Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

COVID surge nears record
With 71 new COVID-19 cases in Marion County over this past week, it’s no surprise so many Marion Middle School students were quarantined that schools had to close Friday and the district changed its attendance policy. Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported the highest numbers during the week were Nov. 1, with 21 cases; Nov. 4, with 19 cases; and Nov. 10, with 10 cases.
Marion faces $800 tab for billing blunder
Marion taxpayers will likely pay $804 to get a second, corrected round of utility bills in November. A billing blunder caused August utility bills to be sent out this month. When the city was made aware of the error, November bills were sent out.
Thief eludes manhunt: $3,142 shoplifter avoids half-dozen deputies, aerial survelliance
A late Friday theft at Newton’s Walmart culminated in a chase that ended with the arrest of one suspect in a rural Marion County driveway and the escape of her accomplice despite a manhunt by half a dozen deputies, a drone, a highway patrol aircraft, and a police dog. Newton deputy chief of police Scott Powell said Walmart notified police at 9:41 p.m. that male and female suspects left the store with $3,142 worth of merchandise and loaded it into a silver Chrysler Town and Country minivan.
Ailing driver pulls over and into a hedge row
Two ambulance crews spent 20 minutes searching Friday evening before discovering a pickup truck whose driver, feeling ill, had driven off a roadway, through a four-foot ditch and a field, and into a tree in a hedge row 100 feet away. At 7:05 p.m., dispatchers were notified by a caller that Randy Eitzen, 62, rural Peabody, had telephoned to say he was about to pass out while driving near 90th and Indigo Rds.
Love for sale: Estate sales bring - and keep - Vinduskas together
Lincolnville auctioneer Joe Vinduska and his wife, Tish, have the estate auction routine perfected. Friday, they ran an estate sale for the family of a Marion resident.
Article asks: Is Kapaun community up to challenge?
A 22-page article by award-winning writer Stan Finger in a Kansas Leadership Council magazine questions whether Pilsen, Marion, and the Wichita Diocese can work together to ready Pilsen for a greater influx of visitors if Chaplain Emil Kapaun is canonized. The article notes a growing interest among Catholic faithful and some Protestants in visiting Kapaun’s hometown since he was declared a Servant of God, thus beginning the process, in 1993.

OTHER NEWS

Former commissioner speaks; commission changes rules
Dianne Novak returned to the county commission Monday — this time as a private citizen, complaining that all elections should be counted by hand to prohibit tampering. Commissioners responded by expressing unwillingness to listen to future citizen concerns without knowing in advance what the topic might be.
Slower is better with 2 lbs. of pot
A Tennessee man speeding east on K-150 early Nov. 3 probably didn’t expect overnight accommodations at the jail, but that’s where he spent the night. Robert D. Thomas, 30, Murphreesboro, Tennessee, was pulled over by deputy Joel Womochil. When Womochil approached Thomas’ vehicle, he noticed the smell of marijuana.
Keeping rainwater draining; Project hopes to do just that
Cottonwood Valley Drainage District has contracted with Pasture Clearing Solutions, owned and operated by Brad Klenda of Lincolnville, to clear brush and undesirable trees from the dry bed of a former Cottonwood River channel in southwest Marion and to remove piles of debris that has collected and prevented good drainage. Keeping drainage flowing is the job of the district, which was organized in 1929, after the Cottonwood River was rerouted in an attempt to prevent flooding in Marion.
Toy run floods Hillsboro
The spirit of Christmas smelled a lot like burnt gasoline Saturday at the 28th annual Marion County Toy Run. A total of 117 motorcycles and 21 antique cars rolled down N Main St. in Hillsboro to deliver toys and food pantry items to Hillsboro State Bank’s community tree.
New landlord wants to support others
Jason Schafers worked through the weekend to finish renovations on 226 S Freeborn St. in Marion, which he owns under his new property management business, to get it ready for a renter. Schafers got a business license for ROA - 40 Property Management (named after an inside joke, according to him) in November. He has worked with real estate for two months and got into the property management business while working at Tony’s Plumbing.
Windows, siding business opens its doors
An old gas station at 2467 US-50 outside Florence is now host to Blaze Siding and Windows, a nine-year-old business owned by Florence residents Tom and Dawna Blaes. You read that correctly — the Blaeses’ business is named Blaze Siding and Windows.

DEATHS

Larry Cushenbery
A private graveside service for Larry Joe Cushenbery, 63, Tampa, who died Oct. 20 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, will be Friday at Durham Park Cemetery. Pastor Curtis Wiens will officiate. A public celebration of life will be scheduled later. Born Feb. 15, 1958, in Wichita to John and Laveta (Toole) Cushenbery, he married Yvonne West on Nov. 4, 1978, in Wichita.
IN MEMORIAM:
David Helmer

