Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

Officials defend hotel study
A $7,000 feasibility study paid for by the City of Marion has concluded the area can support an additional 31-unit hotel, but the consultant who created the report has been criticized elsewhere for performing what some call misleading research. Despite criticism and apparent flaws in the report — such as its listing as current a local restaurant that closed after a fire more than two years ago — city officials say they are confident in the research and think it was worth the expense.
No U don't ... during detour
With a detour set to possibly double traffic on Main St., Marion has challenged tradition by temporarily banning U-turns at 1st and Main Sts. “It’s a hard habit to break and a pain,” Marion resident Kelley Schafers said.
Flood forces evacuation
Homes and campsites were evacuated and roads closed Monday because of flooding from heavy rain that fell overnight Sunday. Amounts varied, with reports generally ranging from 2½ to 4 inches. The largest rainfall was reported by a Weather Underground reporting station in Durham.
Chickens scratched from fair, fouling kids' projects
Aubrey Craig of Florence had the champion standard bantam chicken last year at the county fair. She won’t this year. Neither will anyone else.
'Summer family' supports county lake
In its eighth year, Bluegrass at the Lake has become a regular event for musicians, campers, and concertgoers from outside Marion County. What residents may not know is that a group of out-of-towners helped breathe life into the annual concert.
Another transformation for legendary train car
A piece of local history was recently transformed, again. A train car that once served as Owl Car café has been repurposed into an exhibit dubbed, The Legend, now on display at the National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia.
Dairy Queen put on ice
In a business that requires both money and commitment, Marion hasn’t found both at the same time. Investors who agreed to set up a Dairy Queen restaurant have backed out, economic development director Terry Jones said last week.
Rains swamp wheat harvest
Alan Hett of Marion said Monday what is on the mind of every farmer who has wheat to harvest: “I wish it’d stop raining.” Torrential rain late Sunday into early Monday dashed hopes that combines would be moving into fields before the end of the week. Additional rain could push that back even further.

OTHER HEADLINES

Nearly 1,000 fellow riders spend night in her hometown
It was hot and humid, and Denise Duerksen was riding her bicycle down a shimmering highway, headed toward her hometown. By the time Duerksen reached Goessel High School, her alma mater, she had ridden 54 miles that day, was a touch saddle sore, and was ready for a break.
Record recycling creates windfall
Marion County recycled more tons in May than it ever has. Improving on its previous high by more than 18 tons, the county recycled 53.82 tons, netting the county a windfall of about $3,200 for May alone.
Blue-green algae resumes at reservoir
The water level isn’t the only thing that’s high at Marion Reservoir. So, too, is the level of blue-green algae, enough so that Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued the first warning of the year Thursday.
County road projects listed
With the amount of rain Marion County has been receiving this year, many of the roads have been needing repair. At a county commission meeting on Monday, road superintendent Randy Crawford proposed a possible plan for 2016 and 2017.
County to spend $17,000 on medical record storage
Marion County will spend $17,000, up to $10,000 of which will be reimbursed, for a new system to store medical records for the health department. Commissioners approved the system, which also will have a $6,000 annual cost, Monday.
Threat of rain fails to wash out classic car show
The weather was all bark and no bite. For the 30 participants in the Route 56 Classic Cruisers car show Saturday at Memorial Park in Hillsboro, the threat of rain was no excuse to deprive themselves of a good time. Event organizer Kim Abrahams of Hillsboro said attendance would have been greater had the forecast not been so ominous, but he was pleased nonetheless.
Concert to feature local musicians, beer garden
Local musicians and a beer garden will be among the attractions Saturday at Bluegrass at the Lake. The Marion County Lake concert will feature Tallgrass Express String Band from 6 to 8 p.m. and Serenity String Band from 8 to 10 p.m.
Catfish tourney planned at lake
MNKS Catfish Club will sponsor a catfish tournament from 6 p.m. to midnight June 27 at Marion County Park and Lake. Total weight of catfish at a midnight weigh-in will determine the winner.

