Marion County RECORD

19-year-old Libertarian among Tuesday's candidates

A 19-year-old Hillsboro High School graduate resident majoring in natural resources at Fort Hays State University is running for state legislature as a Libertarian against Stephen Owens. “I wanted to increase awareness of the Libertarian party,” candidate Henry Hein said. “I think a little more competition would be healthy for us.”

3 more cops quit, Peabody losing its last full-time police officer; 2 deputies also resign

An exodus of law enforcement officers is continuing with resignations of Peabody’s last full-time police officer and two county sheriff’s deputies. Caitlin Brunner gave Peabody city council members two weeks’ notice of her resignation last week.

Forum to help guide Marion's planning

The city of Marion wants public input about its strategic plan, but it hasn’t widely publicized a workshop scheduled next week to gather just that. One of its council members didn’t even know about the workshop earlier this week.

Voting curbs headed for referendum

Petitioners challenging a proposed charter ordinance that could eliminate voters’ rights to approve or reject adding to Marion’s debt got an expensive taste of their own medicine Thursday. Rather than do as petitioners suggested and abandon the ordinance — written by a firm the city hires to sell its bonds — the city council voted 3-2 to spend an estimated $4,000 for a referendum on it Dec. 20.

It's the great pumpkin

Students from Hillsboro Elementary second grade classes went searching for the great pumpkin Thursday. In brisk wind, teachers Michele Berens and Rebecca Kaufman and two paraeducators watched as 44 second-graders ran around looking at all the pumpkins near Mustang and 290th Rds.

Trashy fashion; Kids learn how to dress for success - with recycling

The latest fashion trend from Goessel features Amazon packaging, burned matches, and pages from a dystopian novel. A trio of students in Kacie Schmidt’s advanced art class is hoping the dress they made for “Trash to Trends,” a competition sponsored by BC Emery Photography, wins big today in St. John. They started working on the dress — fashioned out of recycled materials — Sept. 2.

No longer interim after $15,000 raise

After 4½ months as interim county emergency manager, Marcy Hostetler will now fill the role on a permanent basis. County commissioners on Monday set Hostetler’s pay at $65,000 a year. Her predecessor, Randy Frank, was paid $49,980 a year.

Bank president before 10-year reunion

A new job at Central National Bank fit two interests for 2014 Centre graduate Grant Srajer: agriculture and finance. Srajer is market president of the bank’s location in Herington. He started the job last month and is training under Dick Kramer, who plans to retire at the end of the year after working at the bank for 37 years.

Hillsboro council to consider raising electric rates

Hillsboro electric rates likely will rise so the city can pay higher charges from Kansas Power Pool and still meet its goal of building its utility fund reserve. City administrator Matt Stiles told council members Tuesday that the utility fund has only 28 days’ cash on hand.

Kapaun Museum to get sobering gift

A chaplain’s helmet with a bullet hole near its cross will be given to the Father Kapaun Museum as part of St. John Nepomucene Church’s Nov. 11 Veterans Day observance. Father Kapaun’s nephew, Ray Kapaun, will present the gift.

Veterans memorial moves forward

Marion’s VFW post and supporters showed county commissioners architect’s drawings of their planned veterans memorial Monday. In August 2021, commissioners approved a location at the county lake for the memorial, but no final design was available at that point, nor were funds raised for the project.

Polka marks anniversaries

Although three Pilsen couples didn’t marry on the same dates, all hit their golden anniversaries this year and marked the achievement Saturday with a joint Polka party. Don and Jeannie Vinduska, Dennis and Terry Klenda, and Francis and Mary Jirak were feted with dancing and polka music played by the Barefoot Becky polka band of Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Ella Beauchamp

Graveside services for Ella Jean Beauchamp, 100, who died Friday at Salem Home, Hillsboro, will be 11 a.m. Friday at Belvidere Cemetery, Belvidere, Nebraska. Relatives will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church, Hillsboro.

Arlin Mueller

Services for Arlin Mueller, 71, who died Oct. 25 at Wheat State Manor, Whitewater, will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Tampa. Pastor Clark M. Davis will officiate. Born Oct. 2, 1951, in Yates Center to Erich and Kathryn (Hoffman) Mueller, he is survived by daughter Amanda Zernickow of Monument, Colorado; brothers Gary Mueller of McPherson, Leon Mueller of Wichita, and Bob Mueller of Manhattan; sister Kathy Witt of Abilene; and two granddaughters.