DOCKET

HEALTH

Nurse named state's health care worker of year
St. Luke Hospital and Living Center chief nursing officer Kathy McMillen is this year’s Kansas Hospital Association health care worker of the year. Winners are selected based on leadership, teamwork, dedication, and perseverance. The award recognizes workers who are role models for other staff members and whose work reflects the values and mission of the hospital they serve.
2nd generation surgeon arrives
Surgeon Marc Duverseau will begin seeing patients Nov. 18 at St. Luke Hospital in Marion. His arrival coincides with the departure of surgeon Todd Brown, who saw patients in Marion for two years.
Kids may have to wait for vaccine
Although a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was approved Oct. 28 for ages 5 and older, Marion County parents won’t be able to vaccinate their children until later in November. County medical officer Don Hodson said Marion County Health Department would figure out how to distribute the vaccine next week.
Health facilities say they'll comply with mandate
Three local facilities say they will comply with a new federal mandate requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, but they want questions answered first. Others could not be reached for comment.
Protester says she helps people
Kathy Heart of rural Hillsboro spent most of Nov. 3 trying to persuade people that COVID-19 vaccines aren’t safe. She stood at the intersection of Prairie Pointe and E. C St., which drivers had to pass to reach the clinic, holding a sign that read, “COVID info please stop here.”

OPINION

The best lie is telling half the truth
Half-truths are no truth at all. Nothing proves that more clearly than a letter this week from a reader concerned that we don’t understand patriotism and liberty and a social media posting by a mayor who’s made a career out of deceptive statements. The editorial to which the reader responded dealt with conflict between doing one’s patriotic duty to protect fellow citizens and exercising self-indulgent freedom to put the health of others at risk by refusing to be vaccinated or wear masks.
It's time to quarantine really bad ideas
Avoid politics or religion, the old saying goes. Nowadays, we may have to add sports to the banned-topic list if we want reasonable discourse about the pandemic we continue to endure. We’re pretty sure loyal subjects of Chiefs Kingdom are perfectly happy with Aaron Rodgers proving yet again that football players — taking livestock de-wormer to prevent COVID — are no less inclined to stupidity than the rest of us.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Mingling with jocks
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Patriots for Liberty

PEOPLE

Tabor freshman wins Lennon scholarship
Winning a John Lennon scholarship funded by Yoko Ono and Gibson Musical Instruments is merely the latest musical accomplishment for 18-year-old Tabor College freshman Mollie Beaver. Sony ATV Music Publishing, Universal, Arista Records, and Megahouse judged the contest, which annually recognizes three top original songwriters between the ages of 17 and 24 with awards totaling $20,000.
Christmas showcase planned
Peabody Auxiliary Christmas Showcase will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 4 at the American Legion post in Peabody. Vendors will sell crafts, baked goods, and products from home-based businesses.
Dallkes to celebrate 50 years
A card shower is planned for the 50th wedding anniversary Saturday of Randy and Cindy Dallke of Peabody. They were married Nov. 13, 1971, at the Harvey County courthouse in Newton.
Food offered to low-income families
Free food will be available next week for low-income families. To qualify, a family must have monthly income of less than $1,396 plus $491 for each additional member of the household after the first.
Gift cards offered
People donating blood from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 23 at Centre High School will receive $10 gift cards from online retailer Amazon.com. Appointments are being accepted at (800) 733-2767.
Bowling league results
Senior center menus
4-H:
Tampa Triple T's
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 100, 140 years ago

SCHOOL

Marion theater to be alive with 'Sound of Music'
Despite COVID-19, Marion High plans to put on “The Sound of Music” at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 and 20. “I wanted something that was going to be a challenge but also acceptable for the kids,” vocal music teacher Ruth Springer said. “It’s also a musical that a lot of the kids have a connection with; they had a strong desire to do it.”
Hillsboro to present 'Shrek' musical
Vocal music teacher Lynn Just is organizing a different theatre production for Hillsboro High School: “Shrek.” “It seemed to fit the kids that I have right now,” she said.
Centre plans veterans program
Centre musical director Amy Harms will direct a Veterans Day program at 9 a.m. Thursday in the school’s main gymnasium. Students will sing Armed Forces theme songs, and some will be dressed in costume as historical figures.
Centre Greenhands place 1st
A first-year parliamentary procedure team from Centre FFA placed first at a south central district leadership school Monday at Arkansas City. Chairman Olivia Carlson led assembly members Kaity Bina, Hailey Barton-Whitcomb, Dwayne Moening, Robert Spohn, and Hayley Whiteley.
Honor roll
Frequent substitute teachers to get raise
Substitute teachers will get a raise, two veteran educators will retire, and three students will get class credit for observing those actions at Monday’s meeting of the Hillsboro school board. Hillsboro Elementary School principal Evan Yoder and district superintendent Max Heinrichs announced their retirements after this school year.
Personnel changes made at Centre
At its monthly meeting Monday, the Centre board of education appointed teacher Tye Remy the new play director at Centre. Leann Trout was hired to be an assistant girls’ basketball coach after Tim Vinduska resigned the position. Her mother, Sherri Pankratz, is head coach.
TEEN to meet
Board members who oversee the local TEEN educational cooperative, Technology Excellence in Education Network, will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Marion school district offices. Information about the meeting is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.
Marion school board amends quarantine policies
Three days after classes at Marion-Florence Classes were canceled this past Friday in the hope that time and extra cleaning would head off expansion of an unusually high number of students in quarantine.

