Marion County RECORD

Reservoir's algae watch extended

After avoiding algae advisories most of last summer, Marion Reservoir is back to dealing with them on a weekly basis. A blue-green algae watch originally issued May 24 was extended for another week Friday by Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Party to replace legislator, Hill wins Senate seat in other counties

Northern and eastern Marion County soon will be getting a new state representative. Scott Hill, who has represented the 70th House District for the past 2½ years, was chosen Monday night to replace J.R. Claeys as state senator for the 24th District, consisting of Dickinson and Saline counties.

Fire from lightning strike destroys farmhouse

A farmhouse at 2267 Clover Rd. was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning after apparently being struck by lightning. The 1,458 square foot house, appraised at $73,000, was owned by Brenda Soyez, who operates Country Dreams Bed and Breakfast at 2309 Clover Rd.

Squad car lights stolen

It’s not unusual to see red and blue lights flashing atop a deputy’s squad car as he investigates a burglary. It’s more unusual when what’s stolen are the lights, and the owner is the sheriff’s department.

Shop's novelty never wears off

TC’s What-Not Shop is impossible to miss. Its bright-green facade, speckled with metallic lawn décor and fiery novelty signs (“Keep Calm and Return Fire”; “God is Great, Beer is Good, and People are Crazy”) lies just beyond the dividing line of Lula Creek.

Marion ordered to pay $76,000 for hiding incriminating text

In a dispute stemming from Marion withholding incriminating open records, a judge awarded more than $75,000 Thursday to the District Judge Ben Sexton had ruled April 4 that the city acted in “bad faith” and ordered it to pay the legal fees of Bernie Rhodes, who represents the

How less could become more, Same mill levys could mean much bigger tax bills

Dramatically increased appraisals mean mill levys throughout Marion County could fall substantially and still give government units the same amount of money. Or, if taxing units ignore so-called revenue neutral rates and keep mill levies the same, their take — and individual tax bills — could rise substantially.

Four likely warnings end up in arrests

Four routine traffic stops — the type that often result only in warnings — ended in four separate arrests within 28 hours this weekend for Hillsboro officer John Huebert. Going four for four on routine stops is quite unusual, assistant chief Randy Brazil said Monday.

Bricks restored to their place in history

Historic bricks in the 100 block of Elm St. were gently re-laid last week as part of reconstruction of curbs and guttering and replacement of a too-small drain pipe that leads to Luta Creek. The original bricks were laid about 100 years ago. Over time, they settled and became uneven, leading to drainage problems.

Marion's recycling to change hands

Recycling in Marion likely will soon be done by a contractor instead of the city. Recycling now costs city residents $8 a month for weekly pickup.

Property north of old county 'poor farm' to be sold

A 10-acre plot of land on Old Mill Rd. north of the former county “poor farm” will be sold after county counsel Brad Jantz worked up paperwork to transfer it to the county’s land bank. The land is unused and is becoming overgrown, Commissioner Mike Beneke told other commissioners Monday.

Rural neighbors' feud leads to weapons arrest

A rural Peabody man who apparently was in a long-running feud with neighbors was arrested Saturday after going to their house, firing a gun into the air, and making threats. Curtis L. Findley, 33, Peabody, was arrested on suspicion of making a criminal threat, aggravated assault, and criminal discharge of a firearm.

Symphony in Flint Hills plays final notes

A crowd of roughly 8,000 attended the final Symphony of the Flint Hills concert Saturday at Evans Family Ranch in Chase County. It was the 20th anniversary of the popular event.

Aquatic acrobatics: Inside Hillsboro water plant

Monday was a busy day at the Hillsboro water plant. A hot, windless weekend had created an algae bloom at Marion Reservoir, meaning iron and manganese levels had shot up in the town’s water supply.

Hillsboro upgrades lift stations

Hillsboro spent more than half its yearly sewer budget in one fell swoop Tuesday, approving upgrades to two of the city’s lift stations at a total cost of $158,291.37. Hillsboro has nine lift stations, which collect sewage and pump it to wastewater treatment plants.

Janice Gradert

Services for former Peabody, Marion, and Burns resident Janice Gradert, who died June 8, will be scheduled later. Born in December, 1938, to Donald and Laura Pierce, she grew up in Peabody.

Viola Hiebert

Services for Viola Hiebert, 97, Newton, who died May 28 at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, will be in July. A graveside service was May 31 in Ebenfeld cemetery, rural Hillsboro.

Roger Peterson

Services for Roger Frank Peterson, 92, Burdick, who died June 2 at Legacy Nursing Home, were June 8. Born Dec. 11, 1932, to Iver and Stella Hanson Peterson, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a farmer and rancher.

Louis Voelker

Services for Louis William Voelker, 85, who died June 11 at his home, were scheduled for 10 a.m. today at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Pilsen. Burial will be in Pilsen cemetery. A former Florence resident, he was born Jan. 10, 1940, in St. Louis to Robert and Marian Schilling Voelker.

Accidents investigated

Civil division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

Traffic division cases

Wanting to destroy Marion and other myths

Gossip and rumors — they’re the stuff of small towns and, in many cases, small minds. They’re also the stuff of newspapers, though responsible journalists like those at the A recent study subsidized by the National Institutes of Health — the type of study the Trump administration probably won’t pay for anymore — examined how what I like to call anti-social media has taken what used to be a minor problem and blown it up into a major one.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS:

No word on Marion couple injured in freak accident

Little information is available on how a Marion couple, Wayne and Barbara Akers, both 75, are doing after a freak accident June 6 while they were pedaling west along US-36 as part of Biking Across Kansas. A half a mile west of McDonald, the Akerses were struck by a tire that came loose from an oncoming trailer being pulled by a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Phillip Cole, 54, Granby, Montana.

Hillsboro library schedules movies

Three movies will be shown Saturday at Hillsboro Public Library. At 1:30 p.m., a movie will tell the story of Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco. Her new city causes her joy, fear, anger, sadness, disgust, and conflict on how to navigate life in a new house, city, and school.

Bina named to bar panel

Marion city attorney Brian Bina, who has offices in Marion and McPherson, was appointed Friday to a four-year term on the state Board for Discipline of Attorneys. The board, 20 attorneys appointed by the Supreme Court, assigns attorneys to review cases brought against other attorneys by the bar’s disciplinary administrator.

College degrees and honors

Senior center menus

4-H:

MEMORIES:

Seniors nervous after cuts to free commodities

After Kansas Department of Children and Families announced last week that a commodities program that ships free food across Kansas would pause this month because of a lack of federal funding, county seniors spoke Tuesday about what the program meant to them. The commodities program serves more than 250 low-income families in Marion County. Food usually is delivered from Concordia directly to Marion Senior Center.

Seniors can rest easy - for now - on meals

Seniors in Marion County are wondering whether Meals on Wheels and Friendship Meals could be the next to be hit after lack of federal financial support halted delivery of bimonthly commodities and an area agency on aging abruptly canceled its contract food service delivering meals for its 10 counties. “Everybody here, they’re very concerned,” county aging department director Lu Turk said.

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