Teresa Tajchman

Mass of Christian burial for Teresa M. Tajchman, 94, Ramona, who died Saturday at St. Luke Hospital, Marion, will be 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, Pilsen. Relatives will gather with friends 5 to 7 tonight at the church. Rosary will be at 7. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

Tale of two fields; Best of times, worst of times for wheat

Dusty Bina figures he has some of the best-looking winter wheat in the area and some that’s not so good-looking. Wheat in a field he planted early in the first half of September near 280th and Zebulon Rds. is looking good and green. A rain right after planting helped a lot.

Parched summer took heavy toll on county's hay harvest

Dry weather during 2022 was hard on this year’s hay harvest. Cattle and horse farmers are facing small harvests of their own hay and high prices to buy hay for the winter.

A vote for being informed

Still confused over how to vote in Tuesday’s election? Here’s an attempt to make the best case possible for each of the main candidates in contested races on the ballot in Marion County: U.S. Senate — Rarely will you see a race with such clear delineation between liberal (challenger Mark Holland) and conservative (incumbent Jerry Moran) . Perhaps because of the freedom and independence that seniority gives him, Moran seems more likely than Holland to put pragmatic interests of Kansans above generic positions of his party. But if you want a clear choice, you have it in this race.

Vox non populi

Three of Marion’s city council members don’t seem to care much about what citizens have to say. Like the Japanese “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” monkeys, they covered their eyes and ears (though not their mouths) a week ago and refused to let citizens speak before considering what to do with a charter ordinance that needlessly takes away citizens’ rights to vote.

Penny wise guys

Last week, the City of Marion published a legal notice making it illegal to park in the same place on city streets for more than seven consecutive days. Instead of printing the ordinance as required by state law and city code in the official city newspaper, it used a legal loophole to print only a summary, referring citizens — or, at least, those with internet access and an inclination to go searching — to the city’s website for details.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Hett, Frank wedding announced

Alli Grace Hett, daughter of Don and Dawn Hett of Marion, and Mason Joseph Frank, son of Sandy Avalon of Garden City, were married Sept. 24 in an outdoor double-ring ceremony south of Marion. Clinton Cope of rural Marion performed the ceremony. Robyn Anderson of Marion was maid of honor, and Alex Martinez of Lawrence was best man. Bethany Grimmett of Florence and Teryn Avalon, sister of the groom, were bridesmaids. Damon Duncan of Wichita and Logan Avalon, brother of the groom, were groomsmen.Sara Cope was hostess for a reception at the Don Hett farm.

Packed with love

Mennonites from Marion County packed cans of chicken last week to be sent around the world to feed the hungry. Their work was part of a 45-year mission in 29 states and one Canadian province. This year’s six-month canning effort started Oct. 3 in Ohio and will finish April 27 in Ontario.

Alternative gift market set for Nov. 12

Marion County’s 12th annual alternative gift market will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 12 at Marion Community Center. The market features information about projects across the world, including local programs Main St. Ministries, CORE, FACT, Safe Hope and Marion County Food Bank.

Developmental screenings set

Children newborn to age 5 will be screened for motor, language, communication, cognitive, social, emotional, hearing, and visual development from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in Hillsboro. Appointments for the free screenings are necessary and are being accepted by Kristie Butler at (620) 382-2858, Ext. 6.

Flower class coming to library

Kathy Goering of Kathy’s Floral Designs in Hillsboro will present a program on fall floral arrangements from noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 9 at Marion City Library. Reservations cost $5 and will be accepted through Friday at (620) 382-2442.

Senior centers menus

MEMORIES:

Mission: accomplished! Top-seeded Trojans cruise to 2A state title

Take a stroll down memory lane to the final weekend of October a year ago. The setting: the Class 2A state volleyball tournament’s title game between the Hillsboro Trojans and the Smith Center Lady Red at Dodge City’s United Wireless Arena.

Marion wins 1st playoff game in 5 years

Friday was a night for Warriors with the Marion Warriors and Peabody-Burns Warriors both advancing in this year’s football playoff brackets as other teams were left to reflect on their season and gear up for next year. Marion Marion recorded its first playoff victory since 2017 in winning Friday’s home playoff game against Sacred Heart, 38-14.

24 years later, Marion boys 'break the wall', 3 county runners medal; 2 teams place

Marion and Hillsboro both placed as teams, and three county runners medaled Saturday in state cross-country meets. Marion For the first time since 1998 Marion cross-country brought home some hardware from the state meet, finishing third as a team in Wamego and holding off Central Heights by two points.

Return to current issue