SPORTS

Trojans speed past Roadrunners
The senior class at Hillsboro High School would have been toddlers the last time the Trojans advanced to the state quarterfinals in football. That was in 2006, and the Trojans upended Sacred Heart-Salina before being cut down in the final four by eventual state runner-up Garden Plain.
Bluebirds also advance in playoffs
Goessel quickly took control of its eight-player football playoff game Friday to become one of just eight teams left in the Class 1A Division 1 playoffs. The first play from scrimmage was a 40-yard gallop by Grant Bryant, bursting through the middle of the line and being dragged out of bounds near the goal line.
4 named all-league in volleyball
Seniors Carly Deines of Centre, Mya Winter of Peabody-Burns, and Kaleigh Guhr and Rachael Zogleman of Goessel this past week were named the first team all-league volleyball team by the Wheat State League. Junior Ashley Rosfeld and freshman Brooklyn Wuest of Goessel received honorable mention.

Marion County RECORD

Marion taxpayers will likely pay $804 to get a second, corrected round of utility bills in November. A billing blunder caused August utility bills to be sent out this month. When the city was made aware of the error, November bills were sent out.

Lincolnville auctioneer Joe Vinduska and his wife, Tish, have the estate auction routine perfected. Friday, they ran an estate sale for the family of a Marion resident.

The spirit of Christmas smelled a lot like burnt gasoline Saturday at the 28th annual Marion County Toy Run. A total of 117 motorcycles and 21 antique cars rolled down N Main St. in Hillsboro to deliver toys and food pantry items to Hillsboro State Bank’s community tree.

An old gas station at 2467 US-50 outside Florence is now host to Blaze Siding and Windows, a nine-year-old business owned by Florence residents Tom and Dawna Blaes. You read that correctly — the Blaeses’ business is named Blaze Siding and Windows.

IN MEMORIAM:

Surgeon Marc Duverseau will begin seeing patients Nov. 18 at St. Luke Hospital in Marion. His arrival coincides with the departure of surgeon Todd Brown, who saw patients in Marion for two years.

Although a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was approved Oct. 28 for ages 5 and older, Marion County parents won’t be able to vaccinate their children until later in November. County medical officer Don Hodson said Marion County Health Department would figure out how to distribute the vaccine next week.

Three local facilities say they will comply with a new federal mandate requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, but they want questions answered first. Others could not be reached for comment.

Kathy Heart of rural Hillsboro spent most of Nov. 3 trying to persuade people that COVID-19 vaccines aren’t safe. She stood at the intersection of Prairie Pointe and E. C St., which drivers had to pass to reach the clinic, holding a sign that read, “COVID info please stop here.”

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Peabody Auxiliary Christmas Showcase will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 4 at the American Legion post in Peabody. Vendors will sell crafts, baked goods, and products from home-based businesses.

A card shower is planned for the 50th wedding anniversary Saturday of Randy and Cindy Dallke of Peabody. They were married Nov. 13, 1971, at the Harvey County courthouse in Newton.

Free food will be available next week for low-income families. To qualify, a family must have monthly income of less than $1,396 plus $491 for each additional member of the household after the first.

People donating blood from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 23 at Centre High School will receive $10 gift cards from online retailer Amazon.com. Appointments are being accepted at (800) 733-2767.

4-H:

MEMORIES:

Vocal music teacher Lynn Just is organizing a different theatre production for Hillsboro High School: “Shrek.” “It seemed to fit the kids that I have right now,” she said.

Centre musical director Amy Harms will direct a Veterans Day program at 9 a.m. Thursday in the school’s main gymnasium. Students will sing Armed Forces theme songs, and some will be dressed in costume as historical figures.

A first-year parliamentary procedure team from Centre FFA placed first at a south central district leadership school Monday at Arkansas City. Chairman Olivia Carlson led assembly members Kaity Bina, Hailey Barton-Whitcomb, Dwayne Moening, Robert Spohn, and Hayley Whiteley.

At its monthly meeting Monday, the Centre board of education appointed teacher Tye Remy the new play director at Centre. Leann Trout was hired to be an assistant girls’ basketball coach after Tim Vinduska resigned the position. Her mother, Sherri Pankratz, is head coach.

Board members who oversee the local TEEN educational cooperative, Technology Excellence in Education Network, will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Marion school district offices. Information about the meeting is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.

Three days after classes at Marion-Florence Classes were canceled this past Friday in the hope that time and extra cleaning would head off expansion of an unusually high number of students in quarantine.

The senior class at Hillsboro High School would have been toddlers the last time the Trojans advanced to the state quarterfinals in football. That was in 2006, and the Trojans upended Sacred Heart-Salina before being cut down in the final four by eventual state runner-up Garden Plain.

Seniors Carly Deines of Centre, Mya Winter of Peabody-Burns, and Kaleigh Guhr and Rachael Zogleman of Goessel this past week were named the first team all-league volleyball team by the Wheat State League. Junior Ashley Rosfeld and freshman Brooklyn Wuest of Goessel received honorable mention.