BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
After avoiding algae advisories most of last summer, Marion Reservoir is back to dealing with them on this year’s first major weekend for visitors.
A blue-green algae watch for the reservoir was issued Friday by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Marion and Chase counties officially are being listed as the Kansas counties most impacted by drought.
Both counties are listed as experiencing at least moderate drought — a long-term condition that even this week’s rainfall can’t automatically resolve.
The first order of business for Brian Wells, who will become Marion city administrator June 16, will be getting to know the community and council and then deciding the best paths to take from there, he said in an interview last week.
The public can meet Wells at a public reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at the community center.
After a lengthy stakeout, U.S. Marshals and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two absconded parolees on undisclosed charges Thursday in Peabody.
Melissa R. Merunka, 38, and Dusty L. Trusdale, 40, both of Peabody, were booked into the Marion County jail.
Marion City Council approved two proposals Monday that could lead to $1 million in new borrowing — $650,000 for improvements to Roosevelt and Coble Sts. and $350,000 for improvements to the city water system.
Andrew Kovar, a lawyer with the Wichita law firm Triplett Woolf Garretson, urged council members to officially designate the entirety of Roosevelt and Coble Sts. as main trafficways or trafficway connections.
Florence’s biggest weekend of the year is only a few days away.
Flint Hills Bent Rims will be host Sunday for its annual Grand Prix, which sees thousands flock to Florence as gaggles of motorcyclists speed down Main St.
A new $300,000 grant from the state will aid in a $461,500 renovation of the former Olde Towne Restaurant building at 126 N. Main St. in Hillsboro, city council members learned Thursday.
Although the building is not going to be used for housing, Mayor Lou Thurston said he hoped that his declaration Tuesday of June as Fair Housing Month would “promote fair housing practices throughout the city.”
County commissioners got their first look at the county’s newest ambulance Monday — two years after it was ordered.
When the county ordered two ambulances in 2023, emergency medical services was down to four ambulances because two had been sold and the others were ailing and needed expensive repairs. Ambulances were being shuffled between towns to serve needs.
Work to replace curbs and gutters and replace a too-small drain pipe at the base of Marion’s Elm St. hill is expected to be completed before Chingawassa Days, June 6 to 8.
Work began May 12. EBH engineer Darin Neufeld said weather had caused some slow days. Crews could work only portions of Monday because the ground and street were too wet.
St. Luke Hospital Board elections will be conducted during the board’s annual meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Two seats are up for election. Incumbent Byron Lange has said he intends to run.
Memorial Day services are planned for Monday at several cemeteries in the area.
Cedar Point Cemetery — 10 a.m. Honors presented by John McKay American Legion Post of Florence.
Services for Ronald Lee Shipman, 57, who died May 12 at his home in Florence, will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Marion Christian Church
Born May 17, 1967, in Newton to Ronald and Mary Lou (Slaughter) Shipman, he attended grade school and junior high in Florence and graduated in 1985 from Marion High School.
IN MEMORIAM:
Brandon KlendaIN MEMORIAM:
Stephen Moore
Under orange-and-red lights in Shari Flaming Memorial Arts Center, Hillsboro High School graduated 38 Trojans on Saturday.
The procession was a professional, polished affair, livened up by some choice attire.
Members of one of the smallest graduating classes in recent years at Centre High School walked across the stage Sunday to receive diplomas.
At least eight of 56 Kansas Online Learning Program graduates joined them.
Centre graduate Kaitlynn Bina is a 2025 Hagan scholarship recipient.
She will receive $15,000 a year for four years.
Marion junior Carson Krause is recovering at home after being hit in the neck by a baseball and collapsing at Marion’s regional playoff game May 14 against Little River.
With the score 3-3, Krause was catching in the bottom of the seventh inning when a foul ball struck the side of his neck.
It’s something recently graduated high-schoolers know better than anyone: Marion County has a lot of old people.
Census data indicate that of 11,795 county residents, 10% are in their 70s, and 6% are in their 80s and up.
I did it. My son did it. My grandson and granddaughters did it. It’s pretty much safe to assume that every kid’s done it at some point in his or her young life.
“Eat your vegetables,” a parent extorts.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
The end of it all LETTERS:
Democracy on ICE?,
Memorial Day,
Earthquakes
Holy Family Parish plans a festival Friday to mark Father Emil Kapaun being named Venerable in his move up the ladder toward sainthood.
“The Father has placed us together so that we might share his life, so let’s eat together, pray together, and play together,” the parish’s announcement says.
A card shower has been requested for Maurice and Nancy Meirowsky’s 65th wedding anniversary.
They were married May 28, 1960, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Florence.
Three blood drives are planned in Marion County in coming weeks:
Pioneer Bluffs, the Center for Flint Hills Ranching Heritage north of Matfield Green, is seeking a new operations director now that SammyJo Happy has returned to ranching.
More information is available from Nancy Mattke at (620) 753-3484 or nmattke1452@gmail.com.
Peabody’s community-made banners were erected last week and now are waving proudly on Main St.
The banners were orchestrated by Topeka-based artist Carol Bradbury last fall thanks to a $8,500 grant provided by Kansas Arts Commission.
MEMORIES:
15,
30,
45,
60,
75,
110,
145 years ago
Bea Holub described watching her son Axl compete at this month’s Greco-Roman state wrestling tournament as a humbling experience.
“He, at only 10 years old, worked really, really hard at his craft,” she said. “All the time that he spends, all the money that is spent, all the traveling, those are the moments that make it all worth it.”
The Warriors’ season ended last week when Marion lost 4-3 to Little River in the first round of baseball playoffs May 14.
Jameson Looper and Carson Krause each had two hits and scored one run. Pitcher Lander Smith had a hit and a run scored.
Top athletes from 16 schools, including Marion and Hillsboro, will compete Thursday in a Class 2A regional track and field meet at Marion.
Marion and Hillsboro are among the sixteen competing.
Hillsboro’s golf team placed third place as a team Monday in Erie, qualifying to compete as a team Tuesday at state in McPherson.
Individually, Lincoln Wichert placed eighth, and Braxton Biebert placed ninth.