DEATHS

Ron Balzer
Farmer and rancher Richard E. Balzer, 85, who moved from Hillsboro to Halstead in 1965, died Monday at Via Christi-St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. A committal service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Haven of Rest Cemetery, Hillsboro. A celebration of life will follow at 11:30 a.m. at First Mennonite Church, Halstead. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Kaufman Funeral Home, 418 Chestnut St., Halstead.
Mary Overton
Mary J. Overton, 70, died June 10 at Pine Village, Moundridge. She was born May 23, 1945, at Grinnell to Fred and Mary (Meerian) Wolf. On Aug. 16, 1965, she married Alan E. Overton, who survives.
IN MEMORIAM:
Ron Funk, Neva Heidebrecht, 'Luke' Siebert

DOCKET

OPINION

Being 10 again: A signature moment
I’m a news reporter, which is quite far off from my former dream of being a punt returner, specifically for the Green Bay Packers. I was raised a Packers fan and haven’t wavered in that loyalty. I wavered in my expectations of my own football capabilities, a process that began when I realized I wanted no part of getting hit by all the dudes joining the football team my freshman year of high school.
Publisher to collaborate with Dallas newspaper
Publisher Eric Meyer, who when not working here is a tenured journalism professor at the University of Illinois, has been selected by the Scripps-Howard Foundation to serve as a visiting professor of social media for the next two weeks at the Dallas Morning News. Meyer is among six journalism professors worldwide chosen to consult with leading news organizations as part of a competition conducted by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Road hire a payoff?
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Remember: It's a gift

PEOPLE

Couple celebrates 60th anniversary
Ron and Dora (Duerksen) Unruh of rural Durham recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They married June 1, 1955, at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church in rural Goessel and have lived and farmed northwest of Durham since.
National Guard band to perform in Marion
The Kansas National Guard’s 35th Infantry Division Band will present a free “Home Front Concert” 7 p.m. June 23 at Marion High School Performing Arts Center. The band, with roughly 42 musicians, are traveling throughout Kansas to present concerts that include military marches, vocal music, patriotic tunes and big band selections along with popular rock.
Fire marshal talks to Kiwanis
Chris Mercer of the state fire marshal’s office told Marion Kiwanis members Tuesday about his job as a certified fire investigator. Mercer is responsible for 10 counties in Kansas. Kiwanis members watched videos of fires staged by a team of experts, and Mercer explained the burn patterns and how fast a fire can spread.
Chamber to discuss its future
The future of the Marion Chamber of Commerce will be discussed at a lunch meeting for all members at noon Friday at Marion Community Center. More information is available at chinga@eaglecom.net.
Loan officer hired
Citizens State Bank has hired Tyler Ottensmeier of McLouth as an agricultural loan officer, based in Goessel. He is a spring graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in animal science and industry and an emphasis in business.
Library tour to feature 6 gardens
Six gardens will be on display for Marion City Library’s annual garden tour from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 27. Tickets cost $5 and are sold only at the library, where refreshments also will be served. Gardens on this year’s tour include the homes of Jerry and Lenore Dieter, Les and Pam Byer, Duane and Lori Kirkpatrick, Roger and Janell Holter, Gary and Elaine Ewert, and Dwight and Julie Nelson.
Richmonds attend graduation
Jim and Violet Richmond spent 10 days in Austin, Texas, with their son Rick and his son, Ben. They attended Ben’s graduation from L.C. Anderson High School at the Frank Erwin Center on the University of Texas campus.
Bible school to have family event
Zion Lutheran Church of Hillsboro will sponsor a vacation Bible school fun day for families from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28. The day will include storytelling, games, music, crafts, and a Bible challenge. Snack and lunch will be provided.Reservations are accepted through Monday at (620) 947-1519.
Area colleges honor roll
Calendar of events
MARION SENIOR CENTER:
Police handle mysterious beeps
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 35, 50, 60, 100, 125

SENIOR LIVING

Kids get crafty with volunteerism
The three of them stood nervously in the hallway, not knowing what to expect. It was the first time participating in Bethesda Home’s junior volunteer summer program for Logan Sterk, 11; Kendall Hiebert, 14; and Delica Ewert, 13. It’s not that they were unfamiliar with the place; Delica’s great-grandmother lives there, Kendall had been there before, and Logan had just finished fifth grade, which has a program, Generation Bridge, that takes fifth graders to the nursing home to help out.
Coffee women boast gift of gab
A sisterhood of loquacious women has been meeting the first Tuesday of every month at various locations in Marion under the guise of coffee sipping, but their motive is clear. They just love to chat.

