Shelby Makovec, 66; Basore, 43; Svoboda, 41; Simons, 34; Deines, 32; Amy Makovec, 27; Rudolph, 25.

Centre players named to league first team

Centre senior Justin Deines, juniors Ty Simons and Cacey Simons, and sophomore Shelby Makovec were named to Wheat State League first team basketball squads.

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