SPORTS

Marion sport physicals July 2
Marion sport physicals will be from 9 a.m. to noon July 2 at the St. Luke Physician Clinic. Forms are available in advance from the clinic and coaches and must be signed by both parents and students. A $10 fee, payable to Marion High School, will be collected.
Matz named NAIA scholar athlete
For the second year in a row, Adam Matz from Lincolnville has been named as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics scholar-athlete. Matz, son of Steve and Janet Matz, is among 17 student athletes from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference to earn the honor. He qualified by earning a grade-point average of at least 3.5 while playing baseball at Kansas Wesleyan University.

Marion County RECORD

With a detour set to possibly double traffic on Main St., Marion has challenged tradition by temporarily banning U-turns at 1st and Main Sts. “It’s a hard habit to break and a pain,” Marion resident Kelley Schafers said.

Homes and campsites were evacuated and roads closed Monday because of flooding from heavy rain that fell overnight Sunday. Amounts varied, with reports generally ranging from 2½ to 4 inches. The largest rainfall was reported by a Weather Underground reporting station in Durham.

Aubrey Craig of Florence had the champion standard bantam chicken last year at the county fair. She won’t this year. Neither will anyone else.

In its eighth year, Bluegrass at the Lake has become a regular event for musicians, campers, and concertgoers from outside Marion County. What residents may not know is that a group of out-of-towners helped breathe life into the annual concert.

A piece of local history was recently transformed, again. A train car that once served as Owl Car café has been repurposed into an exhibit dubbed, The Legend, now on display at the National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia.

In a business that requires both money and commitment, Marion hasn’t found both at the same time. Investors who agreed to set up a Dairy Queen restaurant have backed out, economic development director Terry Jones said last week.

It was hot and humid, and Denise Duerksen was riding her bicycle down a shimmering highway, headed toward her hometown. By the time Duerksen reached Goessel High School, her alma mater, she had ridden 54 miles that day, was a touch saddle sore, and was ready for a break.

Marion County recycled more tons in May than it ever has. Improving on its previous high by more than 18 tons, the county recycled 53.82 tons, netting the county a windfall of about $3,200 for May alone.

The water level isn’t the only thing that’s high at Marion Reservoir. So, too, is the level of blue-green algae, enough so that Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued the first warning of the year Thursday.

With the amount of rain Marion County has been receiving this year, many of the roads have been needing repair. At a county commission meeting on Monday, road superintendent Randy Crawford proposed a possible plan for 2016 and 2017.

Marion County will spend $17,000, up to $10,000 of which will be reimbursed, for a new system to store medical records for the health department. Commissioners approved the system, which also will have a $6,000 annual cost, Monday.

Local musicians and a beer garden will be among the attractions Saturday at Bluegrass at the Lake. The Marion County Lake concert will feature Tallgrass Express String Band from 6 to 8 p.m. and Serenity String Band from 8 to 10 p.m.

MNKS Catfish Club will sponsor a catfish tournament from 6 p.m. to midnight June 27 at Marion County Park and Lake. Total weight of catfish at a midnight weigh-in will determine the winner.

Mary J. Overton, 70, died June 10 at Pine Village, Moundridge. She was born May 23, 1945, at Grinnell to Fred and Mary (Meerian) Wolf. On Aug. 16, 1965, she married Alan E. Overton, who survives.

IN MEMORIAM:

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Ron and Dora (Duerksen) Unruh of rural Durham recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They married June 1, 1955, at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church in rural Goessel and have lived and farmed northwest of Durham since.

The future of the Marion Chamber of Commerce will be discussed at a lunch meeting for all members at noon Friday at Marion Community Center. More information is available at chinga@eaglecom.net.

Citizens State Bank has hired Tyler Ottensmeier of McLouth as an agricultural loan officer, based in Goessel. He is a spring graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in animal science and industry and an emphasis in business.

Jim and Violet Richmond spent 10 days in Austin, Texas, with their son Rick and his son, Ben. They attended Ben’s graduation from L.C. Anderson High School at the Frank Erwin Center on the University of Texas campus.

Zion Lutheran Church of Hillsboro will sponsor a vacation Bible school fun day for families from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28. The day will include storytelling, games, music, crafts, and a Bible challenge. Snack and lunch will be provided.Reservations are accepted through Monday at (620) 947-1519.

MARION SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

A sisterhood of loquacious women has been meeting the first Tuesday of every month at various locations in Marion under the guise of coffee sipping, but their motive is clear. They just love to chat.

Marion sport physicals will be from 9 a.m. to noon July 2 at the St. Luke Physician Clinic. Forms are available in advance from the clinic and coaches and must be signed by both parents and students. A $10 fee, payable to Marion High School, will be collected.